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‘Hijacking’ formal footwear industry with sandals
Hijack Sandals is a household name among fashion-aware Indonesian youths, but the brand founded more than a decade ago by two university friends in Bandung is just beginning to make waves on foreign shores. This story kicks off The Jakarta Post’s new Think Big series, featuring a local small and medium enterprise (SME) on the cusp of a breakthrough.
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A store at the Shibuya Parco mall in the vibrant heart of Tokyo is a milestone for Indonesian footwear company Hijack Sandals. Founded more than a decade ago by two university friends in Bandung, the brand is just beginning to make waves on foreign shores. (Hijack Sandals/-)
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n the early 2010s, street style skyrocketed as an international fashion trend, with haute couture capitals from New York to Tokyo leading the charge.
Yet, the allure of leather boots and classic dress shoes persisted in the Indonesian market, with little attempt to level up the look of casual kicks.
Enter Zaki Winata and Fahmi Faisal, two fresh-faced graduates who boldly hijacked the formal footwear industry when they cofounded Hijack Sandals.
“We tried to counter the market by thinking, what if we make sandals?” Fahmi told The Jakarta Post on July 4.
Nothing mundane about utility
From the outset, Hijack Sandals has focused squarely on sandals. According to Fahmi, the market has overlooked the opportunity to make sandals, an indispensable footwear product in Indonesian households, “cool and progressive”.
