Armando Cabral AW11

Last season, after one of my many visits to the Showroom Next Door, I reported on a new shoe find that captured your attention. The name Armando Cabral might have been familiar to you at the time, but the debut of his eponymous shoe collection made you see him in a fresh light. Now, Cabral is quite simply one of the most recognisable male models but having already made his mark on the catwalk, his namesake shoe range was the next step. The footwear line sees Cabral team up with Rucky Zambrano who spearheaded innovation and technology at Vibram before serving as Head Designer for shoes and accessories at Hugo Boss. Together, they make quite a team. The combination of Cabral's innate style and Zambrano's eye for design and attention to detail has created an elegant addition to the men's footwear market.

The SS11 debut offered a full range of summer classics including desert boots, boating moccasin and woven sandals, all with an individual design signature and a colour palette that longed for the sunshine. For its sophomore collection, Armando Cabral takes inspiration from traveling, with a focus on Europe. Marking a continuity with the past season, there are classic sneakers, but these sit next to brand new designs which include boots inspired by the traditions of Northern Europe, and classic mountaineering styles that are ideal for the cold winter that no doubt lies ahead.

The reworked oxford. The style is much more subtle compared to some hybrids already on the market.

The leathers are, just like last season, stunning.

Reworked desert boots with flashes of colour. I have my eye on the Arsenal red pair above.

Mountaineering inspired boots.

Winter friendly boots that looked to Northern Europe for inspiration.

Hand-made in Italy out of the finest leathers, the collection introduces a fresh perspective on traditional styles, ranging from re-worked oxfords to hybrid desert boots. In only two short seasons, there is a sense that Armando Cabral is close to creating a fully rounded collection. The SS11 collection was devoted to the sunshine months and the AW11 collection prepares for a long, varied winter.

Earlier this week, I flicked through Tommy Ton's selection of LFW snapshots over at GQ and was instantly struck by the parade of fresh, out of the box shoes. Was I the only person who didn't and instead preferred to wear an old favourite (my Kudu boots). Did I miss the memo? If I follow the masses in September, don't be at all surprised if you see me marching through puddles in a fresh pair  of Armando Cabral desert boots.

Mr Hare AW11 Idolescents

As you should all know by now Mr Hare, the brand not the man, was conceived at a roadside tapas bar in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Andalucia, Spain on July 23rd 2008. The brand was born out of his realisation that there just were not enough shoes in the world that he liked. Thankfully, for us he decided to do something about it. Ever the shoe aficionado, Hare looked to the woven leather shoes of an old gentleman sitting next to him, admired them but decided that with a few tweaks they could be awesome. Moments later the brand was born. From this point it took a mere three hundred and sixty days for his creations to land on the shop floor at Dover Street Market. This whirlwind of success has since seen three more collections, all of have deservedly received widespread acclaim and resulted in an ever increasing stockist list. The debut collection was all about making the shoes that he had never quite found in his life, killer evening shoes that could be worn through the day as well. The shophomore collection was concentrated on looking fly when kicking it on the equator. The third crossed the English Channel for inspiration and focused our attention on Paris and the French New Wave Film movement. Whilst in Ain't no App for That Hare showcased shapes and materials that I've never come across before. With each season, Mr Hare pushes it that bit more. 

Now, it is with great pleasure that we unveil Mr Hare's fifth collection. Entitled Idolescents, it is a reimagination of all of the shoes that he wanted as a teenager but could never afford in addition to all of the ones that he could afford made better. Simply, Idolescents. The collection itself is huge this season with additions of Fagin, Geronimo, London Derby, Isambard, Hannibal, Mitchell and Joplin to name but a few new characters. There is now a sense of a complete collection, a shoe wardrobe. The brief for Mr Hare is a deceptively simple one, to create an option for every man, for any occasion with added Hare flair. However, in addition to growing his offering and four seasons on, Hare still sits down every season and looks at how even his best selling models can be improved, refined and elevated to the next level. To mark the next chapter of Mr Hare, we sat down with the man himself to take a closer look at his latest designs and talk through the continued rise of his shoe company...

The new additions recently assembled at the Showroom Next Door.

SS: Entitled Idolescents, your fifth collection is a reimagination of all of the shoes that he wanted as a teenager but could never afford and all of the ones that he could afford made better. Could you talk us through the starting point, which shoes inspired the concept and forced you to Hare-ify them?

