The craft of constructing a
bespoke shoe is an art
In what ways did your
move to Europe
help you cultivate
the art of designing a
bespoke shoe?
I don’t
actually
make
bespoke shoes
any-more. My brand is simply Ready
to Wear and Made to Order but they
are made in a factory. I don’t make
anything by hand. My goal was always to be a
shoe designer and sell shoes to the masses as my #1
goal always has been and always will be to ‘See men wearing
better shoes’ and being a bespoke shoemaker will never allow me to see
that goal through.
But learning the art of bespoke shoemaking taught me a lot and has helped
tremendously in my ability to be a shoe designer and push the factory to make
the best shoes possible and make a refined shoes at my pricepoint that is unlike
any other in the industry. Learning to make bespoke footwear gave me my eye
for detail and appreciation for the small things that separate the greats from
the mediocre. If I did not do my apprenticeship, I am sure that my shoes would
not be nearly as good as they are. It was the foundation to my learning and
exceling as a shoe designer.