Marikina shoes a hit in Indonesia

Filipino fashion retail brand Rusty Lopez has recently opened a new store in Jakarta, featuring comfortable sandals and casuals made from Marikina City, the Philippines’ shoe capital known for producing durable and high-quality footwear, according to the Department of Trade and Industry’s Philippine Trade and Investment Center – Jakarta.

The store in Sogo Lippo Mall Puri located in St. Moritz central business district is the brand’s ninth outlet following the opening of stores in Seibu Grand Indonesia, Sogo Emporium Pluit, Sogo Central Park, Sogo Alam Sutera, Lotte Shopping Avenue, Metro Plaza Senayan, Metro Gandaria City and Metro Taman Anggrek.

Philippine commercial attaché to Indonesia Alma Argayoso said the sales of the newest collection during the opening were brisk. The other stores also received positive feedback.

“It is exciting to bring to the Indonesian market the Philippines’ world-famous Marikina-made shoes. This affirms our belief on the potential of fashion retail products in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s biggest economy,” Argayoso said.

The first overseas store of Rusty Lopez opened in Jakarta on March 6, 2016 at the Seibu Department Store of Grand Indonesia Mall and featured carefully selected designs suited to the Indonesian market.

DTI said the increased interest in Philippine-made shoes abroad helps revive the local shoe industry and is expected to open more opportunities for small enterprises to generate employment within their communities.

As part of the DTI’s industry promotion group, PTIC-Jakarta said it would continue to support and assist Filipino homegrown brands in globalizing their products and accessing regional markets by continuously looking for potential partnerships.

Aside from Rusty Lopez, other Filipino fashion retail brands in Indonesia are Karimadon, Penshoppe, Gingersnaps and Ann Ong Jewelry.