HOW WE MAKE OUR BESPOKE SHOES

Every item of footwear we make is something truly unique. The creation of master craftspeople employing skills that have been unchanged for centuries. Not only are these the purest expression of the wearers taste, they are also the optimal choice for the health and wellbeing of their feet, mind and body. Once the journey of bespoke footwear begins, it is often wished by the wearer that the process had been started sooner.

The process starts with a discussion about your individual needs and an evaluation of your feet.
No two feet are an identical pair so a draft and a series of measurements will need to be taken. These are done by our Lastmaker and are used as a basis to hand-sculpt a unique beechwood Last on which your shoes will be made. The last is an interpretation of the measurements of your feet and the aesthetic result you require and it determines both the fit and the shape of the shoe.

The Last is the single most important part of the bespoke shoemaking process, it is what truly separates bespoke shoes from those that are ready made. Knowing and trusting your Last-maker is crucial in producing a successful pair of handmade shoes. Once your personal Lasts are made, they remain in our workshop and each pair of your shoes will be made on them.
We then design the shoe and our Pattern Cutter creates bespoke paper patterns which are used to cut the leather components by hand.
The upper leather parts are then stitched together by a specialist called a Closer who is highly skilled in detailed hand stitching.
The uppers and inner sole are fitted to the last and stitched together by our shoemaker using flaxen thread.

If this is your first pair we ask you to have a trial fitting before the outer sole is attached.
Once we are satisfied that the shoes fit perfectly, we move to the final stage, attaching the outer sole and heel. The shoe is then finished using creams and waxes to achieve the finish you desire with meticulous attention to detail.
The artistic co-ordination of the Lastmaker, the Pattern Cutter, the Closer, the Shoemaker and the Finisher make the resulting shoe a unique combination of finely tuned craft and design skills, interpreting your own vision in our work.

To book an appointment and begin your journey with our workshop, you can find our contact page here. Alternatively email us at bespoke@canons.com or call us on +442079305385 during opening hours and one of our experienced team will be happy to help.