I remember perfectly the moment when I felt my calling. It was the summer of 2019 when, while walking down the street, I suddenly experienced an unusual phenomenon. While walking, I thought about shoes, craftsmanship, and the profound role of work in human life. The air became thick and sticky for a moment. I had only experienced something like this once before, while walking the streets of New York in the middle of summer. I found myself in a kind of virtual tunnel. I couldn't turn right or left. I had to go straight, trapped in this strange air corridor.

I intuitively understood that this was divine intervention. I was supposed to experience it and read it as a sign - "This is how you should go through life from now on. This is your path, stick to it, and I will help you in everything". Seven years later, I am a person doing what I love. I am a fully independent shoemaker who cannot imagine any other life. These are facts and therefore the above words should not be treated as trivial.

I think all of us receive these kinds of signals. Sometimes all we need is to listen to what our intuition tells us.

I have recently become interested in meditation. An extremely intriguing element of this mysterious ritual is looking at the space from which our thoughts come. Like intuition, this space obviously exists somewhere beyond our earthly reality. Like the soul, these are dimensions to which we are only a form of receiver. Our mind is a display for information coming from an unknown source. The legitimate question here is: are the space of thought and the soul the same source?

My designs also come from a place I don't really know much about. Virtually all the pairs I have designed so far have been the result of total improvisation. Listening to your intuition and trusting yourself. Without innate talent, this kind of blind trust would probably give birth to monsters. A good skill set is just as necessary, and on my blog I have already described my own way of acquiring and polishing it.

However, working as a shoemaker for external entities is different than my personal contribution to footwear design. My style is very distinctive and original. I didn't learn this from anyone. The important phenomenon is that it did not result from intense intellectual effort. Projects come to me spontaneously and almost always turn out to be a success. In this sense, I often feel like I am just a pair of hands for something that wants to bring an abstract idea into our physical reality.

Thus, part of the appeal of this wondrous craft is centered around the physical labor of the hands, the sweat, and the effort. However, it also engages the spirit and the space reserved for internal dialogue. Embarking on this adventure requires both a fit body and a mind inclined to metaphysical thought.

The most common intuition is the comfort of wearing a bespoke pair. Even though it is ultimately just a pair of shoes, you can feel the difference from the very first minutes. Nothing can compare to this feeling. From the first time you put them on, you feel like you want to keep them on your feet all day long. A thing that doesn't happen with classic shoes off the store shelf. Or at best it's extremely rare.

But that's only half the story. The second one consists of high-quality materials used in production and the awareness of a solidly made structure that will last throughout the life of its user. It sometimes happens that shoes are passed down from generation to generation. It's that fantastic feature of all well-made artisan products.

Here are some of my reflections on intuition. It has guided me in my professional career from the very beginning. We are all blessed with it. But to follow what it suggests in life, you need something else - courage. However, if viewed carefully, intuition never leads astray. This fact leads me to interpret this phenomenon as something supernatural.

The prototype in the photo was only possible thanks to my intuition. I needed my own concept for producing test pairs for my clients. And here's the result. I plan to develop two models – a derby and an oxford. All test pairs will be made the same way, and I will only move on to designing the final pair once we've confirmed the proper fit of the last.

This way, I've managed to introduce a standard into my work, which is always custom by nature. This concept saves me time and effort. My clients also know in advance what their first pair from me will look like. The uppers and soles are hand-sewn. No machines were used in the production of this pair. Because I'm confident in my ability to prepare the lasts well, my test pairs are well-made and can easily serve as a replacement pair once we've completed our collaborative project with the final pair. Whatever it will end up to be.

This is because I'm obsessed with the best possible fit of my shoes. That's why, at the beginning of working with a client, I want to focus solely on working on the last. The moment we collectively decide we have it, anything becomes possible!

View — Solid construction, nice colors, ingenious upper design.

Intuitions

I think all of us receive these kinds of signals. Sometimes all we need is to listen to what our intuition tells us.

Symmetry