# Michael Lorum’s Footwear Background Gives MEI SCHUA! a Different Starting Point > For Michael Lorum, shoes are not simply fashion objects. They are products that have to be designed, developed, manufactured and ultimately worn. That perspective is central to MEI SCHUA!, the tradit… - Source: GLAARA - Canonical URL: https://glaara.com/article/michael-lorum-s-footwear-background-gives-mei-schua-a-different-starting-point - Author: Alisia Born - Section: Lifestyle - Published: 2026-09-17T15:04:21.943Z - Updated: 2026-09-17T15:04:21.943Z - Tags: MEI SCHUA! --- For Michael Lorum, shoes are not simply fashion objects. They are products that have to be designed, developed, manufactured and ultimately worn. That perspective is central to MEI SCHUA!, the traditional footwear label he launched in 2024. Although the brand itself is young, Lorum is not new to the footwear business. He learned the industry from the ground up and brings together knowledge of design, product development and manufacturing. As CEO of Switzerland-based PLD AG, he works within an international production network that supplies footwear to fashion retailers, supermarket groups and well-known brands around the world. According to the company, approximately nine million pairs of shoes are produced annually within this network. MEI SCHUA! therefore did not begin with a newcomer trying to enter the footwear market. It began with an experienced footwear professional deciding to apply his knowledge to a field that was personally important to him.That field was traditional Alpine fashion. Lorum has a genuine interest in Tracht and wears it himself, which gave him a perspective that went beyond a purely commercial reading of the category. He began to look at traditional footwear as a shoe designer and manufacturer rather than only as a fashion observer. The question was not whether Tracht needed to be replaced, but whether its footwear could be developed in ways that reflected how people dress and live today. In 2024, MEI SCHUA! emerged from that idea. The young label immediately had access to something many new fashion companies need years to build: product knowledge, an established sourcing network and direct contact with production. This allowed the brand to move relatively quickly while maintaining attention to craftsmanship, fit and the realities of manufacturing and selling footwear.Lorum’s philosophy becomes particularly clear when he talks about comfort. A shoe may look convincing in a photograph or on a display, but its real test begins when somebody wears it for hours. For him, a successful shoe has to look right and feel right at the same time. This may sound straightforward, but it influences the way MEI SCHUA! approaches the entire product. Traditional references are combined with contemporary silhouettes, selected materials and modern colours, while fit remains a major consideration. The collection therefore does not limit itself to a single interpretation of the classic Alpine shoe. It includes traditional men’s styles, updated Haferl-inspired designs, feminine ankle boots and more elegant models that can be integrated into wardrobes far beyond a Dirndl. The intention is to retain character without making the footwear feel like a costume.The manufacturing side is equally important to that philosophy. Ideas begin with sketches, colours, materials and lasts, but they only become products when those elements work together in production. Lorum’s experience as a manufacturer gives him a direct understanding of that process. MEI SCHUA! can therefore approach product development with close contact to the people and facilities turning designs into shoes. The connection between Bavaria and international manufacturing is especially striking. The inspiration comes from the Alps and the world of Tracht, while part of the operational and production expertise behind the brand extends to Vietnam through the PLD AG network. Rather than seeing this as a contradiction, Lorum treats the two sides as naturally connected. Traditional inspiration and modern production methods become parts of the same process.The brand’s development has also been shaped by people and relationships within the traditional fashion industry. One important connection is Dr. Axel Munz and Angermaier. Lorum describes Munz as an outstanding personality in traditional fashion, someone who genuinely lives and loves Tracht and has built an exceptional network around it. Their professional relationship developed into friendship, leading to collaborations and events that created opportunities for MEI SCHUA! beyond conventional marketing. The footwear began appearing on personalities from entertainment, sport and international show business, extending the brand’s reach from Munich towards Hollywood. For Lorum, however, the purpose remains uncomplicated. He says that MEI SCHUA! wants to make people happy with its shoes. If someone puts on a pair, feels comfortable and genuinely enjoys wearing them, that is already a meaningful achievement. The young brand may have entered the market in 2024, but the expertise behind it comes from a much longer journey through the footwear industry. --- Originally published by GLAARA. Free to cite with attribution and a link to https://glaara.com/article/michael-lorum-s-footwear-background-gives-mei-schua-a-different-starting-point.