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【China Startup】Lacing 3D with tradition 侬晓得伐?一双手工鞋要200多道工序

2016-07-02 CCTVNEWS CCTVNEWS

https://v.qq.com/txp/iframe/player.html?vid=m0310lvf5ze&width=500&height=375&auto=0


P R E L U D E


The morning rush does not seem to be subdued by the clouds aggregating, warning of possible rain. 


I lift my gaze up. The sky is tinted with cyan blue, the air feels heavy with humidity. I bring my eyes down, and allow the city vibe to run through me. 

Herds of people walk past me, rushing about their day, their soles creating an orchestra of sounds as they brush against the pavement. 

The plethora of street decibels is music to my ears. 

The sharp click-clack of high heels clash with the dull thud of jogging sneakers, melting in a chaotic harmony with the vivid honking of cars and the indistinct chatter of passersby. 

Shanghai is alive and buoyant. 




I walk along the frenzied human stream, light drizzle brush against my face. The rain patters steadily against moving vehicles and the store windows planted on both sides of the tree-lined street, adding tunes to the musical symphony. 

The distinctive smell of wet asphalt infiltrates my nose in a refreshing fashion, as invigorating as the sight of the southern metropolis, with its modern architecture and colonial buildings, changing hues and vivifying its colors. 

I'm fully absorbed in the flow of pedestrians, cars and moving lights, until my sight rests on a big display window. 

With intrigued attention and an automatic pull, my feet drew me closer to it. 


As I fixedly looked at the two pairs of bespoke leather shoes, sturdily yet gracefully resting on the shelf, I felt separated from the world surrounding me. 

The window was a gateway to another place, where imagination could be tangibly touched. 

The shoes screamed with pride, they had a somewhat vintage look but they were definitely shaded in modern color. They were timeless pieces. 

A mahogany door stands two steps up from the sidewalk, I push it gently and a young man turns around with a welcoming gesture. 




His shimmery hair neatly slicked back and his crisp outfit accorded him the flair of a 1930s gentleman living on The Bund. He wore a well-ironed black suit, which partially revealed a white shirt with metal buttons inlaid with sparkling diamonds.

“Are you the manager of the store?” I asked while looking around the space. 

The store was peaceful and brightly-lit by a European crystal chandelier elegantly hanging from the ceiling. Sunshine travelling from the outside touched the surface of uniquely crafted shoes and boots, which comfortably sat around the shop, giving them an extra shine.

I could imagine they were once polished to perfection by a dedicated artisan's loving hands.





Behind the young man stood the window, exposing us two to the silhouettes

of pedestrians scurrying off. They seemed distant from the magic I was immersed in.

“Yes. Nice to meet you. Welcome to Perfetto,” he politely answered. 

My eyes drop to the ground, sizing up his footwear. It was a pair of dark brown leather shoes with a classic European pattern embossed on each side. Light creases settled on the surface, still, they looked quiet clean and tidy. 

“Did you design them by yourself?” I asked, pointing at his feet.

He smiled and nodded with approval.




“I've been wearing them for almost two years. If preserved well, you can wear them for a long time,” he said.


“Why did you open this shop? You look young.” I inquired as interest and curiosity arose.

He paused for a while and finally said,“I just love it and I want to break the misconception that China is incapable of making its own high-end customized footwear.”



C H A P T E R  1




The man standing before me is Wang Junqiang. He is the brainbox behind Perfetto, and the vigilant guardian of the three store branches he owns. 





Unlike other artisans who hone their skills since a tender age, Wang was a late bloomer, breathing life in the ancient art of shoemaking in 2007. He trailed on this path when he was inspired by a small shoe store. 

“One day, I saw one of my friends opening an affordable low-end footwear store due to some economical limitations. I asked myself, why don't I open a bespoke footwear store?” recalled Wang.

“I've always had an inclination for everything distinctive.




The same year, following a market research, Wang ventured in opening his own custom-made footwear store in Shanghai. But his business failed to launch, owing to lack of thorough strategic thinking and insufficient experience.

The bump in the road did not throw the young entrepreneur off balance. His thirst for shoe artistry was unquenchable, and a world of opportunities was ahead of Wang waiting for him to take a leap of faith. 

So he continued his journey of customizing shoes and carved out his own niche market.




Years into feasibility research and long-term thinking, he was ready for Perfetto. In 2013, Wang opened his store in the old French Concession, and the legacy of his traditional art, which combines past techniques with cutting-edge technology, remains to this day.

At first, foreigners made the bulk of Wang's clientele. They were driven by the need to tailor shoes suitable for them as “their feet sizes tend to be bigger than that of Chinese,” said Wang.




But the market developed, and people took to wanting an item designed solely for them, a pair of shoes which reflects their own wishes.

“We [now] design and manufacture shoes to perfectly conform to the shape of the client's foot and their aesthetic views,” explained Wang. 


The process of making shoes takes place in a factory far away from the buzzing city. Each pair requires an average of 200 steps, which are carefully carried out by ten craftsmen, dexterous and devoted to excellence.

“I respect them,” declared Wang in a steady tone.


“They have very dogged determination. Most people dabble their way through life. But these men have concentrated on one vocation for their whole lives.”




“How to make a pair of shoes?” I asked. 

Wang's eyes lit brightly. He was about to share his expertise, and what he has dedicated himself to create. 


Magic was few minutes away from happening.

“You need to choose the model, shape and type of leather, as well as the height of the heel firstly, then we will initiate the process by taking a series of foot measurements,” said Wang as he quickly fetched a blank piece of paper and placed it on a small stand. 

He then proceeded to ask me to take off my shoes and step on it. 

So I did.

He started to trace the shape of my feet, measuring the width and length and noting down the figures. 


“We will bring these figures to our factory, and let the craftsman make a shoe

tree,” he announced.


“What is a shoe tree?” I inquired.


“It is the cast approximating the shape of your feet. It is very crucial in the whole process,” Wang confidently answered. He sure knew the nuts and bolts of his artisanship, and hewasn't reluctant on passing the knowledge on.




“Why are they crucial?” I followed.

They help with “the accuracy when casting the shape,” he explained and continued to say that “if clothes are a bit too big or small, that won't be a problem. But if there was a fitting issue with shoes, you will feel very uncomfortable.”


To tackle this problem, Wang incorporated advanced technology to his manual craft, introducing 3D techniques to shoemaking.

The innovative approach helps to better cater to customers' needs, and give them a pair of shoes that feel like a second skin. 




“It's very hard for us to store the figures of the feet's shape. So we are testing the technique of combining 3D scanning and 3D printing together, with the client's details being scanned and inputted to a software, which will generate the perfect shoes in no time.”

“So the duration would be condensed?” I enthusiastically volleyed back.

“Yes. The time will be shortened from two weeks to a mere three days,” Wang said with a chirpy tone that gave away his satisfaction to what he does.

The sole master seemed sure he did not want to be in anyone else's shoes, except his.





T O S T A R T U P S



往期连接:

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【China Startup】The man behind women's secrets | 一个懂"大姨妈"的男人

【China Startup】The next Apple? HiScene's ambitions 下一个可穿戴时代的苹果?




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