A bottom maker
It’s the sole and heel work of that nice classic pair from my previous “The Beauty of Lines” blog post.
This doesn't mean that other parts of the job are easy. Making shoe lasts is the most esoteric and knowledge-intensive field, for that matter. Even more, making shoe uppers is very difficult, and you need a touch of artistry to excel at it. All I'm saying is that to become a fantastic bottom maker, you’ll need to acquire a solid knowledge of the entire shoemaking process.
My own experience working with ready-made shoe uppers is a perfect proof.
I can immediately tell if the upper maker knows at least the basics of shoemaking.
It only takes ten seconds to spot the chosen solutions, which reveal a certain level of training and understanding of what shoemakers need to do their job.
So what does this job involve? The bottom makers must know how to properly place the upper on a shoe last. They must acquire some sort of knowledge regarding upper making techniques. They must know how to produce stiffeners correctly and which ones are optimal for a given shoe style. Proper prepararion of the insoles, especially in hand-welted construction, is a true skill to execute well.
You need to know the leather and how to process it to create a pair of shoes that will last a lifetime and won't squeak or fall apart with use. You need to know your chemicals. I won't even start with the aesthetics and imagination or good taste…
The ways to produce bottoms of the shoe often become a hallmark to shoemakers.
I'm a lucky man! The opportunity to work on all kinds of constructions and different styles of footwear is a true blessing. My work for other workshops has certainly influenced my own designs and ideas. It's also great that in most cases, I’m to decide how a pair of shoes will be technically made. It's a dream job. Truly.
But is a bottom maker really just a shoemaker? Well, that depends on the individual's perspective.
For me, shoemaking is the profession of a craftsman who can make lasts, design and produce uppers, and is also a bottom maker.
What’s my favorite bottom construction type? I like my hand-welted forefoot, sporting hand-sewn sole at 8 spi. Personally, I don’t see a good reason to go denser than 10 spi. We are talking about 2.5 mm kind of space between holes. That’s a robust sewing. It’s crazy to put stitches every 1.5 mm or so, in my humble opinion.
For waist, I like to punch in some wooden pegs there. It allows for super slim silhouette. It looks cool, if you know what you’re doing. The build is strong and sound enough.
For the heels, I absolutely love my lifted top line profile. When the heel stack gently grabs and holds the back of the shoe - that’s what I like. That smooth transition between the two, pumps my blood a little bit faster. More and more, I appreciate square, manly heel shapes over anything else.
And that’s how I roll. This is only a prototype work, so it’s not even to the best of my abilities. I think it’s already pretty clear: my prototypes looks better than most production pairs made for other brands. This is Brunon Bierżeniuk!