The first pair
From the start, I’ve always payed attention to every detail of the order. To this day, the packaging plays a big role in my process.
Most of the times, you make your first pair either for your family member, your friend or for yourself. My first sample shoe I’ve made for myself, but for that first pair, I’ve chose my mother. That’s because I love her, but the fact that she would share her impressions about the fit played a big role here, too.
To me, the proper fit is the foundation of my efforts. The design comes as an afterthought in the making, even though the looks are always first, at the very beginning of the whole creative process.
That’s because I’m a last maker, so I fully control both aspects. From the start, that’s how I’ve imagined my ways of running the business. I always wanted to be in charge over every detail of the final product.
My ambition is to go full force ahead, never fear and remain bold towards my own projects.
With that first pair, it was nothing short of exactly that kind of approach. I’ve bought non-dyed, veg-tanned leather, straight from a Polish tannery. The idea was to dye the leather myself, as a fast crash test of my abilities’s limitations. So no shortcuts from the get-go.
The upper design had to feature no seam on the back as a must, just because it’s not an easy task and the end result is usually super sexy.
Instead of that, the uppers sports a side-seam as an alternative solution. In that way, I’ve ended-up with the four-part upper design. The lining is made out of two pieces in total, which was surprising in retrospect, even to myself.
The construction is of a cemented one. Each leather heel stack has thirteen lifts. It was also my very first time when I’ve used an old, flat-bed Singer sewing machine to stitch the uppers together. A truly breakneck set-up! I think it’s obvious by now, how many things I’ve tried to accomplish at once. Huge endeavor!
The fit was… Horrible, unfortunately. This is the reason why I don’t get to see that pair ever, unless I specifically ask my mother for it.
Last making is not easy at all. The fact that I even tried, makes this project special.
It was too ambitious, though, and I’ve failed miserably.
Some nice touches, I have to admit. As a move towards the goal of creating my first-ever pair, I’m proud to design all of it by myself. To make my own pair of lasts to fit the bill was crazy, so it didn’t work out. But still - that boldness - so cool!
Man, I didn’t see that thing for years. In general, to take a look back at this work was a pleasant experience. Nostalgic and impressive, which makes it a fantastic first attempt, in my humble opinion.