Covid hits formal footwear market
From a leather trading house established in 1950 to entering the export market under Virola International and finally launch of a brand Alberto Torresi by Gen Next Ishaan Sachdeva in 2010, this family run business has come a long way. Sachdeva shares the Alberto Torresi story.
Which are your major markets? What is your market positioning like?
We sell only in India. I would like to think that Alberto Torresi is positioned in the top 5 formal shoe category brands in India.
Tell us about your brand. What was the inspiration that led to its founding?
Virola Leathers is our family business which was established in 1950. It started as a leather trading house in Agra, gradually paving its way into footwear manufacturing for the domestic market; it entered the export market under the name Virola International in 1989. I founded Alberto Torresi in 2010. The idea came about when I joined the family business and wanted to explore more of the footwear industry other than exports.
What is the story behind the name Alberto Torresi?
The brand was set to function both domestically and internationally. When I set out, the main target of our brand was the Italian market. The family, while having a conversation over what could potentially be the brand's name, came up with Alberto Torresi, which was the name of one of our older designers. The main explanation behind the name is that we required something that would suit the Italian market.
What is your retail presence like?
Alberto Torresi is available only on e-commerce platforms, and is present in all leading marketplaces like Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart etc.
Which category sells the most? What are the price points of your shoes?
Formal and running shoes sell the most. The price points of the Alberto Torresi range of footwear are in the Rs 2000 to Rs 6000 range.
What are the brand building steps that you undertake?
We started from scratch -- increasing the business and reach of the brand, adding new styles, getting the company up and running -- a journey in itself. We at Alberto Torresi are still trying to impart maximum customer satisfaction. The company has since its incorporation reached many milestones and the credit goes to our customers. The ongoing crisis of Covid-19 has caused immense damage to the footwear industry, particularly that of formal shoes, which are the main highlight of our brand. Now we plan to get into more product categories, slightly more into casual line, for example, our Flyknit collection. With people mostly working from home, we intend to style comfortable and stylish open footwear to attract more and more customers.
What are the categories that the brand is into? Who are your target audience?
Alberto Torresi is into casual and formal footwear for both men and women in the 18-45 age group.
Which other product categories do you plan to move into future?
Small leather goods and accessories.
If you are looking for vendors, what are the top 3 qualities are you looking at beyond the givens of quality, lead time, compliances etc?
A supplier should cover the following areas to become eligible.
1) Lead times from when the order to delivery is issued
2) Delivery strategies
3) Facilities for transportation and processing
4) Processes for quality assurance
5) Suggestions of products/materials from the past
6) Authorised collaboration strategies
What is the USP of your products?
Alberto Torresi's footwears are uniquely crafted to support the whole body. Ergonomically designed to ensure that they fit perfectly, giving optimum comfort whether you are stationary or in motion, the footwear comes with shock cushioning and sturdy gripping soles to reduce strain on the legs, back and feet. The footwear keeps the heels in perfect balance and gives your toes excellent natural freedom of movement. The Alberto Toressi footwear is a combination of bold style and amazing comfort. Additionally, it has also introduced various technologies like ecology, stress less and memory etc.
What has been the impact of Covid on business?
There have been colossal moves and changes with our new reach/assortment because of this pandemic. The shift to digital has been witnessed throughout with virtual fashion shows and department shows comprising the new normal. Unlike most other consumer categories that either recovered or have seen demand surging after the pandemic-induced lockdown, some discretionary categories such as clothing and footwear industry are still struggling to mop up higher sales.
Thankfully there wasn't a large number of staff cutdown at our end, but we did have to let go of few employees due to some changes in the factory, and also recruit new people. But the number of people working with us has remained the same, only the requirements have changed.
Stock-holding pattern has also changed slightly because the products which are in demand now were little different than that before Covid times. It is now more towards the open/lounge footwear side instead of formal footwear.
How does your supply chain network work?
Since supply chains have become more complex, we as a brand ensure that our products which the consumers purchase are produced in the right way. Our supply chain consists of India and an outsourced network.
Where are your manufacturing facilities based at? If working with vendors where are the vendors based at?
The manufacturing is done at our mother company, Virola. There are a lot of other factories which work with us for manufacturing of our products. Our vendors are mostly based in Agra. The process of manufacturing is predetermined and it helps in maintaining good quality of our products.
What has your growth story been in the last three years (excluding 2020)?
The growth story at Alberto Torresi for the last three years has been all about stabilising and nurturing the business and constantly growing in spite of the obstacles ahead.
What is your annual production capacity?
We produce 3 to 4 lakh pairs of footwear annually.
What kind of machinery does your manufacturing facility boast of?
The manufacturing is done at our parent company Virola. In 2020 we switched to computerised cutting and stitching and that is something which no other brand has been doing in the country.
How much is spent on machine upgradation and maintenance annually?
Modern day footwear trends tend to change along with time. Different types of shoes require distinctive styling; hence need a different type of machinery. Covid-19 too has had a discernible impact on the amount for maintenance in the way the plants are run. Manufacturing practices also bring about a change in cost of upgradation. Therefore, it is difficult to calculate the exact expenditure on machinery and maintenance.
Sustainability and circularity are the buzzwords today. How do you incorporate them into your product lines?
Circularity is a new buzzword in the fashion industry alongside sustainability. The circular fashion industry is one that avoids waste and emissions, keeps goods and materials in operation as much as possible by reuse and recycling, and regenerates the natural system. We at Alberto Torresi, try to use mono materials wherever possible, incorporate various new technologies and also ensure that products manufactured from various materials can be conveniently disassembled to facilitate the recyclability of products.
What are your long-term sustainability goals?
As a brand, Filling Pieces is now reviewing our supply chain and looking at how our environmental impact can be reduced. From tanning our leathers to exploring where the rubber we use on our soles comes from, to shipping goods from factory to warehouse - we are now looking at ways on the design and development front to recycle or reuse/repurpose worn products and make vegan shoes. (PC)
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