THE ART OF BESPOKE. For anybody with hard-to-fit feet, Mario Minardi’s custom-made services are the right answer to the problem
For a surprisingly large number of people, finding a pair of shoes with the perfect fit can be a real challenge. Usually the problem stems from having feet that do not conform to standard shoe sizes or having left and right feet that are slightly different. The latter can be especially problematic if the difference is small enough to easily go unnoticed but large enough to make standard store-bought shoes uncomfortable to wear.
Fortunately, however, a growing number of brands are taking active steps to counter this conundrum, and at the forefront stands Mario Minardi. This family-owned company originated from Indonesia but famously has its roots in the world of traditional Italian shoemaking. Today, besides its impressive lineup of quality leather footwear, Mario Minardi offers made-to-order and bespoke shoemaking services to meet each customer’s individual tastes, flair and—most importantly—build.
“Instead of using a Brannock Device, they will use a 3D scanner that will accurately take measurements down to the millimeter”
In the made-to-order range, customers will be able to mix and match various shoe models, material, detailing, size and fit from a series of options prepared by the brand. For even more personalization, however, Mario Minardi’s bespoke service allows customers to fully customize a pair of shoes by having their feet measured in detail and everything tailored exactly to these measurements.
So far, this service has proven to be extremely successful, accounting for around 60-percent of the brand’s recent sales. The fact that this bespoke service is offered in the comfort of modern shopping malls and allows potential customers to pick form a long lineup of design and material choices certainly plays a large part in its popularity. But in the end, it all still boils down to the comprehensive steps employed by Mario Minardi to create its made-to-order and bespoke shoes:
Meeting
First and foremost, the client schedules an appointment for a discussion with a personal assistant from Mario Minardi to discuss the kind of shoes to be crafted.
Measuring
This step is done for the bespoke service only. Instead of using a Brannock Device commonly seen in just about any shoe store, a 3D foot scanner is employed to accurately record measurements down to the millimeter. This allows for extra-detailed attention to the precise dimensions, angles and minute differences between both feet by Mario Minardi’s shoemakers.
Creating
Based on the measurements of the client’s feet, the assistant will ask careful and detailed questions to better understand his or her preferences and then make suitable recommendations for the type of leather, style and accessories. Further discussion about the design, construction and other fine details will be covered here as well.
Constructing
The personalized shoe order will then be sent to the brand’s craftsmen within one working day, and a trial pair will be ready for the first fitting within 14-21 working days.
Fitting
The fitting process gives the client a feel of how the shoes will look and fit. More importantly, any feedback from the client will be noted and applied.
Finishing
The pair will be returned to the workshop for any necessary adjustments and the finishing process. After another seven days (at most) the shoes will be ready for pickup.
Of course, this process takes quite a bit longer than simply picking a pair at the store and asking for the right size. However, the end result would be a pair of quality leather shoes that fit like, or perhaps better than, a glove.