Rapawalk is an one-year-old brand launched by two 29-year-old IIM-A graduates Aravind Maddireddy (left) and Kashif Mohammad
BENGALURU: Men, if you feel like the choices in a retail footwear store don’t match your taste, you can design your own pair of oxfords, derbys, mocassins, boots or whatever may be your style in a size that fits you perfectly. Rapawalk, a year-old brand launched by two 29-year-old IIM-A graduates Kashif Mohammad and Aravind Maddireddy, is all about giving a buyer a range of designs in shoes to choose from and customise to the required size and fit.
“In India alone, about 10 different foot profiles exist. A standard size cannot fit all,” says Mohammad, who along with Maddireddy, spent 18 months doing research on foot profiles, sizes, designs and fitting to cater to the specific needs of the Indian population. Rapawalk offers two range of shoes: An essential collection, which is priced between `2,000 and `3,500 and a premium range, which is priced above `5,000. They currently outsource material from Italy and Argentina and have set up two manufacturing units in North and South India, the principal one being located in Bengaluru.
A team of designers and artisans run the show with equipment carefully curated and accumulated from around the world. The founders are driven by the idea of providing a seamless fitting mechanism for shoes that are, according to them, an ideal part of every outfit.
“We’ve built a steady base of 1,500 customers who buy from us regularly. The response has been good after we recently launched the casual wear range. Leather sneakers customisation is on the cards next,” added Mohammad.To place your order, book an appointment at www.rapawalk.com.Alternatively, you can place your order online on the website or at Myntra, the e-commerce platform the company has recently partnered with.
Why Rapawalk?
The duo was inspired by the ‘Rapa Nui’ islands in the pacific. These islands are surrounded by many types and forms of crustaceans that change size, form and colour if under threat. Size, form and color customisation is what the brand goes by, thus the name Rapawalk.
