(July 30, 2025) Tarun Oblum likes all things colourful, even shoes. Forget the usual blacks and browns, it is the emerald greens and burgundy shoes that appeal to this renowned shoemaker — the colours most men would shy away from. That’s not all. He even encourages people to flaunt a Sunset Patina, a warm tan inspired by dusk, along with Mahogany Patina and rich reddish-brown tones.
“We as Indians have no traditional rules when it comes to footwear, unlike the British who stick to the blacks and browns. Style and expression must reflect a sense of freedom; colours are the perfect way to showcase that,” smiles the Hyderabad-based entrepreneur behind the fashion lifestyle brand Oblum, in a chat with Global Indian.
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An alumnus of the University of the Arts, London, and a diploma holder from ModaPella Academy, Milan, Tarun has come a long way from working part-time at Crockett & Jones Limited, London, to building and expanding his brand. His creations have been endorsed by several celebrities, including actors Nagarjuna, Vijay Varma, and Vijay Deverakonda, among others.
From passion for sneakers to entrepreneurship
Tarun’s journey into shoemaking took off from his obsession with sneakers. “Before sneakers became a thing in India, I started collecting them,” says the hip-hop and rap lover who once had a master collection of fresh white Nike Air Force shoes.
In June 2018, Tarun launched Oblum Bespoke, India’s first shoemaking atelier that produced fine hand-welted footwear for men. That was after he briefly explored women’s footwear.
“A lot of the women’s footwear that I was designing was not very easy to make using traditional tools and techniques. Also, I was not able to wear my creations, which made me switch over to men’s footwear,” says Tarun, who started off in a 100-square-foot store and moved to a bigger space a couple of years later.
To be able to get together a brand from scratch, having an in-house workshop and the branding came with its own set of challenges. “Training craftsmen to make shoes to the level that I enjoy was a challenge,” says the entrepreneur, who firmly believes that craft is a constant pursuit of perfection.
Classics and Originals
Recently, Bespoke expanded into two curated lines — Oblum Classics and Oblum Originals.
Classics are his ode to England’s Wholecut Oxfords. “It’s our interpretation of traditional British footwear — we’ve contemporized it with our own distinctive touch. Each pair is made in very limited quantities, just one per size,” says the shoemaker, whose upcoming website launch marks a turning point for the brand.
With the Oblum Originals, it’s more design-forward, but still sticking to craft. It’s a fabric-based shoe. “We’ve got two styles — a Peshawari, which is a very traditional Indian silhouette, and the Falaknuma, where we have taken a very traditional British silhouette and contemporized it by infusing my love for fabrics,” says Tarun.
“We have a vast catalogue to select from, and we do a lot of made-to-order and customised work. Every customer has a unique approach to getting something made,” informs Tarun, who feels people in India are surrounded by colour and chaos, which inspires him.
Uplifting culture and design
At Oblum, says Tarun, traditional methods of shoemaking are what set them apart from the rest of the shoemakers. “We also have a responsibility towards uplifting our own culture and design. So we’re working on an entire range of products that are very traditional to the subcontinent,” he says.
The shoemaker says the product should suit the varied Indian weather conditions. “At Oblum, we understand this aspect more than other shoemakers,” he says, pointing out that they use the right material, which suits all weather conditions.
Love for all things artistic
Born in Hyderabad, Tarun completed his schooling from the Hyderabad Public School at Begumpet. As a student, he was always inclined towards arts. “My arts teacher in school and my mother sparked my interest in arts,” he says.
He was fascinated by brands, design, and art from a young age. “I still remember the first pair of Nike shoes that my father got for me, which I ended up losing in the playground three days later,” recalls the entrepreneur.
Discovering his calling
Coming from a family of engineers, Tarun too wanted to follow suit. In college, he studied Maths, Physics, and Chemistry to fulfil the aim but failed miserably.
He then did his Bachelor in Business Management from Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain College in Bangalore. During his time there, he realised it wasn’t really his calling, which paved the way for exploring arts. He then went to ModaPella Academy in Milan to do a diploma in Leather Technology.
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Life in Milan and London
Tarun has fond memories of ModaPella Academy, where he enrolled for a three-month course in 2012. “We were just a handful of students in the class. It was an interesting course as I hadn’t studied design before. Building a collection based on concept was unique,” he says.
He says the reason behind enrolling at the academy was to see if he really wanted to do something related to arts and design, specifically in footwear.
His experiences in Milan led him to London to pursue further studies in 2013. “The University of the Arts London was one of the greatest institutions that I’ve ever been to. The holistic approach to learning, the tools, material, workshops was fascinating,” says Tarun, who did his BA (Honours) in Product Design and Development in Footwear.
Except for Tarun, all other students were doing their first degree, while he was doing his second. “So I went back to living the student life once again. During the second half of my education, I started taking studies seriously.”
Above all, the historic buildings, great architecture, art, and nature made studying in London an unforgettable experience for him. “Simple things like dressing well, being respectful are among the things I picked from London.”
Gaining exposure at Crockett & Jones
During his final year in college, Tarun got a part-time job at Crockett & Jones, a fifth-generation British shoemaker with an over-140-year legacy.
“The store has customers from all over the world. I learnt how tradition and history played a key role in the shoemaking business. They have customers coming in from all over the world,” says the shoemaker, who was part of the sales team, ensuring that customers got the perfect fits.
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Future plans
Tarun is looking forward to more brand collaborations with existing boutiques across India and the world. “I will get to that once my website is up. As of now, I’m fully focused on building my own space,” he says.
Through his new swanky flagship store, Oblum Townhouse, which has a built-in atelier design room, Tarun is not only selling shoes — he has forayed into vintage watches, especially Cartiers, besides menswear and collectibles. “I want this to be a little museum of sorts, because I like being in spaces that inspire me as well. We want to do things that are hip and original,” he says.
With plans to go big with vintage watches, he mentions, “We are going to have an event to build and bring together the watch community of Hyderabad. Similar events are lined up for the next few months,” says the entrepreneur, who loves to travel, which he says inspires him to come up with new creations.
