 |
| |
Despite leather's tendency to conform to the shape of a wearer's
foot, there is only so much conforming that it can do. Mass-produced
shoes rarely ever fit any feet perfectly, with mildly variable
sizing of length and width the extent of the variance. While of
course this means that one can probably find a shoe that fits
reasonably well though it may not be exactly to your aesthetic
taste, it is harder to find that magical confluence of all of
these factors within one, perfect looking and fitting pair of
shoes. That is where the time-honored craft of bespoke shoemaking
– a curiously English specialty, it would seem – comes
in.
Ateliers like John Lobb of St. James' and GJ Cleverley of Old
Bond Street in London are but two of the very few remaining true
bespoke shoemakers. Their strict adherence to quaint olde-world
traditions, combined with a renowned standard of quality has made
them somewhat famous amongst those who appreciate artistry above
trendiness.
Indeed, visiting their utterly charming on-premise workshops
is like stepping back in time, where everything is done by hand,
and no details are left unfinished by the very skilled and very
experienced craftsmen. Starting from the detailed order process,
which obviously involves choosing a style, color, and size of
the product, the bespoke shoe's journey from raw materials to
stunningly-crafted footwear goes a little something like this:
|
| |
| It
all starts with the fitter measuring the customer's foot,
not only for its basic dimensions, but its every individual
feature as well. From the drawings made of the foot, the last-maker
carves from a solid block of maple wood a precisely contoured
model of the customer's foot, literally warts and all. This
model, called a last, is then used to make a perfectly-fitting
pair of shoes, and any subsequent pairs the customer chooses
to order will be modeled on his or her particular last, which
the shoemaker keeps indefinitely, for that same perfect fit. |
|
|
| |
| The order is then put into the
hands of the clicker, who is an expert in picking just the right
hide for the job of fulfilling the customer's order. Different leathers
have different weights, grains, and often, coloration across a single
skin, so it is his job to make sure that the eight pieces of leather
for the shoe's upper that he cuts from the hide match each other
and suit the order properly. |
 |
Once selected, the leather is shaped around the wooden last by
the closer, who also sews the upper of the shoe together. A short
brief, perhaps, but extremely important for the fit of the shoe.
|
| |
 |
|
Putting the finished
upper and the sole of the shoe together, welting them into a union,
is the aptly-titled maker. It is his job to ensure this bespoke
pair of shoes is constructed with enough strength to last at least
a decade, as many cherished shoes of this ilk do. The maker also
inserts the insoles and prepares the eyelets, as well.
|
| |
|
 |
Finally, and quite importantly, the polisher takes the assembled,
but raw-looking shoe and brings the best out of it, by rubbing
it down and developing the leather's deep luster. The polishing
process is where the real job of justifying the shoe's naturally
high price is, since the attraction an owner has to his pride
and joy comes from its beautifully-finished appearance.
|
|
 |
| |
Next page: Two traditional shoemaking
houses |
|
| |
<<
1 2
3 4 5
>> |
|
|
|