Flosheim shoes are set to make their imprint on our shores.
ONCE you start wearing Florsheim shoes, you won't want to wear any other brand."
This is no empty boast. Syed Naqiz Shahabuddin, director and part owner of Florsheim Malaysia, is speaking from personal experience, being a loyal follower of the brand himself.
"I've known the brand for the longest time – I bought a pair of Florsheim shoes for my graduation, my first day of work, and even for my wedding!" he said.
According to him, there are many loyal "Flosheimites" in Malaysia, many of whom have visited the flagship Florsheim store which opened its doors in 1 Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on July 7.
"There are a lot of hardcore Florsheim followers who were very excited about the store, and came here to look at the range and pick up a pair as well," Syed Naqiz said.
Motivated: Syed Naqiz Shahabuddin is director and part owner of Florsheim Malaysia."These guys know a lot about the brand and the shoes – they'd come in and tell us they only wear Florsheims, and some even take off their shoes and show them to us!"
Though the brand may be relatively new to Malaysians, it is one of the oldest and most trusted American brand of shoes, having been established in 1892 by founder Milton Florsheim.
Why did it take so long to arrive at our shores?
"Florsheim went through a period of restructuring the past few years. In 2002, the original Florsheim family bought back the company, and they have restructured and realigned the brand," said Syed Naqiz.
The company recently expanded to Asia, with stores in the Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong and now, Malaysia.
Spoilt for choice: Florsheim caters to men and women.Besides the usual comprehensive range of Florsheim shoes (which includes casual as well as formal styles), the store in 1 Utama also carries the exclusive and slightly more high-end Imperial range, as well as the Comfortech range – shoes engineered specially for maximum comfort, perfect for those who are always on the go.
Florsheim also has a range of ladies shoes on display at the store, and Syed Naqiz is planning to expand that section in the near future.
"The response to the ladies shoes has been quite good – some ladies have heard of Florsheim shoes for men, and were pleased that we have a ladies section as well."
With so many types of Florsheims, how does one determine which one to buy?
Syed Naqiz explained that men usually have different criteria when it comes to buying shoes. Some are dictated by the price, while others prefer shoes that are comfortable. There are also those who would buy a shoe based on the latest fashion.
The first thing Syed Naqiz does when a client steps into the shop is assess his style of shoes.
"Most men will not stray too far from what they are used to wearing. If you come in wearing a pair of vintage design Brogues, then I'll take you to that particular section. If you're wearing sharp pointed shoes then, I'll point you to that section," he said.
So what happens if customers come in wearing sneakers or sandals?
"Well, we'll just ask a few questions to gauge what they prefer and to find out what kind of shoes they are looking for. Then we recommend the shoes based on what they prefer," he said.
Ranging from RM599 to RM800 a pair, the shoes are not exactly budget-friendly. But, according to Syed Naqiz, Florsheim shoes are well known for their quality, durability and comfort.
"A pair of Florsheim shoes can last you five to 10 years, provided you take good care of them. In fact, the pair I bought for my graduation back in 1997 is still in good condition!" he said.
"Many Florsheim followers get so used to the shoes that they keep coming back for the same design, even after we stop producing them."
The key to making shoes last is to take good care of them, and to have several pairs and rotate them every other day, Syed Naqiz added.
"Preferably, one should not have just one pair of shoes and wear that every single day. You should have a few pairs and rotate among them. This way, you allow your shoes to recover from the wear and tear of each day."
While he reckons that Florsheim shoes outshine other brands because of their durability and comfort, the store also offers a one-year warranty for Florsheims purchased anywhere in the world.
"If the shoes you've purchased have a manufacturing defect, you can bring them to us and we'll try to help you fix it somehow," he said.