Achilles' Heel, a homegrown brand specialising in made to measure men’s footwear, has carved a distinctive niche in the luxury realm. Offering bespoke shoes, premium leathers sourced from eco-friendly tanneries and a rich palette of hand-painted hues, this atelier has been refining and redefining the Italian patina technique without compromising on comfort.
Moreover, for those seeking conscious luxury, the brand also offers vegan alternatives. When the brand's Mumbai-based Founder Nirali Ruparel launched Achilles’ Heel back in 2012, the market wasn’t nearly as open to the idea of bespoke Indian luxury, especially in men’s footwear. "In spite of that we bridged the gap between price and perception without compromising on quality. But today, we’re part of a much bigger movement. The 'India Proud' sentiment is real. In a sense, Achilles’ Heel is to luxury footwear what an Indian whiskey is becoming to the spirits world—proudly local, world-class in quality, and increasingly uncorked with pride," shares Ruparel.
Her journey as a luxury bespoke footwear entrepreneur has seen a lot of learnings. "Since 2012, every client has taught me something new. The biggest learning? That luxury in India isn’t just about price—it’s about perception, comfort, and cultural compatibility. You can sell a story, but the shoe must fit. As one of our most respected clients, the late Sir Ratan Tata once said, 'I followed someone who had very large shoes. I was never trying to fill his shoes; I was trying to follow in his footsteps.' That’s exactly how I feel about building a legacy in luxury. It’s not about replicating, it’s about evolving with purpose," she quips.
Also, being a woman in a craft long dominated by men hasn’t been easy. "Shoe-making is a man’s world! If you think about it, even internationally, it's a male-dominated space, with names like Berluti, Jimmy Choo, Blahnik, Louboutin leading the narrative. That’s what gave me an edge: I wasn’t bound by the rules. I could see silhouettes, materials, and proportions differently. I wasn’t trying to fit into the traditional mould. I was carving a new last," she shares.
Robb Report India spoke to her about the latest bespoke trends and the evolving taste of Indian men.
Online customisation requests seem to be the order of the day. How’s the experience of addressing client’s customisation requests?
Online customisation requests are the flavour of the season but let’s be honest, not all customisation is created equal. What most people call ‘bespoke’ online is often just a cosmetic remix, an abuse of the term itself: you choose the colour from a standard design, a size from the regular size run, and voilà—it’s labelled custom. But that’s not made-to-measure. That’s made-to-please... made-to-order, perhaps!
True bespoke is a conversation between design and anatomy, and that can’t happen over a drop-down menu. At Achilles’ Heel, we approach it like decoding someone’s style DNA. Each client comes in with something such as an Instagram image, a wedding sherwani, a foot quirk, or sometimes all three. Our job is to merge aspiration with anatomy, and deliver design, fit, and fantasy in one box. It’s part science, part storytelling. Our clients are not label-chasers; they’re legacy-builders. They may own a Ferragamo or a Louboutin, but they walk into the Achilles’ Heel Atelier looking for something that feels like theirs. From young grooms to CEOs and seasoned collectors, they all have one thing in common: they’re done compromising between fit and flair.
What are the latest customisation trends in bespoke footwear?
More and more men want their shoes to talk back—initials on the side, a hand-painted patina or tattooed shoes, sustainable options, embroidered wedding monograms, heel lifts, custom widths etc. Think anything, think everything. It’s no longer 'I’ll take that in black.' It’s 'Can I get that in a deep Oxblood dual-tone and an extra-wide toe box in vegan leather?'
A lot of footwear specialist brands in India offer DIY and customisation services.
What makes Achilles’ Heel unique?
Every shoe [by Achilles' Heel] starts with a conversation, not a size chart. Our USP? Made-to-thought, not just made-to-measure. From full-grain A grade leathers to hand-painted patinas and blake stitched soles, we combine heritage shoemaking with an Indian sensibility because we’ve studied the Indian foot like a subject. Think Italian soul, Indian sole. Our philosophy sits at the crossroads of form and function.
Aesthetics without comfort is theatre. We design for longevity. Our shoes are made with the same finesse you’d find in a Florentine workshop, but every pair is engineered with Indian physiology and psychology in mind—where every stitch, silhouette, and sole caters to the cultural reality of how Indian men live, move, and age. Because let's face it: Italian moulds weren't made for the wide-ball Indian foot.
Most DIY brands offer cosmetic edits. We go under the hood. We tailor the last to your foot—six to eight measurements, plus sizes or for very small feet. We offer extra wide toes and heel customisation, and even adjust arch curves for flat-footed clients.
Do you see Indian men evolving and becoming more open to experimenting?
Definitely. The modern Indian man is curious. He still wants comfort first—always will—but no longer buying off the shelf. Instead, he’s building his closet. He’s now open to mixed textures, and patinas that are as bold as even deep purple or forest greens. The men's pantone palette is expanding. And the fear of ‘too much’ is shrinking. Experimentation is no longer a risk; it’s a signature! When we started, luxury was about logo recognition. Today, it’s about self-expression. Back then, men wore a Gucci loafer because it was Gucci. Now, they want a story behind their shoe—how it was made, why it fits better, what makes it theirs. There's also a shift from imported aspiration to informed local pride. Bespoke is no longer a backup; it’s the first choice. And thanks to weddings, red carpets, and social media, the ‘quiet luxury’ of fit is finally louder than the label.
What are the current offerings which you feel go perfectly with the wedding and festive season?
The festive groom wants more than a jutti . He wants a conversation starter. So, at times it's an ombré and gold sequin lace-up or a monk strap with tone-on-tone embroidery that matches his bride's lehenga or an added heel height if the groom needs to look taller to photograph better. This season, it's not just about matching your outfit though. It's about matching your identity. And you can trust that we will make shoes that photograph well and last longer than the marriage (laughs). You can go classic or kitsch, and we’ll still get the fit right.
What does luxury mean to you? How do you interpret bespoke?
Luxury is the comfort of choice. Bespoke is power, which is when that choice is yours alone. It’s the little details you didn’t know you needed until someone asked the right questions. And it begins not with a design, but with your feet. True luxury isn’t about logos or price tags—it’s about options. At Achilles’ Heel, we interpret bespoke as built around you. Because when you walk in your shoes—and they walk like you—that’s not just fashion. That’s freedom!
