Shoes have always been my passion, not that this distinguishes me from most of the women I meet. My own collection of shoes is insignificant compared to the tales I hear from some acquaintances, of wardrobes brimming with every conceivable shape and colour of shoes, many un-worn in their original packaging.

My passion has taken me in a different direction.  I always wanted to be a shoe designer, creating visions of beauty combined with exquisite craftsmanship. For me it was always about having one or two of absolutely the finest; quality over quantity every time.

My route into the business of shoe design started at Cordwainers College, part of the London College of Fashion.  Many of my fellow students had a background in fashion or came from families established in the shoe-making industry.  What I lacked in experience I made up for in passion and sheer hard work. After college and during my apprenticeship I learnt from many master craftsmen who can still be found practicing their trade in London if you were to look hard enough. With so many of our shoes being manufactured in high volumes in low labour rate countries around the world, there are very few people working in the UK making top quality footwear.

Today I use the skills I learnt to design custom shoes for ladies. The most important part of shoes designing is knowing how to translate a concept into a three dimensional model that can actually be made, and is comfortable to be worn. My job is to understand my client, and help them to develop a vision of the shoes they would like, gently guiding them in the direction of what is actually achievable given the properties of the materials from which the shoes can be made.

My leather and material suppliers are very important to me, I have developed a network of people who I know and can trust to get me to quality I need often in very short timescales. I use these materials at the very first stages of design, working with my client to produce sketches of design concepts combined with textures and colours, overlaid on the chosen plastic mould of the foot, which we call a last. I have an ability to visualise a completed design from these early sketches and have learnt to trust my instinct that one route is more likely to lead to a good end result than another. Most of my clients seem to really enjoy this design process, often they surprise themselves how creative they can be. Having a custom-made pair of shoes goes beyond a purchase into an experience. When you have put something of yourself into a pair of shoes, I think you treasure them all the more.

A close working relationship with my clients is critical to the process. Often we are working to a specific timescale, so minimising rework is important. It requires brutal honesty from my clients to tell me if we are heading in the wrong direction, whilst not constraining creativity; this requires a fine balance that I find improves with the number of pairs I make with a client.

The next stage in the process once the basic vision is created, is the production of a mock-up of the design.  The purpose of the mock-up is to verify size and comfort of fit, and to help the client visualise the finished item. The mock-up is often roughly stitched using spare materials I have in my workshop, I certainly would never use the exotic skins and finest leathers planned for the finished shoes. With the mock-up ready, this is the time for the client to provide precise feedback to me, so that I can make any final changes to the design before moving on to making the shoes. On occasions we have taken a full step back and move to a re-design, but usually is a matter of making a few minor alterations.

We are now ready to start making the shoes themselves. I create my own patterns working against the chosen last, and stitch the shoe uppers cut from these patterns, a process shoemakers call Clicking and Closing. Once the upper is ready, the making process can start, where the uppers are pulled tightly over the last, held in place with glue and nails.  All shoes benefit greatly from time spent on the last, keeping their shape better and looking good for longer.  Rushing during this stage is a false economy.

All shoemakers have their own ways of doing things, and I believe I have learnt many of the best techniques from a number of master craftsmen. When I started I bought a brand new set of shoe making tools but I could not get the quality results I was looking for. I was then given some tools that are about 60 years old and they are wonderful, helping me achieve the quality results I was seeking.

With the shoes properly set on the last, they can be removed for finishing.  I carefully polish the shoes to bring out the best in the materials and package them up for presentation to my client. I am often quite nervous when it comes to revealing the finished shoes for the first time, even though I have never had a bad reaction from a client. Successful final delivery is about working closely with each client, to understand their desires and concerns and making early corrections. Setting the right expectations through an open and honest relationship is the key to a great partnership with my clients.

I am looking forward to my big opportunity, as I will be showing my creations at NY Profile on 11th September 2008.