Sole-ful

The two-story boutique with one floor each dedicated to mens and womens shoes opens early next week. For even more snazzy,the Red Menace as Louboutin is enviously called by other shoe designers is in Mumbai for the launch as well as the India Design Forum.

Louboutins isnt the first boutique in India for its well heeled. Bally opened to its many Indian fans at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai,quickly followed by the Italian legend Salvatore Ferragamo. Bad management and poor merchandising forced Bally to shut within a few months,while Ferragamo meets reasonable success at their three stores in the country. The other Italian eroe,Tods would be the top shoe boutique among the luxury labels,but it needs a Mumbai presence soon.

Here comes Louboutin half maverick,half pop star,all high fashion with his theatrical shoes. Think red soles,studded sneakers and bejewelled boots,and you know you can never wear an ordinary shoe again.

Louboutin couldnt have launched at a more opportune time. India has discovered its sole. Look at any of the big malls in any city in this country,its the footwear shops that are bringing in the footfall. Weve gone through a quiet shoe renaissance where suddenly its the all-important card in our dressing up game. Indian women and men are experimenting with colour,style and fabric like never before. Where we were one of the most boring shoe-shod not too many years ago,nothing is too bizarre now.

Expensive shoe-makers wont like to admit it but its the high-street knock-offs (Steve Madden,Zara,Aldo) that have brought on this movement. Theyve picked up the pulse for the new and fashion-for-fashion hungry Indian and given her (and him) a shoe that turns heads. (Theyve also rid us off those ugly Flip-flops.) Of course,most are watered-down versions of the ones made by expensive labels,but how far can you go with two or four stores in a country of one billion-plus?

Indian stores are even customising shoes for their clients. Its well rumoured that you can bring in a designer shoe at Kala Niketan in New Delhi and have a copy made. A new company called SoleD Shoes,which claims to have experience in shoemaking for over 60 years,allows you to choose your colours and components and design your own shoe. Big dry-cleaning ventures like Pressto offer to clean your pricey shoes and make them as good as new.

Things are looking up for Louboutin and his shoemaking friends. Not only are his annual sales at $300 million and growing in double digits,women are painting the bottom-side of their fingernails red and calling it the Louboutin manicure.

(namratanowgmail.com)