Mr Hare: Most of the answer is in the question really Stevie why don't I just interview you next time? I have to have a good reason to make a shoe and I don't want to just make things that already exist. Shoes to me are all about the feeling I got the first time I put them on. My first Rudeboy loafers. My first DMs. My first penny loafers. My first brogues. My first Timberlands. My first Gucci loafers. My first Jordans. Me and those shoes could kill any other shoe in the room, bounce, be nonchalant, skip in the rain, dance, walk up a mountain and back down the other side. I took those feelings as a starting point and made some Mr. Hare shoes to do that stuff in.

Getting to know the new lineup. Say hello to the Penny Loafers, Fagin, Isambard and Hannibal.

SS: The collection is huge this season with additions of Fagin, Geronimo, London Derby, Isambard, Hannibal, Mitchell and Jopling to name but a few new characters. Could you introduce these new carefully crafted characters to us?

Mr Hare: What can i say? I know a little bit about a lot of things. All will be explained closer to the season when the AW11 web site goes up in June.

The Hannibal eleven in two colourways.

SS: One of the most striking additions is the Hannibal boot (both eight hole and eleven hole). Here, rather than create an imitation hiking or sportswear boot, you looked to the classic heavy boot, the Dr Marten and made them instantly better with the use of beautiful leathers, sheep skin tongue, vibram sole and of course one extra hole to name but a few features. Could you talk us through your design approach in this instance?

Mr Hare: When it was snowing last Christmas I didn't have a suitable pair of Mr. Hare shoes to wear in that weather. I had to resort to my trusty hiking boots I got from Low Pressure (RIP). So I had to resolve that situation. Now Mr. Hare is many things but it is not a faux Hiking company or a faux work-wear company or a faux ski boot company. Mr. Hare is a skinhead company though. Mr. Hare is an 80s club kid company. Mr. Hare is a warehouse rave company. Mr. Hare is a festival company, is a fashion company and very proud to be all those things. So when I had to make a boot that would get me to those places and act like those people the Hannibal is the result.

 

The sexy profile of the Hannibal. Beautiful leathers, calf lined and pad, sheep skin tongue, more pronounced toe, Vibram sole and eleven holes instead of DM's ten. Pushing it that bit more. 

SS: Here, you experiment with direct branding for the first time on your shoes. With the Fagin and Hannibal boots, we see the subtle presence of the four hares and a swan for the first time. Why now? Was it differentiate your offering for this season? To open new markets?

Mr Hare: I just never made anything before that would have benefited from having our lovely logo on it. The Hare Four Swans logo depicts a confident Hare in the intimate company of four beautiful swans, a situation we can all appreciate or aspire to. It's a beautiful logo which was drawn by the super talented Marley Lohr who also shoots all the Mr. Hare imagery. I love the logo and it looks awesome on the side of my boots. It had nothing to do with world domination.

A closer look at the Hannibal's beautiful leather and Vibram sole.

SS: This season also marks experimentation with the classic Derby for the first time. Of course, there is the favoured Orwell but that is a far dressier version. The London Derby is much more classic in its persuasion. What attracted you to take this shoe icon on?

Mr Hare: I am trying to make a complete mens footwear company. As I learn more about the different shoes that exist I am going to attempt to Mr. Hare them up. I started with oxfords because I was obsessed with the elegant and refined nature of them. Derby's are more of a Northern European construction which allow feet with higher arches easier access than oxfords. They also work better with thicker socks. When I started making shoes, my head was definitely dancing around the Mediterranean in a constant endless summer of elegant evening soirees and boat parties. The last two winters in London certainly added to my shoe perspective hence the introduction of heavier Dainite soled derby's and boots for kicking it Mr. Hare style in the slush.

The London Derby.

SS: Alongside the new additions, you have once again reworked older favourites. From collection to collection, there is a sense of you refining your creations as you go. Now on your fifth collection, what have you learnt, both in terms of the craft of shoemaking and what makes a Mr Hare shoe?

Mr Hare: There is a reason why all the classic shoe companies have such great classic shoes. They have years and years of experience of designing, cutting, constructing and presenting their shoes. My shoe making history goes back exactly two years, six months and two days. Through deliberately mistreating my own Mr. Hare shoes and correspondence with other Mr. Hare shoe wearers around the world and constantly looking at what other shoe companies do and new young shoe design talents, I learn something new every single day. Even with our top selling shoes I sit down every season and look at how they can be improved or refined.

