What exactly do you mean by individualization? What do you offer in this area?
Papini: With different colored soles and components you can completely redesign shoes. We work with
Shoemakers in London, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Seoul together who have their own shops in which they repair and customize shoes. These shoes are unique, which are either made or resold for customers. These workshops are real laboratories.
Has the field of activity of cobblers changed in recent years?
Papini: In the past, Schuster usually did not focus on sports shoes, but mainly repaired the paragraphs and soles of running of classic leather shoes. However, many have recognized that they have to concentrate more on performance shoes depending on the location. Anyone who is near the mountains specializes in climbing shoes and mountain boots. In mountain bike areas or in the Alps there are cobblers that specialize in bicycle shoes or ski touring shoes. If a ski touring shoe costs 600 euros, a new scaffolding always makes sense.
How many cobblers are in your network?
Papini: We started thinking about certified shoemakers ten to 15 years ago. Today we have at least 200 cobblers in our network in EMEA, all of which are certified and authorized.
Is it difficult to find shoemakers for your program?
Papini: No, only in Germany. Most shoemakers are based in Italy, Spain and France. However, they are distributed all over Europe. We try to select them at strategically important locations, for example in regions where many people go running or skiing or in large city centers. We also qualify our cobblers, partly online and partly in our headquarters in Albizzate.
What is different in Germany?
Papini: We also work with shoemakers in Germany, but we have a special situation there. Germany used to be the market leader in the shoe repair. Today we have the impression that many cobblers in Germany are not willing to accept changes. You still repair shoes like 20 years ago. The market and the shoes have changed: people wear fewer leather shoes and more sneakers, and luckily outdoor shoes are also growing in Germany. That is why we often choose very young cobblers and train them. Thanks to the new interest in repair work, there is a rethink.
