Fashionists, especially females, must have known and have probably ever used kelom geulis. This Tasikmalayan wooden high heel sandal has actually often been chosen as footwear by females for either casual or formal occasions. Besides unique, it is also comfortable and sturdy. Kelom geulis will make the users more beautiful and graceful as well as taller.

Kelomgeulis which means pretty sandals has even become an export commodity to neighboring countries in Southeast Asia, Japan, Africa, Middle East, Panama, Korea and  a part of Europe. Its unique design, carved motif, and some- times with embroidery, batik and a uniqueTasikmalayan painting, make kelomgeulis more interesting. Furthermore, it is made manually by hands (handmade).

This creative industry which has been developed for years keeps growing in terms of market segment and so does the number of SMEinvloved. However, in terms of design and model, this product has not changed much and tends to be similar among craftsmen. The craftsmen are still using old patterns in their production process.

To make kelomgeulis, first, cut mahogany and form it into soles. After that, shave the wood by a blade and dry it under the sun. The dried wood is then smoothed by a grinder so that the wood grain becomes obvious.

The material for this kelom is then painted by basic paint as to remove the woodpores. It is then repainted through spraying and dried.  After   it is dry, the material is then shaped so that it looks more attractive. It is then equipped with a lace as the ankle strap. Various kinds of laces are made special for kelomgeulis. The selling for the ready use kelom geulis can reach 3,000 pairs per month.

Besides selling a   ready to use kelomgeulis with the ready pattern and model, the craftsmen in Tasikmalaya also export the semiraw material for kelom. In the export target country, the materials are commonly changed into high heel sandals or shoes. The materials are certainly sold by a lower price compared to the ready use kelomgeulis. The design also depends on the producers so that sometimes it loses the unique of kelom.

The education level of the craftsmen of this Tasikmalayan kelom geulis is various. Accordingly, they have not thought about the innovation on kelomgeulis and also for the marketing, as to anticipate the tight competition in the market.

Joining Program Pengabdian Masyarakat (Community Service Program), the researcher was then interested in exploring kelomgeulis  as  to  develop  the  innovation   strategy  and marketing. One of the innovation strategies de- velopped in this study is creatinga new design as an innovation from kelomgeulis.

The new design is what is  called “kelomkasep”. It isto develop a differentiation   in   kelomindustry so that is not monotonous. Furthermore, it is also aimed at widening the market which was initially made only for females; it can recently be used by males.

Kelom Kasep for Market Differentiation

The idea to make kelom special for males has actually gained appreciation from the Tasikmalayan craftsmen and SMEs focused inkelom. It is because that the plan for    the creation of kelom kasep   has   passed   a study, i.e. the study on the production process. Therefore, the design of kelomkasep to a certain extent is  not too  intricate and the production process is not lengthy.

In a day, a kelom craft man can make 200-250  pairs of kelomgeulis. For kelom kasep, the 5-8 step process can be cut into 3 step process, so that the production cost can be lower. With a lower production cost, the selling price can compete with kelomgeulis.

It not only helps the production process but also cuts the production cost. The design process may become an innovation in the development of the distinct Tasikmalayan kelom. The segmentation focus on male can make the SME as a pioneer in the innovation as well as make a path for the craftsmen as to find a solution pertaining to their love on design, especially the design for kelom. However, the kelomkasep cannot be marketed yet since it is still waiting for the registration process for the industry design and trademark to Ditjen Hak Kekayaan Intelektual (HKI) or Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights.

However, the design for kelomkasep itself is  different from kelomgeulis. While kelomgeulis emphasizes the grace of a woman, kelomkasep should accentuate the masculinity of a man. Therefore, the designs are made to be minimalist by only emphasizing the wood fiber of the kelom. If it is painted, it should be only varnished by basic colors as dark chocolate, chocolate or the original color of wood. The wood commonly used is mahogany as it is easy to dry and has a fair wood fiber while the width is limited to 6-7 cm. If it is thinner, it would be fragile in the middle part.

As to design kelomkasep, the researcher uses emotional approach. There are three fac- tors influencing the design for a  product,  including visceral, behavioral,  and reflective factors.    Accordingly,    what  factor may trigger a  man  to  buy a product, i.e.kelom in this case? Is it taste, need, or his self-concept?  If,  for instance, a man has self-concept as a rocker, he will apply his rocker concept to the products he buys, including footwear or sandals.

In general, males are in fact interested in kelomgeulis, as it is unique and studry, and it also has  a good  structure. To the present time, it can be seen that men often accompany women to buy kelom or buy it as a present. Therefore, if there is a kelomkasep that can be used by a man, and SME can facilitate it, it will then be a prospective market segment. Different from women who pay more attention to a product model, men tend to pay attention to the quality and structure. If, in the past time, men are considered not to be consumptive, especially for fashion, recently, a higher number of men are open and dare to experiment on what they wear. In the past time, men are adequate with shirt, t shirt, jeans, and shoes.Recently, they are more selective in choosing their apparel and accessories that may support and represent their personality.

The presence of kelom- kasep is expected  to  make  the users more confident or masculine. Kelomkasep itself is suitable for informal or casual event, since males tend to choose shoes for formal occasion. Recently, there are 14 designs of kelomkasep which emphasize the wood structure fiber that may still characterize it as a kelom but suit with the masculine style.

The result of the study can be taken as recommendation for the craftsmen and producers of kelom that can further be used to develop their market segmentation. Furthermore, the SMEs have not been united under an official association so that they work solitarily. If, for instance, one of the SMEs- makes a new product design, it is common for the other SMEs to follow it.

By the development in the design, it is expected that there will be one SME that can be the trendsetter for other SMEs and craftsmen. In the future, by the marketing development strategy,  kelomkasep  can be a promising export commodity as kelomgeulis.

In the future, the researcher is going to make a book on the history of the development of Tasikmalayan kelom. It is because that to the present time,  there are still no book discussing kelomgeulis comprehensively, instead of articles.

A summary of the study entitled:
“Perancangan KelomKasep (Strategi Differensiasi dalam Mengeksplorasi Bentuk Desain Kelom Geulis Ciri Khas Tasikmalaya)” or (The Design Process of KelomKasep (Differentiation Strategy  in Exploring the Design of Tasikmalayan Kelom Geulis) by Asep Sufyan M.A., S.Ds., M.Sn ; Terbit Setya P, ST, M.D