Last weekend was Mother's Day and, being the loving and dutiful shoemaker that I am, I called Mother Shoemaker. Flushed from a morning in the garden pruning a particularly unruly bush, she was all cheer and delight. We chatted happily about family, holidays, future nuptials, and inevitably, work - specifically my blog. And the the maternal wisdom I received was that, while being interesting, it should be funnier.
So here goes....How many shoemakers does it take to change a light bulb? Only 1, but it takes 6 months. Boom boom. Maybe not. I will stick to what I know.
It has been an interesting week. We shipped the shoemaking course equipment to New York, which is very exciting. Lets hope it gets there safe and without any trouble. The sample bespoke shoes, Winkers and Limited edition Half-cuts will be shipped next week in readiness for the Trunk Shows: at Leffot in Manhattan on the 9th of May and in San Francisco later in May. We are finalising details on that one as we speak.
Last night was a late finish because we were filmed by Small Fry, a London based production company, who make 3 minute movies. I think we got some great material and I will post the results as soon as we get them, either here or on the website.
Speaking of which, we have sent a detailed brief for the new website to our web designer. We are looking for something masculine and luxurious. Not easy for me I know, but we shall try.
On a practical level, we got a couple of pairs of bespoke shoes back for a repair this week. Still reeling from the shock. Just look at the state they are in! It is always good to see shoes that have been worn, to see how they are standing up to wearing. And the lesson I learn is that the shoes are strong, as sturdy as is possible, but that also, people vary hugely in how they walk and how tough they are on their shoes. This guy is slim and light, but he pummels his shoes. This is going to take some serious cobbling. Will post results when I have done them.
Here is an example of why we put a 1/4 rubber on the heel. When it is worn through, it is time to replace the top piece. This is an easy job, and takes very little time.
This is a bigger problem. Many people roll or rock when they walk and this causes the toe area to wear quickly. The answer here is to put on a rubber or metal toe plate. This acts like the 1/4 rubber on the heel. When it wears out, it is time to see the repairer.
And look at the scuff marks on the toe. I have not seen this before. I will disguise it as well as I can, and will try to protect the upper with the toe plate. We shall see.
