The SOLEmates from Dhanmondi 15

*Putting up this article on FB reminds me of a younger brother, no more, who loved fashionable shoes :-] 

 

The SOLEmates from Dhanmondi 15
 

Faizul Khan Tanim has found shoe shops to cater contemporary and classic styles, tucked away in Dhanmondi, that have a great array of men's shoes boasting the word 'entrepreneurship' in all senses

Choosing the right footwear is important if you want to make a strong impression. And legend has it that Nawab Sirajuddaula was caught by his enemies while trying to escape in the guise of a pauper and although he wore crumpled clothes but his shoes revealed his royalty.  And it is evident that one’s shoes tell a lot about the person’s taste and gives insight in to his personality and dress sense. Quality shoes at good prices are often hard to find, especially for men. We found several shops located on the Dhanmondi 15 (old) road strip where shoe-admirers surely won’t be disappointed.

The shops have leather shoes and sandals for men mostly. Women’s shoes can be made-to-order. On display are oxfords, loafers, cap-toes, dress shoes/boots, monk strap, square-toe, pumps, moccasins, wing-tips, brogues and more. What really makes these shops a great find is that they’ll also make any shoe you want in any colour and style, especially for you. Pick out a design from a catalogue or bring along a photo. They have a six-month warranty for sandals and one year for shoes, that’s saying something for quality.

Jakir Hossain, the current owner of Babul Shoes, said, “In the beginning, it was tough getting this strip of market set up, but now that we have established ourselves with almost 26 outlets, approximately 150 owners and store people working directly in this Dhanmondi 15 area are giving relentless efforts to improve the quality of shoes and its finishing everyday. We will one day enjoy the fruits of our hard work. All the shops here are doing great business with revenues of almost Taka 25,000 per day during festival occasions like the two Eids and winter season. Although, at present, there is a big slump in our sales due to the political turmoil”.

Hossain took us to the factory of Babul Shoes where we saw the shoe making process.
A footwear company has mainly four departments in which a route is followed for producing finished shoes - Clicking or Cutting department, Closing or Machining department, Lasting and Making department, and finally, the Finishing department before the product enters display room.

The first step is cutting the top part of the shoe or the making of the ‘upper’. Here, using specialized cobbler knives, the worker cuts out pieces of various shapes that will take the form of uppers and the worker has to keep in mind the minimum wastage of expensive leather.

Then comes shoe closing or stitching where uniting all the aesthetic coverings of the shoe take place. The uppers are pierced, punched, fixed, grooved, and then placed with lining and sewn together.

Then comes shoe lasting, where the completed uppers are moulded into a shape of foot with the help of a “Last”. Last is a plastic shape that simulates the foot shape. It is later removed from the finished shoe to be used again in making other shoes. Firstly, an insole to the bottom of the last is attached. The upper is then stretched and moulded over the last and attached to the insole rib. After the procedure is completed, a ‘lasted shoe’ is obtained. Now, in the welting process, a strip of leather or plastic is sewn onto the shoe through the rib. (A welt is a strip of leather, rubber, or plastic that is stitched to the upper and insole of a shoe, as an attach-point for the sole. The space enclosed by the welt is then filled with cork or some other filler material and the outsole is both cemented and stitched to the welt). The upper and all the surplus material is then trimmed off the seam. The sole is then attached to the welt and both are stitched together. The heel is then attached which completes the making of the shoe.

The finishing of a shoe is the last step where the sole edge and heel are trimmed to give a smooth finish. The edge is also made waterproof and for that, they are stained, polished and waxed. In the shoe room, an internal sock is fitted into shoes which display the manufacturers’ details or a brand name and shoe size.

Mohammed Jashim of Maria Shoes said they get their leather from Hazaribagh, which is just around the corner...more like the next suburb of Dhanmondi 15 and the distance isn’t long as well.

“Our prices are based on the design and start from Tk 800 a pair and then again, some pairs may cost  as much as Taka 3,000, depending on the leather, sole, craftsmanship and finishing. We use the best quality cow, goat or lamb leather; ensure excellent stitching and very importantly give good soles, which are one of the key elements for the lifeline of a pair”, said Jashim.

Jashim also added that “There are four types of soles – a Chinese sole that we call China, crepe sole, rubber sole and finally the most flexible and dynamic PVC sole, which are actually vehicle tire materials and hence the most durable”.

Other owners said: Many people go to Bangkok to get custom-made shoes but we can offer shoes that are of better quality and at affordable prices. We also make specific designs for display to attract customers, following lifestyle magazines and celebrity footwear from the internet and must say, getting huge response.

The outlet one must visit is definitely Babul Shoes. Started by Kalorobi Das around Liberation, from 1972 onwards, this outlet is the oldest on that road. They have three outlets at present and flaunt some of the best designs. A crocodile leather cap-toe pair on display was drawing most of the attention and bringing in a lot of customers.

And Hossain from Babul Shoes said more that, “Customers come with fancy designs and we are able to make them to their satisfaction. They have a sense of contentment wearing shoes that have been made especially for them from scratch. The best part about custom-made design is that one can come up with any creative design from the internet or any celebrity’s shoe design and we will transform that in to reality.

These shoe stores are a hit with many men, who are flocking to them from across town. So make your way to Dhanmondi Road 15 (Old) which is 8/A (new) and find yourself the right fit and pair.

*This article was first published in The Independent - http://theindependentdigital.com/index.php?opt=view&page=31&date=2013-04-19