Best foot forward
Like all great ideas, Paula Nemme's idea for an online store specialising in plus-size shoes was one born out of necessity, as Tracey McEldowney reports.
All Paula Nemme ever wanted to do was stand tall.
Blessed with a pair of size 11 feet but standing five foot eight in her stockings, Nemme was forced to spend most of her early years in flat or low-healed shoes having struggled to find footwear manufacturers willing to produce feminine shoes in her size.
The 37-year-old admits the problem also took its toll on the way she felt about herself, with her inability to don heels often making her feel less feminine than many of her peers.
"I have big feet and could never get shoes to fit me. I saw there was a gap in the market and girls like me were not being catered for. We were stuck in old thongs and runners when we really wanted footwear that was a bit more sophisticated and glamorous."
Never one to shy from a challenge, Nemme put her money where her mouth was and launched her own business.
Specifically targeted at the "three to five per cent of women who have been denied the joy of shoe shopping because most footwear manufacturers don't cater for them", her store - Sarah-Jane Shoes (SJS) - stocks only women's footwear.
At it would seem - to use a terrible pun - the shoe is at last on the other foot with SJS stocking only shoes in sizes 10 and above.
While catering for such a niche market can often present challenges not faced by her more mainstream competitors, Nemme says as far as sourcing stock is concerned, she has little if anything to grizzle about.
While few Australian manufacturers specialise in this area, there are plenty of overseas suppliers only too willing to enter this arena with Cinderella and Peter Kaiser just some of the brands stocked by the store.
Since soft-launching across cyberspace in May last year, SJS has steadily been growing its collection to encompass a full range of product lines with the store now boasting a full complement of boots, sandals, sling-backs, career shoes, mules, pumps and - some would argue its most important style of all - stilettos.
Better than that, most ranges are also supplied in wide and extra wide to provide shoppers with more flexibility in their fittings.
With price points of between $89 for summer sandals to $400 for the top-of-the-range leather knee-high boots, Nemme credits her online store with opening new doors for both herself and her steadily-growing clientele.
"One of the great things about my business is being able to offer women beautiful shoes that fit them," she says.
With the business still in its infancy and many other larger priorities demanding a share of her scant resources, Nemme admits she has had to be extremely innovative when deciding the best way to market her brand.
To this end, she has employed public relations firm et cetera to help expose her product to fashion editors and stylists, in turn generating more media exposure for her offering.
However she claims her most effective investment yet has been in the time she spends with her customers.
"I have a very personal relationship with my clients and they're really encouraging and want me to do well. My clients are like little advertising companies working for me, always spreading the word."
Having just two staff - husband Eric the self-appointed head of IT "he fixes the computer", distribution head "deals with the post office" and head of packing "carries the heavier boxes" as well as herself "the director" - Nemme says great customer service is imperative if the brand is to continue forging ahead.
Seeing herself in a role similar to a personal shopper, Nemme says many women who have larger feet initially don't know what shoe size they wear because they have never been able to buy a properly fitting shoe.
"I discuss sizing and any other questions a customer might have over the telephone or email so they're confident about their purchase. Once a customer's happy with sizes and know the quality of the shoes, they tend to go it alone."
Having recently opened her first showroom in Sydney's Castlehill, it appears whatever the formula, it appears to be working.
Currently in talks with an existing footwear chain with a view to stocking her ranges, Nemme believes there is more than enough interest in her ranges to expand it to a wider audience.
With this in mind, she hopes to one day develop and market her own SJS concept stores. "Women with average-sized feet sometimes take the fun of buying footwear for granted, but for women with feet sized 10 or over, they are just so happy to finally shed what they've been forced to wear and step into something they actually enjoy wearing."