Designer Shoes: Tracking the Long Journey of Your Pair's Prototypes | leather shoes

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Designer Shoes Tracking the Long Journey of Your
Pair's Prototypes
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Nowadays, purchasing designer shoes online is so
easy. All you need to do is to visit the online
store, choose the design, and pay via credit
card. Then, your new kickers will be delivered to
your doorstep. You can start wearing them to the
special event you have in mind or the office, for
your daily work. But have you ever wondered how
the first-ever pair of your shoe design came to
life? Here's how most of today's designer
prototypesfrom where your leather shoes were
basedcame to be.
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The process differs depending on the company and
on the craftsman. But in most cases, the process
starts from conceptualisation. The designer first
contemplates on what the shoe design should
embody. If he making business shoes? Does he want
them to be usable for both formal and semi-casual
occasions? As it is considered an age-old craft,
sufficient time is used in the design stage
alone. Some companies, particularly those that
maintain tradition, submit designs to the head
designer or founder. These are then deliberated
upon and sometimes re-worked before they become
the actual final patterns.
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The next step in the creation of prototype
designer shoes is the selection of material.
While mass manufacturers base the kind of
material on what is available and cost-effective,
most traditional shoe makers based the decision
on the idea behind the shoe. As it is considered
art, the concept must be carried over from the
design to the actual, tangible product.
Therefore, leather selection is stringent.
Companies that make customised pairs often hand
pick leather. It is also important to note that
the material used for both shoes must come from a
single piece of leather to make them as identical
as possible. The chosen material is also hand
tested for strength and consistency, as soon as
it passes the test of aesthetics.
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In some cases, the material used in making custom
leather shoes are also tested in varying
temperatures. They are subjected to extreme heat
and cold, ensuring it stays strong and
consistent. Leather bonding is tested in these
extreme environments so the shoes will stay as
they are, regardless of the temperatures they are
worn in.
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The next step to the creation of prototype
business shoes is the preparation of patterns.
Most traditional shoemakers entrust this step to
veteran pattern-makers who have decades of
experience. The chief cobbler then takes over and
crafts the pair by hand, using simple but
effective tools. The shoes are created and shined
or treated for final enhancements. Now you have
the prototypethe fatherof your shoes. But not
so fast!
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Once the prototype designer shoes are created,
they are submitted to one final step rigorous
quality control. This is what sets most custom
manufacturers from "by hand" shoemakers. A
prototype should be able to win the final quality
check by all parties involved in the creation.
And if they were created for a particular person,
for example, a celebrity, then that person must
approve them too. Only then will they officially
become the first pair ever of a new design. This
is a long and rigorous journey toward the
prototype but traditional shoemakers are willing
to continue the practice. This ensures that all
other succeeding pairsincluding yourswill be as
good as the prototype, if not better.