Awesome soles: Xavier de Royère, CEO of Corthay, focuses on quality, design and comfort

A. [Our customers] share a love for a product that combines "traditional" attributes, such as comfort and durability, with the quest for shoes that are sharp in their design, sometimes a bit daring, but always wearable. Status tends not to be their main driving force [behind their purchases] - rather, they like the fact that Corthay is not ubiquitous, and they appreciate the straightforwardness of our approach to shoes.

A. Customers love the fact that they can enjoy a high level of personalisation - they can choose the colour of their sole, the inner lining, the piping, even the heel height - without going all the way to pure bespoke. The whole process of playing with the various possible combinations is really appealing, and the customer ends up with a shoe that is unique.

Bespoke is another world, where the quest for personalisation is pushed a few steps further. You interact directly with the actual shoemaker who will craft your shoes. There is a genuine exchange to determine what the end product will look like. Actually, we really cherish the fact that the same craftsman will measure your feet, take you through the trial fitting and deliver the finished pair. Three encounters with the customer over six months form the centre of the whole experience. This particular aspect of the bespoke service is really special - it is unique. There is a clear limit to the numbers we can produce, as we have a limited number of trained craftsmen.

Exceptional customers deserve exceptional shoes.

A. Everything rests on being able to design and then craft a superior product. We recently made the decision to open a brand-new workshop and spent four months training the craftsmen - four months of pure training, not manufacturing - to make sure they learn the basics and gradually develop the unique skills to master the most complex shoemaking techniques. [This way, there was] no pressure regarding time, or productivity; [the idea was] to just practise and be comfortable crafting the finest shoes in the world.

A. I feel customers want convenience for products that are relatively standard, but they understand the constraints of producing truly special products. They are prepared to wait - but only for something which stands out and is "true".