Christopher White Interview of Tony Slinger

Notes

friend’s father was a shoemaker
began with a Saturday job making handmade threads for shoemakers
started at Crispin House in Leeds
worked for HW Poole and Sons
helped secure the contract for the Queens Household Cavalry
went out on his own when the contract at the company he was working for went to another company
didn’t want to move to the other city
spent a year traveling up and down England developing contacts
shoemakers’ conference every year
mainly word of mouth and website
typical bespoke: London businessman wants truly handmade, not touched by machine
can make something that you bought before but that isn’t made anymore
grades of handmade
- fed onto a machine by hand
- bespoke: don’t touch a machine
picking up and putting down
- last in a day
- couple hours to sew welts
- stitching soles couple hours
- boning soles for color can take several days
- let leather dry out before finishing
Baker insoles
Baker leather stiffeners
heels built with Baker’s