Fit for your feet: A look at local shoe design

MANILA, Philippines - “A woman carries her clothes, but it’s a shoe which carries a woman” — well, at least according to the great Christian Louboutin. From YSL Tribute platforms to Repetto BB flats named after screen siren Brigitte Bardot, shoes have always been a source of fascination for the fashionable set. While they make it seem so easy, shoe designers have their work cut out for them. The grueling work of coming up with a masterpiece takes more than great design, it requires great workmanship.

As a shoe addict, I have always wondered how shoe designers churn out gorgeous pairs of heaven. With more and more Filipinos venturing into the world of shoe design, the Internet has become a haven for aspiring designers. By putting well-designed pieces up for show in cyberspace, shoe designers are slowly making locally-designed shoes accessible to the world. So, with this in mind, step into these designers’ shoes and see how they tick.

Maco Custodio

Coming from a family that used to run a shoe-making factory in Antipolo, you can say that Maco really has shoes in his blood. While it was never his intention to focus solely on shoes, as an industrial design major in UST, it seems as if it was really his destiny after all. “As part of our training, we were constantly asked to design things that would be deemed as sources of inspiration,” Maco recalls. “So I thought of concentrating on making shoe-spirational art.”

But before he could venture into the world of shoe making, he had to undergo five years of training in the Philippines, as well as in China. “I did what a normal sapatero would do — checking the leather, skiving, assembly, stitching, lasting, soleling, finishing,” the shoe designer shares. “Once, I even stuck shoe labels on from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m!”

All the hard work, he admits, paid off though as he came out of it with a thorough grasp of shoe making. “While it does not give you the golden ticket to success, knowing the technical part of a certain craft gives you a plus in the industry,” he affirms.

With training and talent, he officially started designing shoes in 2008. He collaborated with JC Buendia as part of Inno Sotto-helmed Fashion Watch. His latest collection, called “Dino,” is an interpretation of the beloved movie series Land Before Time. The collection evokes a sense of adventure that comes with the movie as Maco offers designs littered with dinosaur-horn details and shapes. “You can expect more artistic than functional works from me,” Maco admits. “And that’s seen in this collection.”

View Maco Custodio’s collections at www.macocustodio.com or contact 0922-8886226.

Soule Phenomenon

As a shoe-making operation based in Bacolod, Soule Phenomenon started making customized shoes that clients would order through the Internet. “The clients would submit their designs,” owner Nicole Puentevella explains, “then we would make them.”

Pleased with the success, Nicole decided to move their operations in Manila. Here, they started making designs of their own, usually patterned after international favorites. And yes, it was a success. In 2010, fashion bloggers helped establish Soule Phenomenon as a brand that celebrities, local and international alike, patronized.

“One of our highlights was when Don Protasio got in touch with us,” Nicole shares. “We made our version of the Finsk wedges and that’s what he used for his Philippine Fashion Week spring/summer 2011 show.”

This year, Nicole shares that we can expect offerings done in unique designs infused with architectural elements and of course, they’re bound to be as high as skyscrapers.

Soule Phenomenon is available at Graxie, Power Plant Mall and gladztolove.multiply.com. Contact them at 0922-8547201.

Virtual Mae

“I was at my father’s wake and saw a classmate of mine wearing the same shoes as I was,” owner Mae Sergio recalls. “It was embarrassing.” Determined to prevent future situations in the same vein, Mae put up a shoe business with the goal of offering a wide variety of styles but in limited quantities. What started as a vacation with her mom quickly turned into a profitable collaboration with foreign shoemakers.

With no formal training in shoe design, Mae collaborated with a host of shoe designers she met on her previous trips abroad, back when she was still running a fashion boutique business. “I would send my designs to them. This goes back and forth until we agree on the specifics like design and material. They would then send back finished prototypes to post on my site for pre-orders. The process usually takes more than two months,” she explains.

Her unique aesthetic has already captured the eyes of a bevy of local celebs like Bianca Gonzales, Mika Lagdameo-Martinez and Sinosikat vocalist Kat Agarrado. Her business-savvy ways have also captured the eye of magazines like Entrepreneur.

In the future, we can expect more things from this intrepid designer-slash-businesswoman: “It is my goal for Virtual Mae to grow into a more robust retail brand, with an extensive collection of shoes that not only taps the female adult market, but the male market as well, and in all ages. Think along the lines of a virtual Mall of Asia.” 

Visit Virtual Mae at virtualmae.multiply.com or call 0917-5375901.

Gold Dot

This little treasure is admittedly the youngest of the batch, formed just July in 2010. It matters little that it started with a collection of just four styles for shoes and two styles for bags; Gold Dot is quickly rising to fame.

As a young brand, Gold Dot is just learning the ropes, so to speak. And with it comes the difficulties of being a fledgling shoe brand. “Since my shoes and bags are all locally made, the only obstacle is the lack of materials,” designer Ally Duazo shares. “Unlike other brands that have their items made in China, I sometimes get frustrated because there are times when I would want a specific material that happens to be unavailable here. I can’t import them because suppliers from China always require thousands of pieces.” 

Through trial and error, she came up with her own production method. While for other designers, the process starts with the concept, Ally’s starts with a budget. This is to determine how many styles she can produce for a certain collection. With a budget in hand, Ally then heads to the drawing table to come up with a collection. “Once I’ve completed my designs,” she explains, “I’d choose the material then release the designs to my manufacturers and suppliers who make samples.” Ally shares that this is usually the longest process as all the details have to be perfected before a bigger production continues.

The process can be both frustrating and rewarding at times, but Ally admits that it’s all worth it in the end: “Every time that a person would tell me that my products are nice is such a memorable experience. Being recognized for what you’ve worked hard for is just so priceless!”

Gold Dot is available at Sundae, Coexist. and golddot.multiply.com. Contact them at 0917-5070585.