Shoe Salon

DESIGNERCHAT KAMLESH CHANDIRAMANI • RAG & CO

KAMLESH CHANDIRAMANI, CEO of Rag & Co, is a third-generation shoemaker who knows the business of design inside and out, but that doesn’t mean he dictates what women should wear. His approach blends decades of shoe experience “entwined in his DNA” with feedback right from the source. “What we learn from women in terms of the look, feel, comfort and affordability of our styles is how we make footwear that’s relevant to today’s customer,” Chandiramani says. “The combination of our DNA and that feedback results in the perfect storm of the best styles season after season.”

Rag & Co, based in Santa Fe Springs, CA, launched in 2015. It has since added an upscale collection, Rag & Co X. The overall aesthetic blends innovation with purpose. “Our shoes are designed for comfort with everlasting designs, statement cuts and patterns that transcend seasonal fads,” Chandiramani says. “Our aesthetics reflect quintessential details of shoemaking as a heritage craft. Rag & Co is fun yet classic, bold yet poised, comfortable yet classy.”

Signature details include leather uppers, latex insoles to absorb pressure and treated rubber outsoles that extend the life of the shoes. Sustainable features are a growing aspect as well. They include ethically procured leathers, which are biodegradable and reduce the impact on landfills, organic cotton and latex in replace of polymers. “All hangtags, linings and shoe bags are made of organic cotton, and we use recycled packaging,” Chandiramani adds, noting the fashion business must change its ways. “It needs to be corrected at fundamental levels, and we’re on constant endeavor to minimize the friction between environment and our products.”

As for Fall ’22, Rag & Co is delivering a broad range of styles, from “statement-making” stiletto boots for the holidays to sneakers, loafers, peep-toe and stiletto sandals, and mules. Clogs are another big focus, a silhouette that Chandiramani says is comfortable, sturdy, classic and transitions well between seasons. Last but not least, a new collection of organic cotton sneakers and flats. As for the palette, burgundy and other red shades for dressier styles make outfits pop. “We also have nude, caramel, latte and mocha,” he says. “And we add texture with velvet, faux fur, crinkles and patent leathers.”

Who is the Rag & Co woman? She seeks quality first and runs away from the mess that’s fast fashion. She is stylish and confident. She’s poised and bold. She believes in comfort and style. She wants it all—no compromises!

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live is the first note for any designer. In addition to seasonal trends, it’s all about crafting in the needs of contemporary life. Women are moving fast, juggling all aspects of life. The least we can do is give them comfort under their feet to do all these tasks, but look great doing so.

When might dressy heels make a come-

back? While flats have become acceptable at formal events, heeled and wedge sneakers are already trending, as are block heels. So heels never went completely out. Maybe it’s gladiator heels next? Women are daring; they’ll always surprise you.

Any supply chain issues? Sourcing ethical leathers and ensuring high quality is more challenging than ever. But every challenge has opportunities, so we took this time to review what we could be doing better. Sustainability, for example, is the future, be it recycling, re-use, redesign and natural and durable materials. Supply chain is now also about the reverse—it’s about refurbishing or recycling products and redelivering with agility. With ongoing advancements in technology and blockchain, we look forward to maximizing this shift.

Any golden design rules passed on from

your father? Practicing a craft takes time, and skills are never mastered, they’re enhanced. My father always told me to focus on perfection, and that’s why we never compromise on quality. Also, design is to serve according to the buyer’s need. Storytelling is crucial, and the design process must be reflective of that. It should be relatable.

Any designers you admire? Jeffrey Campbell. His style evolution and details push new limits, which is so refreshing.

Is there a perfect shoe? Yes. Perfect shoes make you feel spontaneous, give outline to your look and fit like a dream. Personally, I love leather sneakers.

What do you love most about designing?

I love everything—sketching, handcrafting, stitching, etc. And when your idea comes to reality and the result is a masterpiece… that’s what I love most.

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prior. Our forecasts are for another record-breaking year—we expect to blow past our 2020 numbers. I feel like we have the best people we’ve ever had at Washington Shoe Company. The culture work that we’ve done has created an amazing team. And we continue to hire amazing people in the face of the Great Resignation. We’re still staffing up with great employees. On that note, I think the change in how people want to work has really empowered them—like when unions first started. People have more rights now because of the pandemic. ‘I want to be happy. I want to work somewhere that makes me happy. And I have 10 other companies who are interested in me, so you can’t treat me poorly.’ That’s a good thing.

Where do you envision Washington Shoe Company in five years?

In addition to production in China, likely Vietnam and the U.S., we have our “Road to 100,” which is a sales growth goal of $100 million annually by our 135th anniversary. That’s what we’re marching toward now.

Does meeting that goal involve brand acquisitions or launches?

We think we can reach that with our current brands through our retail partners and a somewhat expanded DTC presence. We’d like to get that channel to a double-digit percentage of overall sales. I think that’s very manageable and one that our retail partners won’t see as a threat. On that note, we always have the highest prices on DTC. Another big push for growth is moving beyond seasonal

rain boots and into year-round brands. For example, we’re making kids’ Western Chief play styles, as well as casual styles in men’s and women’s for Chooka. The non-rain silhouettes are still waterproof and tie back to the brand. And after a few years of that iteration, maybe they no longer have to be waterproof or water-resistant. They’ll be seen more as lifestyle brands. Both have the brand width. We just have to make that a focus to bring that forward.

Any added pressure as the fourth generation to run the family business?

Obviously, there’s some added responsibility to previous generations, as well as potential future ones. But the upside is I have a built-in layer of trust where we can tell a retailer or a factory that Staheekum is the fastest-growing brand in we’re a 130-year-old company that’s still family the Washington Shoe Company portfolio. run. It shows that we don’t burn bridges and that we’re honest. Plus, we have tremendous flexibility. For example, we took some really low margins on some programs this past year where we lost money, but we were very open with our partners about it because we signed a deal. We told them we’re going to honor it, because we look at the long view. That matters.

Is there a fifth generation waiting in the wings?

We have some nieces, possibly. They’re interested. They ask to model once in a while, and one is interested in footwear design. So they’re asking some questions. We’ll see. •