The stunning Geronimo.

SS: Once again, the collection showcases shapes and materials that I've never come across before. The natural grain patent being one of the standouts. How do you source your leathers? Can you tell us a bit about the tanneries that you work with?

Mr Hare: Without wanting to sound like one of those handcrafted, years of experience, bench made Jizfests that get posted on YouTube by everyone these days, everything Mr. Hare is sourced in the Tuscan hills by Italians. Not wishing to sound racist but Italians have a pride level which most other races lack. The things they make are an extension and 3D manifestation of that national pride. They don't massage the cows or play classical music to them to make the leather better. No. What happens is that when the skins get to the tannery, the people who work there won't let those skins out the door until they are better than skins from anywhere else in the world. It's all about reputation. It costs more, but it is better. Our main tannery this season is called Conceria 800 who pride themselves on making the finest vegetable tanned skins available.

Meet Isambard. A feat of shoe engineering.

SS: With Idolescents there is a sense of a complete collection, a shoe wardrobe. An option for every man, for any occassion. How conscious are you in your desire to create a complete offering?

Mr Hare: Mr. Hare is a men's shoe company of the modern age. I have no interest in making I-pad cases or women's stilettos or plastic action figures. For me it has to be about rocking stush shoes 24/7 sun, rain, wind, snow, hurricane. All day, all weather with just a little Mr. Hare flair. It's a very tight brief but one that will keep me busy for the rest of my life.

The Fagin. 

It is difficult not to fall for this boots charms. High shine leather, Vaccetta and suede, so it will age beautifully.

SS: Looking back over the collection now, what are you most proud of?

Mr Hare: I am most proud of how good the styles in the first Purest Form collection are because every season, no matter what I throw at them in terms of new designs, they still hold their own. We definitely produce better and better shoes each season yet the Miller, Fitzgerald, Orwell, Genet and even the Kerouac still stand up as genuine classic Mr. Hare shoes.

The popular Bazin from last season in new materials.

SS: Now, Idolescents focuses your design attentions on the shoes of your youth. Having just been treated to menswear fashion weeks across the globe and the release of SS11 collections landing in stores, is there anything that you'd particularly like to get your hands on to reimagine?

Mr Hare: I am done with the re-imagining. It was a period where I went back to my own personal shoe experience to try and replicate the feelings I had growing up and hitting those shoe moments. From now on it will be strictly new hits.

The Desert boot. Every shoe company needs to offer a desert boot.

SS: Since conceiving Mr Hare by a roadside Tapas bar in July 2008 your rise has been remarkable and it must have been something of a whirlwind for you. How have the last four seasons been for Mr Hare?

Mr Hare: Awesome. For the first time in my life I feel like I am in a constant state of progression. I have driven down a lot of cul de sacs in my life and right now I am headed west following the sun on a big empty road with a full tank of gas with no fixed destination. I am in charge. The last four seasons have been mad busy and some days things go wrong, but when it is you who has to be busy and fix problems for your own cause then you will be amazed how much easier it is. I can definitely say I am happier and closer to my good friends and enjoying the simpler things in life tenfold.

Still one of my favourites, the Genet tasseled loafer. 

The Genet utilises fine Italian suede and the swagger of a thousand Latin lovers.

SS: Your creations can now be found across the world in an expanding selection of fine retail outlets, from Selfridges to Collete, Beams to Gravity Pope, Joyce to Mr Porter. Can you tell us about any new stockists you've recently picked up as I know our readers are always keen to get their hands on a pair of your shoes?

Mr Hare: As with anything in life you can only hope to hook up with bright spark people, totally switched on and doing what they do in the total belief of actually doing something as well as it can possibly be done. Never resting on their laurels but making each season twice as good as the previous. Game recognise Game. Independent retailers !! They cost more but they keep the standard high so cheap ass retailers can't slip. I used to own an independent boutique in London and it is one of the most difficult jobs I ever had. Good independent retailers take the most risks and lead where the rest of the retail supply chain follow. In hard times they get hit the hardest and in good times their rents become astronomical but without those stores there would be no new brands. New talent would not stand a chance. Therefore I implore you to support your local neighbourhood independent, even if they don't stock Mr. Hare.

A closer look at the London Derby.

SS: Finally, what can we expect from Mr Hare in the coming seasons?

Mr Hare: Don't ever expect anything in life because you will probably get run over by a truck coming the other way

For AW11, the Onyx becomes the Jopling.

