How We Make Our Shoes

1. Creating the Last

Every pair begins with a carefully shaped last, the wooden mold that defines the shoe’s silhouette, fit, and posture. We start from a standard last refined over years for comfort and balance, then adjust it to your measurements.

2. Creating and Tracing the Pattern

Once the last is perfected, our artisans use it to develop the pattern. They wrap the last, trace the design directly onto it, and then carefully transfer those markings into precise templates. These serve as blueprints that guide how each leather piece is cut and assembled, ensuring the shoe retains its form and proportions across every size and style.

3. Selecting the Leather

We hand-select from hundreds of full-grain hides sourced from some of the world’s best tanneries. Each hide is chosen for its unique grain, depth, and tone, qualities that can only come from nature.
Our leathers are dyed using natural vegetable tannins and rich aniline finishes, creating color variations and subtle marks that prove authenticity: not flaws, but evidence of real craftsmanship and natural beauty.

4. Cutting the Leather (Clicking)

Every leather piece is hand-cut using the pattern templates. Our artisans position each cut with intention, avoiding imperfections and ensuring the best part of the hide is used for visible sections like the vamp and toe. This manual process minimizes waste and keeps every pair unique.

5. Stitching and Closing

The cut leather pieces are skillfully stitched together to form the upper. This stage demands precision and experience: aligning seams, reinforcing stress points, and ensuring the shoe’s final shape is both elegant and durable.

6. Lasting and Assembly

The stitched upper is then pulled and shaped over the last. It’s secured to the insole, and the construction begins by Goodyear welt, Blake stitch, or stitchdown, depending on the style. Every pair has a full leather midsole and can be resoled.

7. Welting and Sole Stitching

On Goodyear-welted styles, a leather welt is stitched to the upper and insole, and the sole is sewn to the welt. Blake-stitched soles are sewn straight through the insole, and stitchdown uppers are turned out and stitched to the sole. Heels are stacked leather with a rubber toplift.

8. Edge Trimming and Finishing

The soles are trimmed and smoothed, then hand-dyed and burnished with layers of natural wax and pigment. The result: a deep, rich edge tone that develops a beautiful patina with use, a hallmark of true craftsmanship.

9. Polishing and Shine

Each pair is finished with natural creams and polishes, often applied by hand using soft brushes and cloth. The process enhances the depth of color, nourishes the leather, and brings out a soft, natural luster.

10. Final Inspection and Packaging

Before leaving the workshop, every pair is inspected, conditioned, and gently buffed. Each shoe carries subtle traces of handwork. The brush marks and small tonal variations are tangible proof that it was made by skilled hands, with machines used only where they help.