A fancy French footwear firm has revealed it's seen a 60 per cent growth in business since introducing camel leather shoes - as it unveiled a new shoe for which well-heeled gents will have to 'spit up' Dhs7,300.
Maison Corthay has stores all around the world and launched a branch in Dubai in 2012. The brand introduced the 'Arca' collection last year, which included camel leather shoes.
All of the camel skin comes from the Tannery Al Khazna, which is based in the desert in Abu Dhabi before being shipped to the west of France, where a team of 21 workers craft the shoes.
Corthay's communication director Francois Pourcher, celebs such as Cate Blanchett and Lionel Richie and Middle East VIPS are all putting their best foot forward in camel skin.
"Technically it's the perfect skin," claimed Pourcher. "It's three times softer than a normal calf's skin. It's lighter and softer and more resistant because it has three times more fibre than a normal calf. So, if you mix innovative and quality with the softness of the skin, it's perfect for us."
Pourcher claims Corthay is the first upscale brand to use camel leather in its products.
"We are the first to provide camel leather shoes and belts," he said, adding the firm also now plans to make camel leather wallets. "Especially in this top quality, we are the first."
Maison Corthay also has shoes made out of elephant, crocodile, lizard, alligator, ostriches, python, calves and fish. The comms man revealed that the most expensive ready-to-wear shoe is the one made of crocodile leather, which is priced at Dhs33,600.
"We always choose the best crocodile from Mississippi and we make sure all of the scales are really balanced," he added.
Order a bespoke pair of shoes from France, though, and the price can be from Dhs20,000 to Dhs50,000. "We are always trying to find new skins and new components," Pourcher said.
© 7Days 2014
