DNA India
From flats and wedges to pumps and ballerinas, what goes into the perfect shoe?
Sunday, Sep 8, 2013, 8:58 IST | Agency: DNA
Saying that we women love our shoes would be a gross understatement. Shoes of all styles and sorts, right from the dainty stilettoes to the classic pumps, have seduced generations of women–capturing our hearts, minds and imaginations in a way little else has. As American actress Bette Midler once famously said, “Give a girl the correct footwear and she can conquer the world!”
Of course, footwear doesn’t have to be just correct. It has to be perfect.
Enter: The Perfect Shoe. By packing in a seemingly impossible combination of the look, comfort (oh so important!), functionality and fabulousness, the perfect shoe is the object of ultimate desire.
That Elusive Formula!
The perfect shoe needs to be perfect on every level. Daniel Rubin, Founder and Executive Chairman, The Dune Group reveals, “The perfect shoe combines the following qualities: the best quality components, in particular beautiful, soft leather; a shape and line that is visually pleasing to the eye and flatters the wearer’s legs, and enhances their outfit. Finally, the shoe fits like a glove and is a pleasure to wear because it is so comfortable.”
Lavina Rodrigues Pinto of Metro Shoes shares the same thought, “The perfect shoe is versatile and can be effortlessly paired up with any attire. It must be comfortable (as we spend most of our time on our feet) and timeless so as to transcend the fads of the season.”
Neelam Prasad, designer and founder, Imprints Comfort Footwear says, “The perfect shoe is something which you would be possessive enough of, to not share with anybody else! It has truly the right balance of functionality and aesthetics combined with comfort.”
Of course, perfection is a subjective concept. Deepika Mehra, founder, Vanilla Moon is of the opinion, “The perfect shoe differs from woman to woman as no two women have the same feet. But overall, if the pair of shoes makes the wearer walk tall, fits well and suits the outfit that it has been paired with, that is indeed the perfect pair of shoes!”
The Quest for Perfection
In their quest for perfection, designers are constantly raising the bar higher. Says Sonali Ullal, head of accessories, Vinegar, “At Vinegar, our focus is on high quality, being different and doing out-of-the-box stuff. Perfection for us is an iterative process, as we keep working to make our footwear better with every pair.”
“Vanilla Moon prides itself on its exceptional craftsmanship and fine attention to detail. From deciding on final shapes and heel heights, to designing an appropriate pair that fits well, to choosing the best leathers and trims for that pair.
Then comes pattern making, stitching the uppers, making the soles, preparing the heels and then during an extremely detailed mechanised assembly line process, attaching the upper to the sole, nailing the heel into the shoe and finally every pair goes through an elaborate finishing process,” explains Mehra.
Customisation is another important aspect. Says Pinto, “At Metro Shoes, more than production, it is the regional customisation (created for every store) that ensures that there is a perfect shoe at each of our stores for every occasion.”
Catering to a host of shoe-loving women who’d love to design their own pair of perfect shoes is Shoes of Prey. This Australia-based bespoke service allows women to create their dream pair of shoes online, with a wide suite of raw materials (right from leather to fish-skin and Italian silk), designs and colour options.
The current range offers more than 4 trillion customised combinations and is constantly updated. Says Jodie Fox, co-founder of Shoes of Prey, “It’s the opportunity to have the shoes you’ve always dreamt of in a few clicks–and it’s an incredible feeling to be able to respond to a compliment on your shoes with, Thank you! I designed them.”
The Perfect Shoe isn’t just the stuff fairytales or fashion myths are made of. Designers and experts around the world are working tirelessly to bring every shoe loving women her perfect
