Khalil’s affinity for fine fashion and luxurious garments was past down to him from generations starting with his grandfather, who owned a women’s haberdashery in the city of Newark. His fascination led him to work in fashion for over a decade as a fashion design, merchandiser and sourcing specialist. His career spans from being a tailor’s apprentice to a technical designer for Tailored Brands (Joseph Abboud and JoS A. Banks) and lastly a product development specialist for consumer products at Netflix.

While working as a tailor’s apprentice, Khalil took a strong liking to custom shoemaking and hand painted patinas. He eventually found factories in Italy, Turkey, Portugal and Switzerland that were willing to partner with him. Once those first few samples came in, Khalil Idris as a brand was born in 2015.

“Your choice of shoes lays the groundwork for your entire look.”

In order to distinguish himself from the crowd, regardless of the setting or the prevalence of similar attire, his choice of footwear defined his individual style. Your choice of shoes lays the groundwork for your entire look.

Today he combines, classic and elegant craftsmanship with modern silhouettes. He lives by the quote, ”A man’s shoes should be sophisticated in design and classic in build.”