A Shop for Small Factories... The Conviction Behind Handmade Shoes Priced at 110,000 Won

Cafe24 MZ Generation Global Brand - Lederis
CEO Kim Kibum Launched Shopping Mall in 2018
Does Not Make Uncomfortable Height-Increasing Shoes or Sandals
Customer Trust Drives Second Half Sales to Jump 10 Times

Kim Kibum, CEO of Lederless

[Asia Economy Reporter Minyoung Cha] Shoe vendors selling off inventory in vacant subway mall spaces, as if representing the era of recession with '10,000 won per pair,' are attracting passersby with their drastic sales. In a world where cost-effectiveness (performance relative to price) and fast fashion dominate, can 110,000 won domestic handmade shoes survive?

Kim Kibum, CEO who launched the handmade shoe specialty shopping mall 'Leatheris' in 2018, said in an interview with Asia Economy on the 31st of last month, "The place for artisans is gradually shrinking in the online market that only pursues low prices and cost-effectiveness," emphasizing, "Leatheris will continue to show interest and effort to protect the treatment, pride of artisans, and small factories." The average age of the artisans working with CEO Kim is over 60 years old, with a combined experience exceeding 150 years.

Over the past three years of operating the shopping mall, the main focus has been customer trust. Even after delivery, one free exchange is always guaranteed. Since the shoes are handmade stitch by stitch rather than mass-produced in a factory, cost concerns inevitably follow. It takes artisans over 60 years old 4 to 5 days to complete one pair according to customer requirements. When a free exchange occurs, the pattern, cutting, upper, and inspection must all be redone from the beginning.

Since the shopping mall operates in a non-face-to-face (untact) manner rather than allowing customers to touch and try on the shoes directly, greater consideration for customers was deemed necessary. CEO Kim said, "People in the same industry might criticize and ask why we do this, so I am cautious," but added, "It was intended as a minimum courtesy for customers who trusted and purchased without trying on the shoes directly."

To realize this belief, the product variety was reduced. Not releasing over 100 new products each season in large quantities is part of this effort. From the initial order stage, detailed customer requests including foot width and instep size were accepted to increase the purchase confirmation rate. In fact, total sales in the second half of last year jumped more than tenfold compared to the same period the previous year. As the belief was proven by sales, concerns from others diminished.

There is also a stubborn insistence that the shoes must be comfortable. CEO Kim said, "We do not sell height-increasing products at all; it is a personal commitment not to make uncomfortable shoes," adding, "We also exclude cheap Chinese products or sandals meant for just one summer season." Leatheris’ signature insoles are the fruit of a painstaking process. They feature urethane soles designed to maintain heel cushioning for a long time. The shoe boxes include elastic laces separately so that if the instep is high, customers can use them instead of the original laces. In the sweat-prone summer season, details are enhanced with a touch of magic to add lightness to the materials.

CEO Kim is both the owner of a handmade shoe store and the CEO who directly operates a trendy 'online' shopping mall. He explained that rapid changes are also necessary for managing the shopping mall page. He advised, "While large brands may have different circumstances, shopping malls in the growth stage must constantly stimulate customer curiosity to survive," and added, "If sales are sluggish, it is necessary to first examine what content is lacking within the shopping mall and consider ways to increase points of contact with customers."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.