Mr Hare is a work in progress. A stunning work that just gets better and better. From season to season there is is constant evolution and revolution. With a brand like Mr. Hare, the whole process is a learning experience for this shoe obsessive. In our first interview with the designer back in February 2009 which marked the launch of his debut collection, Hare conceded that his best work was yet to come. "Design is an ongoing process. You start somewhere and by constantly re examining that start point or imagining new start points you end up somewhere else." With Idolescents, Hare once again proves that he can raise the bar each season whilst creating shoes that we fall head over heels for.

The continued rise of Mr Hare continues. 

Top of his shoe game but still striving to go that bit higher and to push it that bit harder

Showroom Next Door For AW11

For the last three seasons my London Fashion Week has begun with an elongated visit to the ever fruitful, Touba Distrubution curated, Showroom Next Door. Why should AW11 be any different? So, before I was seduced by the charms of b Store's reimagined, My Own Private Idaho inspired functional menswear whilst nodding along to the sounds of Blood Music (more on that later), I explored the latest Showroom. Spread over two floors on Grosvenor Street, the space has once again became my dream walk-in wardrobe. 

The Showroom space exemplifies everything that I find exciting about menswear design in London; namely it's diversity and constant sense of sartorial evolution and revolution. This season is is no different. In fact, I'm pleased to say that it has managed to improve and grow further. Fode, Yuko and Trevor strive to showcase a diverse collection of international designers but above all seek to provide a platform for both established and exciting new British talents. The AW11 lineup reflect their hard work and passion. Casely-Hayford, Mr Hare, Mohsin Ali, Armando Cabral, H by Harris, Chauncey, Hannah Martin and Bunney read like a who's who of men's fashion. These are undoubtedly exciting times for menswear and I'm so pleased that there are platforms like the Showroom Next Door that help to showcase the obvious and abundant talent that call this capital of ours its home. Over the course of the coming week, whenever I have a spare moment, I will locate myself in these inspiring surroundings and speak with each of the designers in turn for more in depth posting. However, whilst the initial excitement bounces around inside of my enthused brain, I have to share my initial thoughts on the highlights of the season...

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Chauncey

Chauncey is a Brussels-based menswear label and combines the talents of designer Nathalie Bouhana and her photographer partner David Sdika. It is a relatively recent discovery for this blogger but it is a label that I've been hearing an awful lot of good things about so it is great to finally be able to marvel at it in person. Having previously designed knitwear for Hermès, Salvatore Ferragamo and Anne Valérie Hash, Nathalie certainly has an eye for luxury knits. Creative, minimalist but exclusive, Chauncey prides itself on European craftsmanship. Aside from the rich colour palette there is no eccentricity, just quality and modern design. Extreme precision and the highest quality yarns and manufacturers. An "elegant gentleman traveler" look with a slice of Belgian surrealism. These are knits that your skin longs to touch.

Unsurprisingly, I'm particularly fond of the polka dot number in grey.

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H by Harris

The H by Harris label heralds the new school in desirable contemporary accessories. Harris designs aptly uses the term 'luxury fatigues' to define his unique style. Regular readers will recall that the debut H by Harris collection comprised itself of two lines, the Q hand quilted nappa leather and the SH wax hide leather collection. Both left me wanting to sell an organ or turn to a life of crime just to have one hanging off his arm. Since then, Harris has slowly but surely added new styles to covet.

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Hannah Martin

With a prestigious Central St Martins design education and a handful of awards behind her, it should come as no surprise that Hannah Martin is shaking up the world of luxury jewellery as we know it. Her luxurious and decadent collections are described as ‘jewellery for men, that girlfriends will steal’ and if I had a piece in my possession I would certainly sleep with one eye open from fear of Susie pilfering it. The look is elegant yet decidedly rock n’ roll. Each time I see her well crafted designs I am utterly blown away. Every collection has a strong narrative and I cannot wait to speak with Hannah to hear all about the character behind the latest offering.

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Bunney

Andrew Bunney longed to create objects that look like something one may be used to yet recast in a new light with precious metals, becoming new, yet at the same time, familiar. Ultimately, Bunney was drawn to the idea of coming up with something everybody or anybody could wear...even nervous individuals like myself. For the last few seasons, he has been quietly navigating an elegant and refined men's jewellery offering that have grabbed my attention and left me experimenting. The Bunney offering has evolved from a single item - a large size silver pyramid stud which came in a set of three to something of a magpie's haven. For the latest season, the fruits of his search to create series of padlocks can finally be enjoyed. Inspired by the practice of Love Padlocking in Paris and beyond, Bunney sought the last bastions of British craftsmen to create his precious padlocks.  

