In an ongoing conversation, we talk about the steps that go into a pair of Lodger shoes.

Making

The process of making is named succinctly.  This is where all the separate elements are made into a shoe.  In our English factory, all of the shoes are made in the Goodyear Welted tradition. 

In the Goodyear method, the upper is sewn to a thin strip of leather called the welt.  A wooden shank is placed underneath the arch to give support, and cork is added under the ball of the foot to give cushioning and to fill in the space between the footbed and the sole, caused by the welt. 

The sole is then stitched to the welt, and finally the heel is attached and the sides are cut and sanded to get the perfect shape. 

Making in Italy is very similar with the distinction that using the Blake method is much more common.  In a shoe that is Blake stitched, the sole is attached directly to the upper of the shoe, rather than to an intermediary welt.  This makes the sole thinner and more flexible.  But, by definition, less robust.

The remainder of the operations are much the same.  By the end of the making process, the shoe is almost completed, with only the polish and staining of the sole left to be completed.  And all of this is done in the final step; Finishing.

In an ongoing conversation, we talk about the steps that go into a pair of Lodger shoes.

Lasting
Lasting is the process of stretching the upper (the top of the shoe sewn together in closing) over the last (the wooden or heavy plastic form that gives every shoe it’s size and shape.)  The leather is pulled around the last and then nailed into place to ensure a very tight fit. 

It’s very important that the fit is as tight as possible so that the shoe takes on the shape of the last.  Leather has a memory, so after everything is secure a Lodger upper will “rest” on the last for at least a week to make sure that it takes the proper shape.  Less expensive shoes sit on the last anywhere from a couple hours to a day. 

In England, all Lodger shoes are lasted using a piece of equipment known as a bed laster.  Most of these machines were replaced by more automatic machinery more than 50 years ago.  But we’ve found that the individual hand work needed to operate this old machine gives the best possible result.  Instead of a machine pulling the leather tight, this technique uses a copper wire to gather the leather perfectly around the toe of the shoe.  It’s difficult and time consuming.  And makes a beautiful shoe.

In Italy we use a combination of high tech and hard work.  Each shoe is lasted using a very modern piece of equipment and then finished by hand with a hammer and pair of pliers.  We warm the leather with hot air and then hammer it to make sure every minute wrinkle is removed and that the upper takes the shape of the last perfectly. 

After the shoe is lasted it moves on to the next step; Making.

Making a pair of fine gentleman’s shoes consists of more than 200 individual operations.   In an ongoing series on shoemaking, I thought I’d explain the processes used in the creation of every Lodger shoe. 

Closing

Closing is the process of sewing together the upper part of the shoe.  It was all done by hand up until the late 1800’s when the Singer Company designed a sewing machine that could sew through leather.  Thus, the birth of modern shoemaking. 

Stitching a pair of fine shoes takes years of training because all seams are done by eye. Each row is done individually, so a double row of stitching is completed in two operations.  This makes the shoe stronger because the holes from the needle aren’t perfectly aligned.  It also makes it possible to go around corners smoothly and start and stop different rows in different places. 

For a pair of Lodgers we use a combination of hand and machine work.  And we only use operators that have many years of experience.  Making a perfectly straight seam, with only your eye to guide you, is very skilled work. 

The methods of closing used in England and Italy are very similar.  In each instance the first step is to skive the edges on the pattern pieces.  This is done in all of the places where two pieces of leather will overlap, skiving is cutting away some of the leather to reduce it’s thickness. 

The next step is to do any additional work to the individual pieces before being stitch together.  This might include inserting eyelets, gimping edges, punching a medallion in the toe, or just adding reinforcement where needed. 

Finally the pieces are stitched together.  Both the upper and the lining are made up individually and joined together at the very end. 

At the end of the process you have a floppy approximation of what the finished shoe will look like.  After the closing is completed, the upper is pulled over the last and the shoe finally begins to take shape.  But that’s better discussed during the next step; Lasting.

Making a pair of fine gentleman’s shoes consists of more than 200 individual operations.   In an ongoing series on shoemaking, I thought I’d explain the processes used in the creation of every Lodger shoe. 

Clicking

Clicking is the traditional process of hand cutting all of the pattern pieces.  The name originated from the sound of the knives cutting around brass bound patterns.  The brass was needed to keep the knives from shaving a little off each pattern with every cut, and making it smaller with every pass.  The process of cutting makes “clicking” sounds, hence the name. 

In addition to a steady hand, the clicker needs to have a deep understanding of the leather he is working with.  It is up to him to choose which hides will be used, how the patterns should be laid out so that the left shoe exactly matches the right shoe, and how to address the natural stretch in every hide.  Because every piece of leather is different, clicking is a skill that takes many years to perfect. 

