Stores offer 'designer' shoes at affordable prices<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): You like the designer shoes featured in a latest
\nissue of a glossy fashion magazine, but you are not willing to
\nspend millions of rupiah on them when there are more important
\nthings to buy.<\/p>\n
If you want to wear such shoes but not spend an outrageous sum
\non them, you may want to check this spot near the Perbanas
\n(National Banking) College in Karet Setia Budi, Kuningan, South
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
It is obviously not a posh place. Here you will find more than
\n30 modest kiosks, mostly making footwear on order.<\/p>\n
This place is quite popular, particularly among university
\nstudents and those working in the nearby high-rise buildings on
\nJl. Rasuna Said.<\/p>\n
The Sidik family, who are native Jakartans, pioneered the
\nfootwear business in the area more than 15 years ago, according
\nto Jami, the storekeeper for the Boersa kiosk.<\/p>\n
There were only four footwear kiosks at that time. Today there
\nare almost 10 times the number, reflecting the thriving business.
\nIn addition to the footwear kiosks, there are also luggage and
\nclothes kiosks, beauty parlors, food stalls and Internet kiosks.<\/p>\n
Various kinds of handmade footwear are displayed in the
\nkiosks, which function as showrooms. The workshops are located in
\ndifferent places, including Condet, East Jakarta and nearby
\nAnggrek.<\/p>\n
The kiosks, each about 16 square meters, have something in
\ncommon. They simply display rows and rows of footwear on the
\nshelves with no decoration.<\/p>\n
\"We can copy any design. Just give us a sample or picture,\"
\nsaid Jami.<\/p>\n
Several Perbanas students told The Jakarta Post they often
\nordered for copies of the latest type of sandals or shoes.
\nHowever, copies of the footwear do not come with a brand name,
\ntag or label.<\/p>\n
\"I usually bring pictures taken from magazines to the
\nstorekeeper,\" said Deitra, 19, adding that she wants to look
\nfancy although her allowance as a university student is small.<\/p>\n
Deitra's friend Adisti said she simply described the design
\nshe wanted to the storekeeper.<\/p>\n
\"I like some of the shoes in the malls but I can't afford
\nthem. So, I make its copy here. This is one way you can wear
\n\"Bally\" shoes,\" she remarked with a laugh.<\/p>\n
She warned that sometimes the shoes or sandals made were not
\nthe same as in the picture or description given. However, most
\nkiosks will redo them to your taste. There is also an after sales
\nservice for the shoes.<\/p>\n
What about the quality of these \"Bally\" shoes?<\/p>\n
Of course, they are not as good as the original but \"the price
\nmatches its quality\" as Adisti puts it.<\/p>\n
The price of women's sandals and shoes made of synthetic
\nmaterial range from Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000, while those made
\nfrom leather starts at Rp 100,000. The price of men's footwear
\nmade from synthetic material starts at Rp 80,000, while those
\nmade from leather starts at Rp 150,000.<\/p>\n
However, prices are negotiable.<\/p>\n
Jami said the footwear business is not stable. On a good day,
\nhe can achieve a turnover of Rp 6 million (US$600), but when the
\nbusiness is slow, he earns only a few hundred thousand rupiah
\nfrom about 10 orders a day.<\/p>\n
When the economic crisis began a few years ago, the footwear
\nbusiness here, like other businesses, was affected. But it
\nmanaged to survive.<\/p>\n
Jami said the business survived because shoemakers managed to
\nkeep prices low as they used local material.<\/p>\n
He also believed the shoemakers' skills kept customers coming
\nback for more.(04)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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