Thursday 30 August 2012

Custom Made Shoes in Kuala Lumpur

This is a pair of custom hand made shoes specially ordered by yours truly. I basically told the chap making it that I wanted a pair of wholecut shoes with a medallion pattern up front. And this was what I got. It also has a bevelled waist as requested (even though it is still a little wide) and it basically a type of pegged shoe - using steel nails instead of wooden pegs like those you see in bespoke shoes from Eastern Europe. But the great thing is that these are Made In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to be exact. It is pegged at the waist as well as the front of the sole. The welt you see on top is purely decorative. 

The actual colour of the shoes are below, as the shoemaker (an Indonesian chap based at a leather goods shop located on the 1st floor of the Campbell Complex, Jalan Dang Wangi, Kuala Lumpur) used some cheap polish on it. I basically used nail polish remover to get its original colour back which is a lighter chestnut? colour like the photo below.


The shoes are actually quite good, even though it only took 10 days for the shoemaker to construct and has been worn more than six times since I got them last June. The leather isn't high grade calf and is probably corrected grain as he had limited choice of leather (but a choice of exotics - ostrich, crocodile and snake is abound and wold cost you over RM1,200 for snake and to over RM5,000 for croco/alligator) for normal dress shoes. I did not complain or ask for something that the chap does not have since I was curious and just wanted to experience a made to order/measure custom shoe.

The type of construction is limited to either this pegged type or stuck on construction. This is because after doing some research there is no where in the whole of Malaysia where you can order a full bespoke shoe using Goodyear welting, blake welting or hand welting aside from nail pegged shoes. There is a shoemaker in Taman Midah, Cheras but I believe they only make stuck on or glued shoes. There are those in Penang too, but from what I read, they stopped welting shoes when glue construction was introduced some 60 to 70 years ago. Ergo, if you want something purely hand made in Malaysia, this is the only way to go. 

One other detail that is worth mentioning is that the shoemaker does not cut individual lasts for one's feet. They would get a plastic last and stick on pieces of leather on the last simulating the different sizes in the feet after taking the measurements (shape of one's feet and the width & height at two places at the very least). This is similar to an article I read about handmade shoes being made in Bosnia (if I am not mistaken). I just can't seem to find it right now.

It isn't too shabby actually. And for RM600.00 or thereabouts, it is quite reasonable for going semi-bespoke if you do not want to travel abroad.



26 comments:

Unknown said...

Where is this

Rigval Reza said...

Campbell complex, kl

Unknown said...

Does he only do shoes or sandals too? Contact number? Is he open at night?

Rigval Reza said...

Not sure about sandals. Their specialty are cowboy boots. I basically dictated what I wanted in a shoe and they got it made. As for a phone number. You better go there yourself.

Rigval Reza said...

oh...not sure what time they close. Maybe by 8pm

Unknown said...

I read your posts with interest.
will definitely check out his custom made service in our own country.
realised my feet were too wide for the gorgeous corthay shoes i found in HK and a customed one set me back 10 times the amount the shoe you mentioned, and one has to fly back to HK to collect it when it is ready.

Rigval Reza said...

Hello (again, thanks for all the comments btw),

Luckily for me my feet arent that wide and can fit RTW Corthay. Corthays can be found in Singapore (well, it could be found sometime last year in a new shopping complex opposite paragon along Orchard). Where are you based at by the way.

Regards

Unknown said...

Hello.. Can you give me exact location? Shop name? Which floor? Thank you

Unknown said...

Hi, I am looking for a 'holster' on my belt for my IPhone 6 plus.
Do you make them, or can you recommend a shop here in KL ?
Thanks, Jan

iThink said...

is it way more comfortable with the bespoke?

Rigval Reza said...

Not really. If you have quite normal feet like me, you can actually find many ready to wear shoes that fit very well. These fit snugly. For me it is basically getting them to make what I fancy. This is the thing about Made to Order or Bespoke. One can go crazy if one wants to.

Yogi said...

Hello there. Would appreciate if you can share us the shop lot number and floor as such. I would like to do one for myself and can't find the shop as of now

Yogi said...
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Yogi said...
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Rigval Reza said...

1st Floor Campbell Complex as I mentioned in the article. Look for the shoes marked NGAHALIS. It is behind the escalator. I have forgotten the name as I never really take note. As it has been years since I went there I am not sure whether the same artisans are still there. And you have to tell them what you really want instead of just letting them construct the shoe.

There is another bootmaker there who can make shoes - JR WEST leather, to the right after you take the escalator on the first floor. They are competent too.

Yogi said...

Thanks a million. I just bought two pairs of shoes for now. Will be going back to place order again

Unknown said...

Does he custom make lady shoe

Unknown said...

Does he custom make lady shoe

Rigval Reza said...

No. No high heels. Traditional mens dress shoes, loafers, slippers or cowboy boots.

If you are asking whether they make ladies slippers/high heels with four inch heels of that sort. No.

Zazel said...

https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1173149

i think some shop mentioned there also did lady shoes/high heels

Unknown said...

How can i want to order my own design shoes..im looking the best classic design double monks straps leather shoes where can i visi your shop.. old advice.. thank you

Rigval Reza said...

Did I say anywhere in this blog that I have a shop? I also don't make shoes for a living.

Regards

Abbas AW said...

I will check out this chap at Campbell Shopping complex. I also did see a custom leather shoe shop at Pertama Shopping complex too. The quality and workmanship is good and I think worth comparing them since they are both close by. Good and educational information. TQ

Rigval Reza said...

Abbas Wahab. I had to actually tell them how to make this pair. Longer time for the glue to sit, how the sole needs to be shaped. Too much hard work but if you let them be, it may come out to be not as nice as I would have liked.

davidioustan said...

hi Rigval

my current prada leather shoe needs rebuilding after an accident. Does the shop at campbell do any reconstruction of a shoe?

Rigval Reza said...

Davidioustan - try the cobbler at the atria in petaling jaya. not the ppl at cambell

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