A beautifully crafted lucky rabbit's foot. The ideal way to mark the year of the rabbit.

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Mr Hare

Oh Mr. Hare, how much we love you and your creations. The brand has been close to our hearts the moment we heard that our favourite shoeist was creating something out of his obsession. Since then, the brand has deservedly gone from strength to strength. His fine leather creations can now be found across the world in an expanding selection of much loved retail outlets, from Selfridges to Colette to Beams. In his continued quest to dominant the world of shoes, Mr Hare has unveiled his latest collection and there might be a few surprises. Given our affection to the brand, I will merely tease with a few looks before going in to great detail with the man himself very soon.

Beautiful boots, subtle branding (check out the four hares and a swan) and even a Vibram sole. Stunning stuff from our favourite shoeist.

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Casely-Hayford

Now in its sixth season Casely-Hayford is undeniably forging a new handwriting of modern English style and here they serve up a huge collection. The father and son design duo have created a signature style of relaxed masculine proportions and exquisite tailoring, all the while fused with an injection of the raw energy of London's dynamic culture that constantly inspires them. With each season, the design duo begin with the desire to capture, play and experiment with the duality of English Sartorialism and British Anarchy. In creating a new collection their driving motivation is to capture the feelings of an ever-changing environment and to communicate society's natural inclination to move forward. The clothes start from a traditional stand point, but rather than being nostalgic and whimsical, they choose to reflect the spirit of twenty first century gentleman - a character conscious of many reference points yet someone who chooses to distill his style into a concise statement. Things have moved on since the days of the Duke of Windsor, and although he is a great inspiration and a foundation for the brand, the modern sartorialist has a different appetite. Their requirements, desires, and practical needs are frequently drawn towards a synergy between the formal and athletic. For this collection, the duo include the requirement and need of protection and comfort against the elements. This sartorial cocktail runs throughout the outerwear, tailoring and accessories. There is always a narrative at the core of what they do, connecting each collection to the last and making foundations for the next. 

As always, the collection is designed in London and made in Japan. Fine English fabrics are combined with the signature House cut and Japanese artisan construction to create a unique design statement and commitment to enduring quality.

The fabric combination are always a delight. Each item is full of details. I could literally spend hours closely examining the contents of each rail.

With a collection taking up over three rails of Showroom space, Casely-Hayford now offer the complete wardrobe. But that is not enough. Now, we have some exciting news to share. The design duo are launching their first luxury sneaker for AW11. The house have created a new streamlined Hi silhouette on a unique last with a modern minimal aesthetic. The sneakers have been designed to compliment the relaxed masculine proportions of fine tailoring and jersey suiting that the brand has become renowned for. Premium grained leather and fine quality suede trim dominate the upper, set on a sole crafted from a unique vulcanised rubber that will undoubtedly become a defining feature of the signature Casely-Hayford Hanbury sneaker. These will be available in select stores from July 2011 but here's a sneak peek...

The Hanbury will no doubt cause a flutter or two.

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The Showroom Next Door is an inviting and vibrant place where fashion, art and craftsmanship collide and can be appreciated side by side. If you are in town and have a spare moment, please do drop in. However, do not despair if you can't it in yourself, over the course of the next week I will be enthusing over the highlights in detail. In the meantime, I'm off to bed and long to wake up with the Showroom as my wardrobe.

LCF MA Graduate Showcase: Michelle Quick

To celebrate the cream of the incoming crop of LCF MA graduates we have been speaking to each of our favourite students to learn more about their collections and their experiences at LCF. We kicked off this year's series with prize winning Matteo Molinari before turning our attentions to the wood craft of Yan Liang. Now it is time to highlight a hugely talented footwear design graduate that left this budding shoeist breathless.

Michelle Quick's graduation collection challenges traditional gender roles within craft practice by combining inherently feminine crafts with men's bespoke footwear. I was taken by her ability at combining various shoe age old making techniques with unusual materials. Entirely made by hand, the collection showcases intricate stitching, various welting techniques and utilizes cow horn as a structural and decorative element to stunning effect. Here we talk to the design talent to hear about her experiences at LCF, learn more about the processes and techniques used within the collections and reveal her hopes for the future...

