KATIM

KATIM is a Japanese footwear brand founded by Eiko Kosaka and launched in Spring/Summer 2016. Operating through KATIM INC. in Shibuya, Tokyo, the label focuses on women’s shoes developed around the relationship between form, gait, and long-term wear, rather than seasonal novelty. Its practice begins with original lasts developed in-house from data analysing Japanese feet across age groups. According to the brand, patterns are adjusted to account for changes in foot shape while standing, sitting, and walking, with attention to reducing pressure at the toes and preventing seams from hitting joints. The shoes combine factory production with extensive handwork by skilled makers, and use carefully selected materials even in concealed parts. Within contemporary Japanese fashion, KATIM distinguishes itself by treating footwear as both wearable equipment and designed object. Kosaka’s background in production and her study of German orthopedic shoemaking inform a method that connects fit, structural logic, and appearance. The result is not a revival of traditional craft, but a modern, data-informed approach to shoes intended to be maintained and worn over time.