The origins

Using only essential tools, one gets only a bare basic forms.

…and then came along that dark day, in otherwise pretty nice summer of 2019. Gosh, I was standing in the middle of the office, stunned in disbelieve. In a single turn, I’ve said to myself: "Heck, no! Now’s my time, my rules!" It wasn’t the first disappointment. I’ve quit my job with no goodbye, just like that. I was totally on my own, confused.

Desperate to avoid that kind of situations ahead, when your honesty and honor is put to the harsh test.

So my rules, that is. Since the year of 2020, I’ve decided to become one-man operation as a bespoke shoemaker. That move was supported by my personal discovery that I actually can do that job well. In the summer of 2019 I’ve bought myself a basic toolset, cheap leathers, a pair of plastic lasts that fits my own feet.

I’ve set my mind to the task of making a sample shoe, just to see how it feels like. With no training, no books, no real knowledge I did manage to produce something that amazed my family members and even professional shoemakers. That taste in my mouth was sweet.

My very first sample shoe. September of 2019.

The technical specification is pretty darn impressive. The construction is hand-welted in 360 degrees, all-around-the-shoe fashion. The sole is hand-sewn in the ball area, pegged in the waist.

A blind stitch from the bottom. Yeah, why not?! You can probably imagine how I felt like, with no real knife skills yet, going through that sole edge! That construction type is still my favorite, by the way. I find that combination superior to others, especially if one loves that beautifully slim waist profiles.

The uppers are hand-sewn. At that time I didn’t own, heck, even never used any sewing machine at all. That was a foreign land to me back then.

To finish it off with style, I’ve created a hand-made aglets, using the same cheap goat leather as for the uppers. Overall, the work was practically done with only fork and knife, so to speak.

That shapes and specific construction type is something I still adore in my works.