Where Comfort Meets Couture: Reimagining CX in Luxury Footwear with Crimzon
At the crossroads of elegance and empathy lies an experience that redefines luxury — not just in form, but in feeling. As the expectations of today’s discerning customer evolve beyond aesthetics to seek personalization, purpose, and meaning, one brand stands out for delivering on all fronts: Crimzon. With its recent boutique launch in Delhi’s upscale Defence Colony, Crimzon isn’t just offering footwear — it’s offering a story, an emotion, and a promise to elevate customer experience with every step.
At the heart of this movement is Sonali Dalwani, the visionary founder of Crimzon, who has carved a niche in the luxury footwear space by prioritizing customer comfort, inclusivity, and customization — all while celebrating the power of Indian craftsmanship.
We at CXQuest.com had the pleasure of speaking with Sonali to explore how Crimzon is setting a new standard for CX in luxury retail.
Welcome to CXQuest Conversations, Sonali! It’s a delight to have you with us. Congratulations on the launch of your stunning new boutique in Delhi. We find your brand story inspiring and feel thrilled to understand how customer experience forms the core of Crimzon’s DNA.
Foundation of Crimzon
Q1. Let’s start at the beginning — What does “customer experience” mean to you personally, and how did it shape the foundation of Crimzon?
SD: Customer experience at Crimzon is about how a woman feels the moment she steps into our world — not just our stores or website, but into a pair of our shoes. It’s a blend of comfort, care, and considered style. From day one, we set out to create a brand where women feel seen — their style, their needs, their stories. Every shoe is designed to be lived in, not just worn.
Q2. Was there a defining moment that shifted your focus toward a CX-first approach?
SD: Yes — during our early retail days, a customer walked in wearing a Crimzon pair she’d worn daily for two years. She didn’t want to replace them — she wanted to repair them. That moment taught us that people form relationships with our products. From then on, we began designing not just for style, but for longevity, comfort, and service — all pillars of true customer experience.
New Boutique in Defence Colony
Q3. Crimzon’s new boutique in Defence Colony is designed for personalization and connection. What were the key CX principles guiding the layout and services of the store?
SD: We wanted the store to feel like an intimate walk-in closet, not a retail showroom. Key CX principles included approachability, ease, and warmth — a seating-first layout that encourages trying and exploring, mirrors that make you linger, and staff trained to consult, not sell. It’s built for comfort — emotionally and physically.
Q4. Customization is one of your brand’s hallmarks — from heel heights to colour preferences. How do you ensure that personalization remains seamless and scalable while preserving quality and efficiency?
SD: We’ve embedded modularity into our design process and trained our team to adapt core designs without disrupting production flows. Because everything is done in-house, from prototyping to packaging, we can respond quickly without sacrificing consistency. Every customized order is tracked manually through quality checks — we don’t rush. We refine.
Functional Comfort as Part of the Luxury Customer Experience
Q5. You’ve spoken about Crimzon’s ultra-lightweight wedges with ergonomic design. How important is functional comfort as part of the luxury customer experience today?
SD: It’s non-negotiable. For us, luxury is no longer just visual — it’s visceral. It’s how your feet feel after five hours on the move. Our ergonomic wedges are engineered to distribute weight evenly while remaining featherlight, proving that comfort can be indulgent — even in heels.
Q6. Your team includes 40% women, many in production roles traditionally dominated by men. How does this inclusivity enrich Crimzon’s internal culture and ultimately reflect in your customer experience?
SD: Women in production bring an innate understanding of what the product must feel like for the end customer. Their lived experience is translated into stitches, finishes, and even packaging. This inclusivity builds empathy across the team — and that empathy radiates through the product, the service, and the brand energy.
A Wide Spectrum of Clientele
Q7. You’ve had Bollywood icons and brides alike wear Crimzon shoes. How do you cater to such a wide spectrum of clientele while maintaining a consistent brand and CX narrative?
SD: We focus on the feeling rather than the profile. Whether it’s a celebrity at Cannes or a bride walking into her mehendi, both deserve a shoe that supports her moment. We stay rooted in our promise: comfort meets confidence. Every customer, no matter who she is, walks away feeling like she was the most important person in the room.
Q8. Crimzon is one of the few Indian brands with complete in-house production. How does this vertical integration help you uphold CX across touchpoints — from online orders to boutique visits?
SD: Owning our production lets us control every detail — from quality of stitching to how the shoe is unboxed. It creates consistency across platforms: the shoe you see online is the same one you try in-store. If there’s an issue, we don’t send an email — we walk into the workshop and fix it.
Sustainability Enhancing Customer Experience
Q9. The footwear industry has often been slow to adopt sustainable practices. Crimzon’s small-batch, zero-waste philosophy is refreshing. How do you see sustainability enhancing CX, especially among your urban, conscious consumers?
SD: Our customers care — deeply. They ask where materials come from and how shoes are made. Sustainability enhances CX by aligning values with purchase. When someone buys from Crimzon, they know they’re not just shopping — they’re supporting mindful fashion. That creates pride and trust — two core CX outcomes.
Q10. As you plan to expand into international markets, how do you ensure your Indian-rooted CX ethos translates globally, without losing its soul?
SD: We’re not exporting just a product — we’re exporting a philosophy: that elegance and ease go hand in hand. While we localize service and interface elements, we hold onto our warmth, personalisation, and storytelling. Whether in India or overseas, Crimzon will always feel like a brand that knows women.
Building Authentic, Emotionally Resonant Customer Journeys
Q11. What advice would you offer to other luxury founders or CX professionals striving to build authentic, emotionally resonant customer journeys in today’s competitive space?
SD: Don’t chase perfection — chase presence. Be present at every touchpoint: in packaging, in how your team speaks, in how your product evolves with feedback. Luxury today is not about exclusivity — it’s about connection. Be human, be responsive, and never forget that your product is just the beginning of the experience.
Sonali, your insights truly affirm that customer experience isn’t a department — it’s a commitment, a mindset, and an emotional bridge. Crimzon’s journey is a testament to how storytelling, personalization, and purpose-driven design can elevate footwear into something far more meaningful. Thank you for showing how grounding luxury in empathy makes so much more possible.
Thank you for joining us at CXQuest.com, Sonali. We wish you and Crimzon continued success as you stride forward — one beautiful, comfortable, and meaningful step at a time.
