The story of building the perfect shoe
This is part of F5.0 project brief
You just walked into a shoe store. Rows of sneakers, boots, and sandals stare back at you, each pair telling a story, a story not just of fashion, but of history, technology, and personal choice. But have you ever stopped to think about what makes the perfect shoe? Not just how it looks, but why you choose the shoes you do? That is exactly what our teammates Ajay Sharma, Richa Abraham and Sameeha Maheen, the team Step Up, set out to explore. Here is a gist of their fascinating research.
One size does not fit all
The team took up the brief as a challenge: Understand the demand, trends, and consumer behavior in the customizable shoe market. In a world where “one size fits all” no longer works, especially in footwear, people crave individuality. The team decided to figure out how brands could tap into this growing desire for personalized shoes. Their research explored more on identity, culture, and the future of fashion.
The anatomy of a shoe = the anatomy of research
The team cleverly compared their research process to the anatomy of a shoe. Each part of the shoe represented a step in their journey. Here is how it looked:
1. The outsole: the foundation
Every shoe needs a solid foundation, and so does research. The team started by tracing the origins of words like “customization,” “design,” and “personalization.” They discovered that shoes are not just objects instead they are extensions of our identity. Think about it: the shoes you wear say a lot about who you are.
2. The heel: history and support
Just like a heel supports your foot, history supports our present. Shoes have been around for over 9,000 years! From ancient Egyptians crafting sandals to 16th-century Europeans using high heels as status symbols, shoes have always been more than just a necessity. Today, the footwear industry is worth billions, proving that shoes are cultural artifacts and economic powerhouses.
3. The upper: comfort, style, and people
The upper part of a shoe gives it identity, and for the team, this meant talking to real people. They interviewed over 30 stakeholders—designers, athletes, material suppliers—and even conducted surveys.
What did they find? Comfort matters more than style for most buyers, but brand perception also plays a huge role. Surprisingly, 75% of people said shoes are extremely important to them, and they would love to personalize them based on color, design, and fit. Yet, only 15% have actually bought custom shoes. Why? Price and quality are big factors.
4. The tongue: bridging the gap
The team compared the tongue of a shoe—the part that connects the laces to the foot—to their secondary research. They analyzed social media comments, competitor brands (like Nike and Adidas), and even connected with people who visited stores like ASICS, where one customer described her custom shoe experience as “walking on clouds.” The team also discovered that the customizable shoe market is expected to grow to a whopping $1.7 billion!
5. The laces: tying It all together
Just like laces bind a shoe, the team used tools like affinity maps, stakeholder maps, and empathy maps to connect their findings. They discovered that peer recommendations and celebrity endorsements heavily influence shoe purchases. Athletes, in particular, are very knowledgeable about what they want in a shoe, while non-athletes prioritize durability and affordability.
Peer recommendations and celebrity endorsements heavily influence shoe purchases.
What did they learn?
The team wrapped up the session with some eye-opening insights:
Customization is a game-changer: When people learned they could customize their shoes, interest skyrocketed by 5x! But there is a catch: big brands like Nike make the process frustrating to the customer with complex customs procedures, especially in India.
The unorganized market: Half of India’s shoe market is still unorganized, with local retailers focusing on leather products rather than athletic shoes. This leaves a huge opportunity for brands to step in.
Superstitions and traditions: Did you know 70% of people surveyed had never gifted shoes? In some cultures, gifting shoes is seen as bad luck, symbolizing the end of a relationship. Who knew shoes could be so symbolic?
The final step
The team’s ultimate goal? To create an accessible and scalable footwear customization model for Indian consumers, especially for athletic and casual shoes. They want to bridge the gap between the unorganized market (which focuses on leather) and the growing demand for personalized athletic footwear.
Why does this matter?
Shoes are not just about style—they are about identity. They are how we express ourselves to the world. Richa, Ajay, and Sameeha’s research shows that the future of footwear lies in personalization. It is not just about what is on your feet; it is about who you are and what you stand for.
So, the next time you slip on your favorite pair of sneakers, remember: there is a whole world of history, technology, and personal choice behind them.
Over the past 12 to 13 weeks, a group of passionate individuals has been immersed in tackling real-world challenges as part of a unique fellowship by First Principle Labs. This hands-on model where participants work on real-time briefs from the industry. They have been observing, analyzing, and understanding the systems and stakeholders involved in these challenges.
Last weekend (February 1,2) marked a pivotal moment in their journey—a midpoint event called Pitch the Problem. This was not just a presentation; it was the culmination of weeks of hard work, research, and discovery. The goal is for the participants to present the core problems they have identified to a panel of industry experts—individuals with years of experience in respective domains.The panelists provide feedback, share insights, and help the fellows refine their understanding of the problem. It is designed to be a collaborative brainstorming session where the panelists’ expertise can guide the participants toward deeper, more impactful solutions. The aim is to create a space for meaningful dialogue and discovery.
Welcome to Pitch the Problem—where curiosity meets expertise, and ideas take flight.