Shalini Malhotra on the wear and tear of being a footwear designer

Today designers are ‘in’ and designing is THE career option, but why is it that people automatically assume it to mean a fashion designer? Every time I say I am a ‘footwear designer’ there are either awkward silences or vapid smiles. Maybe because there’s not much glamour attached to it. Not many can understand that shoes don’t grow on trees!

The shoes that we all wear have to be designed, manufactured, tested and ‘passed’ before they get to the shelves. The shoe industry has a whole lot of designers, technologists, researchers, in fact a platoon of trained personnel that turn out those comfortable keds or sexy stilettos. There are so many factors to be considered before a pair can meet consumer approval.

Right Foot Out
I am 22 years old and a trained footwear designer with a diploma from Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI), Delhi. I work as an assistant footwear designer in M&B Footwear that makes shoes for Lee Cooper. I was always interested in designing but chose not to go into fashion; it is an extremely common field.

After I did my schooling from Bal Bharti Air Force School, Lodhi Road, Delhi, I opted for History Honours from Hansraj College. But I always knew that I would get into designing. My career had to be in the creative field. Even as I pondered over what designing line to get into, I came across an advertisement for FDDI in the newspaper and everything just fell into place.

I found the whole concept very different and a great profession to be part of. Thankfully, my family had no biases against it and supported me in my choice of career. I applied and got selected for a diploma in footwear designing.

The selection procedure requires a candidate to undergo an all-India selection test, which consists of a written test, a group discussion and a personal interview. The required educational qualification is 10+2 for diploma courses and graduation for the post-graduate diploma in footwear technology and management. It took me 18 months to complete the course.

Treading Right
In the final semester we had to go through industrial training. I undertook my industrial training in M&B itself and based on my performance, secured a job with them through campus placement. I am part of the R&D department and my job covers the entire footwear manufacture technology, right from the concept to turning out the finished product.

The course prepares you thoroughly for the job with 70 per cent practical training and 30 per cent theory. As a designer, my job is to take the concept from the idea stage to the product stage.

First, ideas are developed based on trends and consumer research, then, the material is selected, followed by pattern cutting and getting the range approved from the marketing department for the production. While designing we have to give it a three-dimensional look to know what the final product will look like. I co-ordinate these activities so that the sample gets ready at the right time.

Marching Ahead
In my designing class, the boy-girl ratio was 50/50, whereas the footwear technology class had no women as it involves going to the production floor. Fortunately, that is changing now. More and more women are coming into the profession and rightly so; it’s a big world out there and the career prospects are endless.

Though it is difficult to bracket a designer’s salary rate, the starting pay is usually Rs 8,000 per month. After that it depends on one’s performance. As an assistant designer I can go on to head the department or branch out on my own and turn a successful freelancer or even set up my own production house.

It’s a challenging area and a highly creative profession. The prospects, as I said, are endless.

As told to Purabi Shridhar
Photograph: Manoj Verma


THE MAKING OF A SHOE:
Ever wondered what goes into the making of a shoe? Well, here you go —

Concept: What kind of shoes is to be made? Its purpose, the woman who is to wear it, her age group, social group and mind set.

Trend: At this stage styling, comfort and above all, trend is very important.

Soles: Sometimes the soles are already available. At other times they have to be manufactured according to given designs and size specifications.

The ‘lasts’: The ‘lasts’, made of high-density poly ethylene (HPDE), is three-dimensional to enable the designer to understand how the final product will look. The footwear is constructed over it since it gives the footwear its shape in accordance with the volume of the foot. At this stage the toe shape — round, pointed, square, asymmetrical — is decided. The bottom half of the shoe has to follow the shape of the soles but the design of the upper is finalised at this stage.

Sketching: The pattern is cut on paper and goes to ‘sampling’ where the design is re-cut in leather or the material it is to be made in. The material, accessories and colour are finalised now.

Marketing: After the brand and pricing are decided, the marketing department gives the nod.

Sale: The final shoe hits the shelves.