Rahel - 19.11.2022
Die Schuhmacherei ist ein jahrtausendaltes, faszinierendes Handwerk. Der Schuhmacher ein Handwerker und Künstler zugleich, mit viel Erfahrung und Können in verschiedenen Bereichen.
In Zusammenarbeit mit dem Schweizer Kulturmagazin „Ensuite“, www.ensuite.ch , porträtieren wir verschiedene Schuhmacher aus aller Welt. Einerseits aus purer Faszination, wie aus einem Stück Leder ein Kunstwerk entsteht und anderseits um diesem wichtigen Handwerk, ein Stück Kultur, und der Person hinter dieser Kunst, mehr verdiente Aufmerksamkeit zu verschaffen in einer schnelllebigen, von Wegwerfgütern geprägten Welt.
Als Laden für handgemachte Boots und Schuhe teilen wir natürlich die Passion von handgefertigten Schuhen und Stiefeln. Der Schuhmacher ist ein Teil unserer Welt und wir arbeiten eng mit ihnen zusammen um unsere Lieblinge neu zu Besohlen, zu Reparieren, für neue Absätze oder den Schaft auszudehnen.
This time we spoke to Heidi Louise Shoemaker from Australia.
Heidi Louise Shoemaker- PO Box 1212 - Marleston - South Australia, 5033
+61 (0) 438 566 085 - https://www.heidilouiseshoes.com
Instagram: heidilouiseshoes
facebook.com/HeidiLouiseShoemaker
With their colorful, nature-inspired designs, you can look your best and stand out from the crowd.
These days, shoemakers are a rarity in Australia and are few and far between. It is now common for inferior shoes to be mass produced in factories and imported.
Heidi Louise has refused to let her passion and knowledge for handmade quality shoes die.
Do you also repair shoes or do you only make new ones?
I design and make shoes. I only repair shoes that I have made myself.
How did you become a shoemaker?
When I left high school, I wanted to be a costume designer and maker, but there was no clear path for me to follow. I studied fashion in my first year, but that didn't seem right for me. On the same campus, there was a course in bespoke shoes and costumes. I loved shoes, and I had been designing and making my own clothes and costumes since I could reach the pedal of the sewing machine. When I started learning, I found that it was a craft that was easy for me to progress with. I think because I was so passionate about learning to sew shoes, I had an insatiable need to keep learning.
Where did you learn your craft?
Marleston T.A.F.E. (Technical and Further Education) in South Australia. The course lasted 2 years full time. It covered a lot of things, from making lasts to making each of the basic models, the history of shoes and making historical shoes. The course was what I would call modern shoemaking as we had a lot of beautiful machinery to operate. After completing the course, I had the knowledge and skills to make shoes using many machines. But like most students, I couldn't afford to buy machines, so I went to a local shoemaker where I learned to make shoes by hand without needing all the heavy machinery. This also gave me an insight into the life of a shoemaker.
If you weren't a shoemaker, what would you be?
I can't imagine doing anything else, because everything I've done in my working life has been for the sole purpose of being a shoemaker. I used to make shoes during the day and work in a bar at night, with the plan to work full time as a shoemaker. Luckily, I am now a full-time shoemaker.
What is your favorite part of shoemaking?
I love it when the first phase lasts. For me, it's the first time the shoe or boot starts to take shape. For non-shoemakers, that means I start pulling the upper over the last and putting all the components together to make a shoe.
How many hours do you work per day?
About 8 hours.
What makes a good shoemaker?
A sharp knife! (a little shoemaker humor)
Being a bespoke shoemaker is undoubtedly a passion and requires years of knowledge and experience. I don't think I could have pursued this profession without a whole lot of passion, determination and tenacity.
What has changed in the profession over the years?
I'm sure there have been many changes, but for me the most obvious one has been that over the years the local big shoe manufacturers have moved abroad, which has made the supply chain more difficult for us small guys, but like everything in life we evolve.
Social media and the internet has meant that I have had to adapt to an 'online' presence to keep in touch with customers and attract new ones. This meant I had to develop computer skills and amateur photography skills to showcase my work to the world.
What is the biggest challenge for you in shoemaking?
Time! Making shoes by hand can be very time consuming, so it's often a balancing act to get the jobs done in a reasonable time frame to earn an income and not have the waiting times go through the roof.
What are the advantages of a custom-made shoe?
1) You have the unique shoe you choose, the design, the color, the toe shape, the heel height, etc.
2) A shoe that fits. I make to measure so that the pattern and last are tailored to your measurements.
3) A quality shoe. I only use leather for uppers, linings, insoles and stiffeners. Leather is breathable, absorbs sweat from the foot, fights bacteria and reduces odor, expands and conforms to the foot, is strong, durable and flexible.
What should I pay particular attention to when caring for handmade shoes?
Every shoe is different, so it is difficult to answer this question. Regular cleaning and polishing protects the leather. This applies to every leather shoe, but a custom-made shoe is something special because it is a unique handmade item that deserves special care.
What shoes are currently in fashion for you?
Always the next pair I'm going to make is what I focus on. It's not necessarily something I make for a customer, but the next pair I design for myself as a prototype. This time it's a colorful, stretchy shoe with a padded upper, low heel and platform (photos of the progress will be on Instagram).
How often does a customer come to you?
My customers are very different. Some are regular customers who always have the next pair of shoes in mind, others just come in to have a pair made, and some just buy a standard size sandal online. My local customers who have a shoe made to measure come in three times on average. First for the initial consultation and measurement, then for the fitting when the shoes are half finished, and finally for the fitting and collection of the shoes once they are finished.
Do you have many regular customers, and what kind of people are they?
I have a few regulars, mostly women, who are all very nice, apart from that I'm not sure they have much in common.
What do you talk about with your customers?
Life & shoes, what else is there?
Do you have any celebrity clients?
No
Who would you like to shine shoes for?
Lol, I don't shine shoes.
Who repairs your own shoes?
If I still love them so much that I want to fix them, I'll do it myself, but usually I'd rather make something new than fix them. They last too long!
Where did you go on your last vacation and what kind of shoes did you take?
My last big vacation was our honeymoon. That was a long cruise to America, then a couple of weeks traveling around America and then 3 days in Hong Kong on the way back. It was a long trip so we had 2 big suitcases each. The funny thing was that one of my suitcases was full of shoes. I had shoes for every occasion! Every flight we went on, I had a little note in my suitcase from border control saying they had opened it. I'd love to know what they thought when they saw a whole suitcase of the most random and fancy shoes that were all the same size. lol
Is there a shoe you will never forget?
My fish cowboy boots that I made when I was a student, but I'm still very proud of them, even though what I make now is of much better quality.
What is your absolute favorite shoe and which shoes don't you like at all?
I find it difficult to think of a favorite shoe, it would be like having to choose which of your children you like best. I would say my favorite style is boots. I absolutely hate Croc's! Blah!
What are your future plans?
I would love to get more involved with teaching shoemaking.
What footwear-related moment will you never forget?
After almost 30 years of shoemaking, I can't say that there is one particular moment that sticks in my mind because shoemaking has been part of my life for so long.
