This Crawford Market shoe stall is very popular among top cops and politicians

Almost 70 years ago Shivram Mane came to Mumbai from Karad in search of employment He started repairing shoes at a busy spot outside Gate Number 4 of the Police Commissionerrsquos Office near Crawford Market His son Jagannath started helping him at the age of 12 and soon mastered the craft of making Kolhapuri chappals and other shoes He upgraded to a stall from the footpath and hired more craftsmen and today the fourth generation helps run Mane Shoe Mart employing 10 skilled shoemakers to meet the demandThe style of shoes that Mumbai policemen usually wearThe store is helmed by 52yearold Raju Mane who has no degree in design or shoemaking but is an expert in designing boots moccasins Oxfords derby shoes mules and other classic shoe styles Mane who has been working at their 60yearold store since the age of 14 learned the art of shoemaking from his father and the other artisans who were hired as the business expanded One might think these bespoke shoes might be commissioned by SoBo fashionistas but their biggest clients are top police brass and politicians As more international brands with hefty price tags and ldquohandmade in Italyrdquo labels come to India Mane is one of the last few generational shoe craftsmen in the city ldquoSome might say I am poor but I have the wealth of hastkala and I proudly belong to the Charmakar community Our art has been passed down from generations My father was my gururdquo Mane tells us in Marathi Not just Mumbaikars Manersquos customers come from as far as Kolhapur Sangli foreign tourists who make a stop on their way to Crawford Market or Zaveri Bazaar and he even couriers orders abroadAnother bestseller is mules or bantu shoes popularised by Raj Thackeray in political circles PicsSatej ShindeThe processWhile you can buy readymade nonleather shoes at the store ldquothe middle class of Mumbai cannot afford R3000 leather shoes todayrdquo says Mane who specialises in bespoke shoes a skill highly underpaid in India ldquoWe have different leather options to choose from you then choose the style or I can even recreate a style from the Internet choose a shade we have expert leather dyers inhouse sole and heel type and find the size We have pattern makers separate artists who specialise in upper and lower patterns for shoes handstitchers colouristsmdashthere is no bazaari maal here we purchase all raw materials and make shoes from scratchrdquo says ManeMane knows the value of his skill ldquoBarely a few people use pure leather soles for shoes in this city Clarks does it but you will have to spend a minimum of Rs 15000 to get a good pair and itrsquos not custommade The middle class of Mumbai will not go to brands like Clarksrdquo Prices for his pure leather shoes start at Rs 3200 and the readymade artificial leather shoes go for Rs 1500 Manersquos father was a master craftsman of Kolhapuri chappals he proudly tells us that most stores source their chappals from Kolhapur in Mumbai but his father was highly skilled at making them but the shop stopped selling them after he passed away after battling cancer at the age of 74 in 2020 The new generation is not making Kolhapuris he says and it is difficult to find a skilled maker in this cityChanging stylesMane has witnessed the evolution of Mumbai Police uniforms and the fads that excite the cops ldquoEarlier the uniform had half pants and shoes with a strap that would go over Another popular style back then was Police Pathani Today Oxfords are compulsory for cops Constables wear black and senior officers wear different shades of brown Earlier cops would prefer shoes with a more rounded tip Young officers today like their shoes a bit sleeker with pointier tips and a bit of heel Bollywood cop movies are a big influencerdquo says Mane who also supplied shoes to the popular Marathi cop show Ek Shunya Shunya Not just male cops Mane also made shoes for Maharashtrarsquos first woman IPS officer now retired Meeran Borwankar The Beatle Boot is another popular style and bikers especially Bullet riders come to him to buy protective boots Artists from Sir JJ School of Art next door are also clients Another bestseller is mules or bantu shoes popularised by Raj Thackeray in political circles ldquoSo many people ask for shoes like Raj Thackeray Saheb He has popularised this classic stylerdquoToday his son Akash handles the store and the business Manersquos younger son Sahil who was in charge of sourcing all materials tragically passed away in January while Mane is in charge of design and shoemaking ldquoI am not educated and I am so proud of my daughterinlaw Pooja who handles our social media accounts and runs the business online She is also pursuing a course to improve her skills further and take our crafts and business to new heightsrdquoRs 3200Starting price at Manersquos store for pure leather shoes which big brands retail for at least Rs 15000At Gate no 4 Commissionerrsquos Office DN Road near Crawford MarketCall and WhatsApp for orders 7977050300 9987213223