The idea came from my desire to have fluffy, unusual heels, but I never managed to bring myself to buy them.
I feared they would be impractical and lose their look after wearing them a few times.
And so, they came to be…
Concept
SMENKA — versatile shoe covers for daily style changes
The cover slips over the shoes, held in place by elastic bands around the opening and bottom, as well as a Velcro strap under the sole.
The name comes from «changeable footwear"—at school, we operated within a structure: uniform, schedule, rules. Now it’s time to break them, but in heels.
CAN be washed (but handwashing is better)
CAN wear visually diverse shoes with only one pair
CAN not worry about wardrobe rationality
CAN have a bright and bold accent in your look
Target Audience
Practical people who still love to treat themselves. They live through difficult times, which is precisely why they allow themselves small, impulsive joys. A bright shoe case—that’s the little thing that makes the day. They are not spendthrifts, nor are they ascetics. They buy with their eyes and their hearts.
Product dimensions and sizing
The item is a pair of cases, each consisting of two mirrored halves. The base size is M: length 28 cm, heel height 9 cm, and 7 cm at the center.
The range S / M / L increases by 2 cm in length and 1 cm in heel height. The pattern grading has been completed and verified (technical parameters for size M are provided below).
Materials and Hardware
Main fabric (faux fur, long pile, 150 cm width) Consumption — 0.08 m
Elastic (flat black, 8–10 mm)
Consumption — 1.45 m with allowance
Velcro (sew-on, 10 mm, hooks + loops, 40 mm strips)
Consumption — 4 strips, 0.25 m with allowance
Thread (matching fabric color, zigzag for elastic)
Consumption — 1 spool per 20 pairs
Possible projects + cost
For the main production run, a private sewing workshop that can handle small orders is best. I found such a workshop in Moscow; I only have the owner’s contact information—no website or links.
Below is a preliminary cost estimate for a pair (size M, batch of 300 pairs).
The cost of one fur pair is approximately 400–650 ₽. Sizes S and L differ only in material consumption: roughly −10 ₽ (S) and +15 ₽ (L) from the fur option price.
The minimum order for the workshop is 50 pairs per style.
Deadlines
3D samples and fit on forms, 2 iterations running parallel to fabric and hardware procurement (concurrent with samples) (2–3 weeks)
Pattern cutting and sewing of 150 pairs (2–3 weeks)
Total from start to finished batch (6–9 weeks)
Suggested Retail Price
A pair of fur covers — 2,990 ₽
Price = 4.6–7.5 cost of goods
Gross Margin ≈ 78–87%
Grant Amount
To launch a pilot batch of 150 pairs and go to market, you need no more than ₽150,000.
With minimal packaging (designer pack + tags), it is ₽170,000.