The collection in Illustator

SS: Congratulations on more than playing your part in an exciting MA show (in terms of menswear in particular). How did it feel seeing your finished designs on the catwalk?

Michelle Quick: Thank you, it was an amazing experience. Footwear is generally displayed in a static exhibit, which is great for getting to look up close and see the details but it's completely different to see them on the foot and in motion. It was important for me to showcase the collection in both ways, so I paired up with MA Menswear designer Mio Jin. We both admire each other's work and thought our collections worked well together. The show was great, it was so exciting and really the end of all the hard work that had led to it. The shoes are now on display at Victoria House.

The Dress oxford catching the eye on the display at Victoria House

SS: Describe the moment you realised that you wanted to become a footwear designer?

Michelle Quick: I was attending The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, studying textiles and general art/design. When I took one of the shoe making classes in my 2nd year, something just clicked - I felt it combined all the disciplines I enjoyed into one craft. I continued to study footwear there and combine it with my other classes, I haven't stopped since.

The Derby shoe standing proudly at Victoria House

SS: What attracted you to the LCF (Cordwainers) MA course in particular? What was the best thing about your course? And the worst?

Michelle Quick: After graduating from SAIC, I felt I still needed something before I could start my career. Resources are limited in The States for shoe making and there aren't any schools that offer an MA in Footwear. The UK is a shoemakers mecca in comparison. Cordwainers has an incredible history/alumni list but the MA Footwear and Artefact programs at LCF are very new and innovative, which is a great balance.

The best part of the course is the resources that are available to you - amazing facilities, knowledgeable staff - and that you are encouraged to push boundaries and try new things. It's really a self-taught course, the resources are there and you have to be motivated and utilise them.

I wish the course would have been longer, maybe two years instead of a year and a half because it was so intense and you really had to put any outside priorities on hold. I do think the timing for releasing our final collections is good though, just before LFW.

Boat Shoe. Nubuck and rough suede upper, concealed wedge and horn strip heel. Image by Tim Medley

SS: The collection challenges traditional gender roles within craft practice by combining inherently feminine crafts with men's bespoke footwear. Was this the driving inspiration behind it?

Michelle Quick: Definitely. I did a lot of knitting, weaving, and embroidery during my BA and when I came to London and started investigating the bespoke shoe shops here, I realised that a lot of crafts are still very gender specific. I wrote my thesis on the origins of gender roles in different crafts and how they can still hold true today. Obviously there are men who knit and women who make shoes or do wood-working, but there is still usually a dominant gender. For my final collection, I wanted to combine various crafts and make objects that feel somewhat neutral.

Stitch Oxford. Image by Tim Medley

SS: The collection features intricate stitching, various welting techniques and utilises cow horn as a structural and decorative element but how would you describe the collection in your own words?

Michelle Quick: For me, the collection is about balancing masculine and feminine characteristics - I used contrasting textures and style lines to establish that dialogue. I also wanted to creating something that felt modern and fresh even though I was using traditional craft techniques. Even though the designs are rooted in my concept and body of research, it was still about making shoes that people would desire and want to wear.

Boat Shoe with horn strip on the heel. Image by Tim Medley

SS: Could you talk us through a few of the main processes involved?

Michelle Quick: Hand-stitching onto leather was a new thing for me, it's very different than fabric because you can't make a mistake the same way you can with fabric because the hole from the needle is permanent. I had to measure and mark out all the stitch marks and really take my time with it. It changed the way I had to assemble the shoes.

Most of the shoes are hand welted. After the upper is lasted, you hand stitch a strip of leather (the welt) to the upper and through the insole - this stitching is hidden. You then stick the sole on and stitch through the welt and the sole - this is the stitching that is exposed around the shoe. It's an incredibly laborious process, you have to twist and wax your own thread and taper the ends so they can be attached seamlessly to flexible needles. You are stitching through very thick soling leather and have to make a hole first with an awl - my wrists were in a lot of pain for a while.

Horn quarter piece on the Monk Shoe

SS: Cow horn is one of the most prominent decorative and structural components in your collection. What attracted you to this material?

Michelle Quick: I've always been fascinated with horn objects, I love seeing old horn combs and caviar spoons in museums. The colours are so varied and you can polish it to such a high shine. It's a material that is present in all bespoke shoe houses (shoe horns, brushes, etc) but is rarely used on the shoes themselves. I was interested in how it could be used to adorn shoes in a new way.

