Footwear
is one of the fastest growing category in the men's fashion accessories.
It has been in vogue since centuries and has witnessed a lot many
changes in terms of fashion and style.
History of Men's Footwear
The history of men's footwear dates back to the Ice Age when men wore
shoes made from animal skin to protect their feet from extreme
temperature. The earliest shoes were thus made of leather and the sole
was generally made of cowhide. These shoes were rough and only served
the purpose of protecting the feet from stones, thorns, small animals
and also cold temperature.
With the passage of time different type of footwear were designed.
According to certain historians, Pharaoh in Egypt (3000BC) & men of
authority wore sandals as a sign of rank & power. Certain tribes in
Australia wore specially made shoes from emu feathers on certain special
occasions. These were considered to be ceremonial shoes.
During the 18th century, the quality of footwear for men improves and
the designing also became more stylish. Dyes were used for coloring, and
leather was further processed to make it more soft and more comfortable.
The designing was more refined and came with rich ornamentation.
Since then over the centuries a lot of innovations have been made in
terms of raw materials used, designing, and manufacturing technologies
to meet the needs of buyers and also keep pace with the changing
fashion.
Types of Footwear
There are different types of footwear available for men. These can be
categorized based either on the occasion they are worn at or for a
purpose they are worn. Some of the popular types of men footwear are:
- Boots: Cow boy boots, Riding boots, Wellington boots,
Ugg boots
- Shoes: Trainers, Sneakers, Galoshes
- Sandals: Flip flops
- Special purpose footwear: Ski boots, Climbing shoes,
Snow shoes
- Loafers
- Moccasin
Materials Used
- Leather
- Plastic
- Wood
- Rubber
- Textiles
- Jute
Footwear and Fashion
Centuries back footwear was worn only because of the purpose it served,
that of protecting a man's feet. These days footwear is no longer a mere
functional object, it is a popular men fashion accessory. The designing
of men's footwear is directly driven by the international or domestic
fashion scenario. A change in fashion or lifestyle with immediately
affect the type of footwear being manufactured by men. This explains why
in one particular season, flat front shoes might be popular and in the
other, pointed shoes are popular. Manufacturers therefore have to be
flexible enough to adjust their production as per the change in fashion.
Global Production Scenario
The last decade has witnessed a a huge demand in footwear and hence the
rising production and exports in the global market. Since the industry
is closely related to the fashion and lifestyle, change in both will
affect the men's footwear industry. A change in fashion thus requires
the manufacturers to respond quickly, shorten their product development
and response times.
The last few years have also witnessed a sharp rise in the demand of
casual and sports shoes segment. The so called 'low-cost' countries
including , China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines,
South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Bangladesh in the
Asian Continent are some of the largest manufacturers of high quality
footwear for men. These countries are the best locations for catering to
the global footwear market and have recorded an average annual rate of
nearly 9 % in the last five years. China is heading the world production
of footwear with nearly 60% of the total world production and is
exporting on a large scale to many countries across the globe.
Table listing top ten 'low-cost' countries for Footwear (world export
%)
Source:
Global-production.com
| Critical
Success Factors |
| Short
production time |
Short
Response time |
|
| Innovation in
technology |
Innovative raw
materials |
|
| Proximity to
customers |
Proximity to
markets |
|
| Ability to adapt
to changing fashion |
Ability to adapt
to changing lifestyle |
|
