D Minsen & Co
In the days of branded machine-made shoes, it is tough to be a hand-made shoemaker. Delhi just has a handful and they have made their mark for generations. The first such name that comes to mind is D Minsen & Co in Connaught Place. Started in 1937 by Chiu Yueh San, popularly called Minsen, the legacy is being carried forward by his grandson, Edward Chiu, an alumnus of IIT-Delhi and Footwear Design Development Institute, Noida. With the demand for bespoke shoes slumping, they produce only two to three a week. This has led them to foray into trading and equestrian accessories. In this sphere, their loyal clientele is certainly coming in handy.
The Shoe Garage
The years spent in an automobile workshop fetched Rajan Khanna hands-on experience in dealing with all types of cars. This led him to develop an urge to do something more creative, which involved designing from the word go. So he chose his next career, one where trends changed fast—manufacturing footwear. Taking a cue from his earlier job, he called his unit The Shoe Garage which allows customers to be designers for themselves. They can give their own designs and the shoes will be delivered tailor-made for them. A complete Delhi denizen since birth, Rajan feels the national capital has always been very fashion-oriented. However, of late, he points out, there is the Western influence that prevails in everything. People are drifting away from individuality to blatant imitations, unaware of what suits their personal style.
Balujas
Balujas was started in 1931 by K L Baluja with a single store. His grandson Vidur Mehta took charge of the family business in 2000 and has expanded to 15 stores countrywide, with most outlets being in Delhi. There have been some tough times for the brand, but Delhi’s never-say-die spirit helped the 39-year-old Stephanian and MBA from the Rochester Institute of Technology overcome each defeat. Controlling temper, however, was a problem for the scion of the Baluja Shoe Company. He is easily irritated by ‘pseudo customers’, who pretend to look down on Indian brands and say they only wear international brands, but still come in to the shop.