Saturday, 12 January 2013

Stylefluid Trendz Spotlight - "Achilles' Heel" by Nirali Ruparel


Shoes are strange things. If you take your shoes off in a situation in which you're vulnerable, you'll feel 10 times more vulnerable. - Daniel Day-Lewis.

I totally agree with this statement made by Oscar Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis. The statement holds all the more relevance when you own a pair of “Achilles’ Heel”, shoes that exemplifies fine craftsmanship, style, modern sophistication, heritage and above all instill a sense of confidence.

"Achilles' Heel" is a luxury footwear brand incepted by Nirali Ruparel, a Mumbai; India based entrepreneur and designer. The origin of the Brand name” Achilles’ Heel” is quite interesting and has a strong reference to Greek mythology. As the name suggests, Achilles’ heel is an inspiration from the immortality of the greatest Greek hero – Achilles. His weakness in the heel signifies every buyer’s weakness for these shoes. Now that is indeed a creative and out of the box thinking. The brand has all the more reason to celebrate as its craftsmanship has been featured in some of the leading lifestyle and fashion magazines including Vogue.

This is what Nirali Ruparel, the brain child behind the brand had to say – “Our hand-designed shoes are recommended for quintessential gentlemen whose sense of style transcends the fleeting looks of the season, and appeal to something more classic and refined in nature. Achilles' Heel aims to create not collections but shoe wardrobes for the giovane mondano man each season.”
Created around a philosophy of celebrating style,” Achilles’ Heel” leads with design, a luxury footwear brand that is meant for individuals of substance. The brand caters to style sensibilities and need of the stylish and modern man, whether it is for work, red carpet, a special occasion or a casual outing.


What’s more? You can also explore your hidden creativity and style sensibilities at “Achilles’ Heel” by styling and customising your own shoes. One can be spoilt for choice from a wide range of customizing options of shoe shapes, designs, materials and laces under the design your shoe section. The brand gives you the tools to build your own shoes thus bringing in your personal touch that is unmatched by traditional shoe designers. The brand believes that when you create your own shoes, it instantly lifts the constraint of dictated fashion and lets you discover a freedom of having precisely what you want in life.


While design may take center stage at Achilles’ heel, the brand ensures that it is never at the expense of comfort and a good fit. The deliberate choice of materials, components and construction in the styles in each category conspire to live up to that functional requirement. An exceptional savoir-faire has been developed in mastering shape, leather and the patina, as well as a profound understanding of the foot. The result is shoes of unrivaled comfort and elegance, a product most covetable.


The brand resonates with high level of craftsmanship. Each Achilles’ Heel shoe is crafted from hand-selected leather. The brand’s leather archives boast of leathers from all over the world from places where the animal died from natural causes. Achilles’ Heel strives to maintain that perfect symphony between modern techniques in shoe making and the traditional finesse of handcrafting an avant-garde pair of shoes. Achilles’ Heel exclusively uses materials of excellent quality, such as the leather bought from tanneries which still use trusted processes identical to those used a century ago. The leather is worked at the shop using methods of a trained craftsman, taking the all-time he needs in order to enhance the precision of his craft. The leather is soaked in water for 12 hours, then allowed to dry and rest, wrapped in paper, and beaten with a hammer on stone. This renders the leather resistant and pliable over time - attributes which are indispensable for longevity and comfort. The sewing thread used for the welt and the sole are made in the shop using an ancient technique of twisting linen thread with pitch and pure beeswax. Very fine stitching awls bind the shoes together with thousands of minuscule stitches. The little glue which is used is completely vegetable-based. Together, all these elements prove to be the ingredients of a product.



The Achilles’ Heel online store at www.achillesheel.co allows you to browse through its complete collection from the comfort of your homes - or shop even while on the move, with its mobile smart phones and iPad friendly services. The online store is designed to encourage you to directly engage and experience the brand.



I strongly believe that shoes command the most respect in your entire look and owning a pair of finely crafted and uber- chic Achilles’ Heel will definitely ensure that you are a class apart – an individual of substance.





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