In England, we still make patterns in the traditional English way.  Which means we still use brass bound patterns.  The pattern pieces are cut out in a stout cardboard and then each piece is bound in brass.  This is, in itself, a dying art as there aren’t many people that can still make patterns in the traditional way.

In Italy our factory has chosen a much more modern approach.  The CAD program is connected directly to a machine that cuts the pattern pieces out of sheets of plastic.  This has the advantage of being much quicker than the traditional brass method and styles can be developed much more rapidly. 

In either method, the next step is to choose the perfect skin of leather.   The hide must be free of any defects like growth marks or nicks, or the clicker will have to place the pattern pieces to avoid the imperfections.  He then places the pattern pieces so that both the left and right shoes will look exactly the same.  Even in one hide there are many variations that might cause the two shoes not to match.

Finally, he takes a short, sharp, hooked knife and cuts.  The actual art of the cutting is quite subtle.  Depending on whether a cut is fairly straight or very rounded the clicker will either cut with the knife or leave the knife stationary and move the leather.  Any experienced hand does this all so quickly that it seems quite simple.  But it isn’t.

The result is a stack of cut pieces ready to go on to the next operation: closing.

The lodgerfootwear.com website has gone through quite a few incarnations.  But we are now building quickly towards the September launch.

The site will be very visual and built for two things:
1.  Selling shoes.
2.  Sharing information about Lodger Footwear.

Most gentleman’s shoe sites are not equipped for e-commerce, even though for many customers this is their preferred method of shopping.  At lodgerfootwear.com you are completely in control of the experience and you can shop whenever, or wherever you like.  We think this will make it a lot easier for guys that don’t want to come into the actual shop.

But for guys that want to learn more about shoemaking in general, or specifically how we make our shoes, the site is going to have plenty of information.  We hope you find it interesting.

We would love any thoughts on how we can make it even better. Suggestions? Please email us at info@lodgerfootwear.com.

Looking back at the first few posts, I’ve realized that I haven’t really spoken about the philosophy behind Lodger.  Yes we have a cutting edge laser scanning system and CAD program, and it’s true that both our English and Italian factories are still family owned and have each been making shoes for more than 100 years.  But here are some thoughts on the philosophy behind the product.

Concept

At Lodger, we have an irrational passion for beautiful shoes.  That’s why we bring you a new Shoe of the Month every 30 days that will never be repeated.

By releasing something new every month, Lodger designs for every occasion throughout the year.  And you don’t have to wait for the next season if you haven’t found what you’re looking for.

Once you’ve selected a style, your pair is individually made using the latest technology in a factory with more than one hundred years of shoemaking experience.

This mix of continuous design, in combination with cutting edge technology and traditional craftsmanship, makes Lodger Footwear a truly unique shoe company.

Provenance

Shoemaking traditions have evolved differently in different countries over the centuries.  Like the evolution of the suit, experimentation in different regions has lead to a regional style and shoemaking tradition.

In England, the shoes have evolved to be sturdy, longwearing, and easily repairable.  The construction method lends a substantial look to the bottom of the shoe; so most uppers have a bit of volume to balance the look.  But don’t assume that means clunky.  Some of the most beautiful and elegant shoes come out of England.

In Italy, the sunshine and lack of rain means that the shoes don’t have to be as robust as they do for England’s more brutal weather.  Soles are thinner and more flexible and uppers more elegant and tapered.  Just as the Italian tailoring tradition removed a lot of the structure from an English suit, the Italian shoemakers have done the same.

At Lodger we delight in these regional distinctions.  Digging into the provenance of a local shoemaking tradition is the inspiration the drives us to create such beautiful, distinctive pieces.

Custom Made

At Lodger, every pair of our Shoe of the Month is custom made for its new owner.  Depending on whether the customer has chosen a pair of Italian or English shoes, they will be made in one of two different ways.

In England, quality shoemaking almost exclusively employs the Goodyear Welt, which ensures that the shoes are sturdy and repairable.

In Italy, shoes are more commonly made with the Blake method although there are many Goodyear shoemakers as well.  A Blake shoe has a much thinner sole that is more flexible and elegant.

Each pair of our Shoe of the Month from England and Italy builds on these distinctive foundations.  From there we create the upper of the shoe to fit your foot so that you can fully enjoy the subtleties of either method in perfect comfort.

Limited

Each custom-made style released by Lodger is available for one month, and one month only.  Why? We have an irrational love affair with footwear and we like to make shoes properly.

Generally, footwear companies release their shoes in a large collection.  This approach doesn’t give the maker the time to give the attention that each individual style needs.

Since Lodger was started from scratch, the whole business was built around making the most beautiful shoes possible.  We decided to do things the way they should be done, rather than how they always have been.

We give each pair the time and attention it deserves and you get to see something new every month.