To be honest, there’s no dearth of flip-flop brands in the country. A trip to good ol’ Linking Road will lead you to hundreds, a simple google search will yield scores more. But in a world yearning for complete customisation, there’s only one brand that’s paying heed to that appeal — Colour Me Mad.
The brainchild of Mumbai-based couple Trishla and Rajeev Surana, Colour Me Mad makes wholly customisable flip-flops. Although still in its infancy, the brand’s innovative ideas, fascinating customisations, and vibrant designs are already making heads turn and take notice — which, if you ask Rajeev, is thanks to the many privileges the brand provides. “At Colour Me Mad, we offer the freedom to choose designs and mix and match your straps with the base design as well,” he explains. “It’s an innovative, one of its kind concept that you simply cannot find elsewhere — especially in India.”
While Rajeev’s level-headedness is apparent, it’s Trishla who’s actually the heart and soul of the brand. Not only does she hold a Commercial Arts Degree from Rachna Sansad, but she’s had a penchant for art for as long as she can remember. “I always worked from home and designed accessories for my daughters and other kids,” she says. “The work was always appreciated, and I knew deep down that my heart lies with designing and art. When I decided to take the daunting plunge into entrepreneurship, flip-flops weren’t big on the Indian market, so I embarked on my own personal journey and undertook painstaking research for almost a year and a half.”
The journey itself though, Rajeev says, wasn’t exactly a breeze. “When Trishla explained her vision and we started making inquiries, people either laughed off the suggestion or flatly refused to help. We were told that it simply wasn’t possible without either going to China, or importing our raw material from there. We wanted it to be a 100% Indian based brand, so reaching our desired destination took a tad longer than we expected.”
“I was challenged, I’ll be the first to admit it,” Trishla continues. “I even doubted myself at first. But the rush of overcoming that obstacle and achieving my dream is what kept me going, so I decided to give it my all. It took me a while to get there, but eventually I did. Today, Colour Me Mad’s products are not only completely made in India, but are also produced using patented techniques. Furthermore, not only can you choose the colour combinations and the material of the sole and the straps, but the straps themselves can be printed with personal images or text messages such as ‘Happy Birthday’ or ‘I am on holiday with my flip flops’, making them a great option for customised gifts too. Our tagline actually describes us perfectly — ‘Luxury Under Your Feet’ — which is exactly what we aim to provide.”
The brand’s workshop is at Marine Lines in Mumbai where the flip-flops are thorougly handcrafted by skilled artisans from scratch, one piece at a time. The products are made from the best materials in the market, ensuring that the soles are non-slippery and the flip-flops are sturdy and durable. Their products range from Rs. 995 upto Rs.1495.
Going forward, Colour Me Mad wants to do its bit by giving back to the community too. “We are associated with Goonj and various NGOs where Rs. 10 out of every sale made is donated towards providing footwear to the underprivileged,” says Rajeev. “Apart from that, we also represented India at the Turkey International Festival in March. Our unique products garnered a terrific response, so we’re rather pleased about that.”
“Although the youth are more likely to be inclined towards our products, anyone with a pair of feet can buy products, really!”, says Trishla. “Colour Me Mad has a dream of translating your imagination on your footwear using the best of tools, techniques, and craftsmanship. We would also love to explore exporting, but that comes in the future. Frankly speaking, at the end of the day, our aim is to simply provide a pair of footwear to every pair of feet.”
Tinkle's Cartoonist Abhijeet Kini's Design - Flip Flops
Visit the Colour Me Mad Shop on Engrave.
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