Achieving a shoe's price is not a science. At the end of the day, you can price your footwear how you want. There are suggested markups and ideologies about a
Hand Stitching The Upper
Hand-stitched shoes require a lot of work that we might not often appreciate. It is one of those art forms that is slowly fading as machine work increases.
Exposed Channel Stitch ≠ Sole End Of Life
If you are new to closed channel soles the exposure of the channel stitching might scare you. You might think that the sole is coming apart, breaking, or faulty
Welt Joining – Good vs Bad
With the influx of Spanish private labeling (factories making for other brands) and Latin American shoemakers (Mexico, Argentina, Colombia etc), I am starting
How To Become A Bespoke Shoemaker
It has never been so popular of a time to learn bespoke shoemaking. And it has never been so easy either, thanks to Schola Academy and Stefano
Handwelted Resoling With Fiddleback By Bedo’s Leatherworks
Dear Readers, Sorry that I was gone for so long without posting. I was away in London for the London Super Trunk Show 2022 and was busy from morning to night
Educational Video Series – A Shoe’s Sole Terminology
Here we look at the various types of sole finishing and the terminology that surrounds each feature and detail. There is often much confusion on this
Why Are Wholecut Oxfords More Expensive?
Ever wonder why Wholecut oxfords cost more than other models of the oxford family? You might think to yourself that it is odd, assuming that because it is one
Crockett & Jones – The Importance of Pattern Making
Pattern Cutting is one of the most important aspects of shoemaking and the one that probably the one that gets the least recognition but deserves the most
Video Series – What is a Derby Shoe?
Here is my 2nd video to my new video series. I hope that you all enjoy it! - Justin FitzPatrick
Things that Truly Don’t Matter in Shoes – Don’t Believe the Hype. Part 1 – Heel Stiffeners
The older I get the more my Shoe Snobbery evolves and thus wises up to the reality of everything you see and read and hear from the blogs, to shoe salesmen to
What Is a Handmade Shoe?
I recently wrote a piece about lies in the industry and how the terms 'handmade' and no-middlemen and the like were tossed around like confetti and that they
Leather Soles vs Rubber Soles
There is a long debate on the differences between leather soles vs rubber soles with regard to comfort/durability/elegance etc. So I thought it wise to create a
The Importance of Toe Taps
Growing up in America and selling shoes at Nordstrom, I never really understood what toe taps where all about. I had seen the ones that are simply nailed on and
How Long Should My Shoes Last?
How long my shoes should last is like asking, 'how long is a piece of string?' There are all kinds of expectations when it comes to shoes. The more you spend,
Closed Vs. Open Channel Sole Stitching
There are many different treatments that one can give to a shoe's sole, but what I want to focus on is the big obvious one, i.e. channel stitching. There are
Shoes – Part 1: Construction
The world of shoes is a vast one. There are many different terms to describe not only the shoe’s style name, but also the manner in which it was made as well as
