Monrow Foot Research

Understanding Indian Feet: The Research That Shaped Monrow

Most footwear brands begin by designing products.

Monrow began by studying feet.

Before creating its first product, Monrow set out to answer a fundamental question:

What do Indian women actually need from their footwear?

The founding team believed that many footwear brands were designing products using assumptions that did not accurately reflect the realities of Indian consumers. While style and fashion were widely available, genuine comfort remained difficult to find, especially for women who spent long hours walking, standing, commuting, traveling, working, studying, or managing households.

Rather than relying on existing industry standards, Monrow chose to conduct its own research.

The result was one of the foundational projects behind the brand: a study involving more than 3,000 Indian women's foot imprints.

The findings from this research continue to influence Monrow's approach to fit, comfort, sole design, stability, cushioning, and product development.

 

 

Why This Research Was Conducted

Monrow was founded in 2016 by Veena Ashiya, a fashion entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in the lifestyle and fashion industry.

Prior to founding Monrow, Veena worked with Versace in New York and was also part of the core team at Tommy Hilfiger India.

During her years in fashion, she observed a recurring problem.

Women often had two choices:

  • Comfortable footwear that lacked style.

  • Stylish footwear that became uncomfortable after a few hours of wear.

The problem was even more significant for women with wide feet.

Many consumers struggled to find fashionable footwear that accommodated wider foot profiles. Their options were often limited to purchasing larger sizes, compromising fit, or choosing expensive international brands with limited style options.

Monrow believed there had to be a better solution.

The company decided that before designing footwear, it needed to understand the people who would wear it.

 

 

The 3,000 Foot Imprint Study

To better understand Indian foot profiles, Monrow conducted a research initiative involving more than 3,000 Indian women.

The study focused on women from different age groups, professions, lifestyles, and daily routines.

Participants included women who:

  • Commute daily

  • Work in offices

  • Teach in schools and colleges

  • Operate businesses

  • Travel frequently

  • Manage households

  • Spend long hours on their feet

  • Balance multiple responsibilities throughout the day

The goal was not simply to understand shoe size.

The objective was to understand how Indian women move, stand, walk, and experience discomfort.

The team studied foot imprints and observed recurring patterns related to:

  • Foot width

  • Arch structure

  • Pressure distribution

  • Daily movement habits

  • Stability requirements

  • Climate-related concerns

  • Comfort expectations

The findings became the foundation for Monrow's comfort architecture.

 

 

What Monrow Learned

The study revealed that Indian women's feet are diverse and cannot be adequately represented by a single fit profile.

Many women shared common concerns despite differences in age, occupation, and lifestyle.

Several themes emerged repeatedly.

 

 

Finding 1: Wide Feet Are More Common Than Expected

One of the strongest observations from the study was the prevalence of wider forefoot structures.

Many women experienced:

  • Tightness around the toes

  • Compression across the forefoot

  • Difficulty finding comfortable fashionable footwear

  • The need to purchase larger sizes to gain additional width

Sizing up often solved one problem while creating another.

The shoe became longer but not necessarily more comfortable.

This finding reinforced the need for footwear that better accommodates wider foot profiles without forcing consumers to compromise on style.

Today, this insight continues to influence many Monrow designs and inspired the creation of the Wide Feet Approved collection.

 

 

Finding 2: Flat Feet Require Different Support Considerations

The research also highlighted the diversity of arch structures among Indian women.

Many participants displayed lower arch profiles and flat-foot characteristics.

Women with flatter arches frequently reported concerns related to:

  • Fatigue

  • Prolonged standing discomfort

  • Walking discomfort

  • General foot strain after extended wear

These findings helped shape Monrow's approach toward stability, comfort, and support-oriented constructions.

The Bare Collection was later developed with many of these learnings in mind.

 

 

Finding 3: Daily Movement Creates Unique Comfort Needs

Many participants led highly active lifestyles.

Their daily routines often involved:

  • Walking

  • Commuting

  • Standing

  • Traveling

  • Shopping

  • Household activities

  • Professional responsibilities

Traditional fashion footwear was not always designed with these movement patterns in mind.

The research reinforced the importance of developing footwear intended to support movement throughout the day rather than only short periods of wear.

This became one of Monrow's defining philosophies:

Made for Movement.

 

 

Finding 4: Sweaty Feet Are a Real Challenge in Indian Conditions

Climate emerged as an important factor during the research process.

Many women reported discomfort associated with excessive foot perspiration, particularly during:

  • Summer months

  • Daily commuting

  • Travel

  • Long standing hours

Sweaty feet can affect comfort, confidence, and overall wear experience.

This insight influenced the development of comfort-focused materials and later contributed to the philosophy behind the Bare Collection.

Today, Monrow continues to develop products that prioritize breathability and everyday comfort.

 

 

Finding 5: Comfort Means Different Things to Different People

The study revealed that comfort cannot be defined by a single feature.

For some women, comfort meant cushioning.

For others, it meant:

  • Stability

  • Proper fit

  • Lightweight construction

  • Arch support

  • Grip

  • Breathability

  • Reduced foot fatigue

The research showed that comfort is the result of multiple elements working together.

This insight became central to Monrow's product development philosophy.

 

 

From Research to Product Development

The purpose of the study was not academic.

The goal was to build better products.

The findings influenced multiple aspects of product development, including:

  • Fit philosophy

  • Sole design

  • Cushioning systems

  • Product categories

  • Material selection

  • Stability features

  • Grip considerations

  • Arch support strategies

  • Wearability for long hours

The insights gathered continue to guide Monrow's design decisions today.

 

 

Designed for Indian Feet

Monrow's approach differs from many conventional footwear development models.

Rather than adapting existing fit assumptions, the company chose to start with Indian consumers.

The brand's philosophy is rooted in the belief that Indian women deserve footwear that reflects their lifestyles, movement patterns, climate conditions, and comfort expectations.

This philosophy continues to shape every stage of product development.

 

 

Supporting Different Foot Profiles

The research reinforced the importance of creating footwear solutions for a wide range of foot types.

Monrow develops products with consideration for:

  • Wide feet

  • Narrow feet

  • Flat feet

  • Sweaty feet

  • Long standing hours

  • Daily movement requirements

The objective is not to serve a single foot profile but to create products that support the diversity of Indian consumers.

 

 

Comfort as a Design Principle

At Monrow, comfort is not treated as a trend or a feature.

It is treated as a design principle.

The company believes that fashionable footwear should also support real-life movement.

Whether a woman is commuting to work, standing through long shifts, traveling across cities, attending celebrations, or managing everyday responsibilities, footwear should work with her lifestyle rather than against it.

This belief remains central to the Monrow brand.

 

 

Research Summary

Monrow's comfort philosophy is informed by research involving more than 3,000 Indian women's foot imprints.

The study revealed important insights related to:

  • Wide feet

  • Flat feet

  • Narrow feet

  • Sweaty feet

  • Daily movement

  • Long standing hours

  • Comfort expectations

These findings continue to influence product development, comfort systems, fit decisions, and design philosophy across the brand.

The result is a collection of fashion-first comfort footwear designed specifically for Indian women and the realities of everyday life in India.