It was difficult to figure out how to work the horn. There are very few resources online or in books and almost no companies still working with it. My initial research was quite frustrating. I was very fortunate to come across Abbeyhorn, the last remaining horn-workers in the UK (see below). After getting guidance from them, I was able to come back to my studio and experiment and figure out the process that worked for me. It does smell pretty bad (like burnt hair) when you are sanding and heating it, so my course-mates were never very happy with that.

The cowhorn toe cap on the Dress Oxford. Image by Tim Medley

SS: How difficult was it to work with?

Michelle Quick: It's an unpredictable material, each horn is unique in it's colouring, it also has areas that are more dense so it doesn't always heat evenly and you end up with kinks when you mould it. I was obviously making pairs so if one piece didn't work out I generally had to redo both to make them match. It took me a while to get comfortable and figure out the best way to do things.

A closer look at the horn toe cap. Strips of horn have been sanded together.

SS: All of your products are, of course, handmade and feature intricate detailing. How long did each pair take to make?

Michelle Quick: All of the shoes had different areas that took more time than others, some have a lot of hand-stitching while others only a hint, some have a traditional welted sole and others a cemented sole, etc. I calculated that they all took between 30-60 hours each, depending on the level of difficulty. That is from patterning to finished product, but doesn't account for the few months when I was experimenting and prototyping.

Desert boot in Nubuck and rough cut suede upper. Image by Tim Medley.

SS: In Abbeyhorn and Metropolitan Leather, you worked alongside some great craftsman, how did you find them and how receptive were they to your designs and what did they make of the collection?

Michelle Quick: The people I worked with were so amazing. I've found that if you are genuinely interested in someone's craft, they are more than willing to help you out or give you advice.

The quality of the veg tan leather at Metropolitan is incredible and the colourist Stuart can just look at the swatch you've brought in and mix up dye that's a perfect match instantly. They custom dyed all of my linings to match the threads and I also got soling leather from them.

Abbeyhorn was a great resource for me. They make mostly traditional horn objects and don't deviate from their catalogue too much, so I think they were happy to help me try and use the horn in a new way. I didn't understand the limitations of the material at first, so my ideas were a bit far fetched but the owner Paul helped show me what was possible and how it could be achieved.

I was also advised on my welting and other shoe making aspects by Carreducker. Welting is something you need to learn directly from a person (like most crafts), I had tried to teach myself from books but it was all the little nuances that James and Deborah taught me that allowed me to make shoes to the quality that I have.

I've had nothing but good feedback and support from everyone I've worked with, I feel lucky to have established relations with these companies.

Jodhpur boot with horn and leather strap. Image by Tim Medley

SS: I know this is a difficult question but is there anything that you're most proud of?

Michelle Quick: I'd have to say I'm most proud of how much my skills have developed throughout this course. I feel that my design skills are much stronger and that the quality and speed of my shoe making has greatly improved. It's hard to believe that the course was only a year and a half because it feels like so much has changed.

SS: What advice would you give a prospective footwear design student?

Michelle Quick: I think that learning the making process can only make you stronger as a designer, the more you understand about the product, the more you can experiment and push the actual design.

A closer look at the handstitched upper with raw edge and Herringbone stitch on the Desert Boot. Image by Tim Medley

SS: Finally, what would you like to achieve in 2011 and beyond?

Michelle Quick: My dream is to find a job where I can have a balance between designing and making. The craft side is so important to me, but I don't necessarily need to be making shoes in a workshop all day. Equally, I wouldn't like just churning out designs that I didn't have a tactile hand in somehow. It's all up in the air right now, I want to stay in London for a while and I would like to continue with men's footwear. I think it will be important to work for established companies before trying to pursue anything on my own. Hopefully only good things are to come.

The stacked leather heel on the Derby. Image by Tim Medley.

If the above leaves you desperate for more, I happily point you in the direction of Michelle Quick's informative tumblr. There can be little doubt that this was a labour of love and the results surely make the hard graft worthwhile. The graduate ultimately showcases a real and exciting passion for shoe making. Each design is close to bursting point with meaningful details but nothing feels superfluous or unnecessary. There is a real balance between them. The diverse details combine to create shoes to truly covet. The real surprising element for me is that each shoe exudes a well crafted quality that is most rare to find in a graduate collection. I for one am excited to see what Quick does next but one thing is for sure, my feet will hopefully be treated to a pair one day soon.