For me, shoe restoration has never been about simply making an old pair look presentable again. It is about preserving craftsmanship from an era when shoes were built with integrity, recraftability, and character. In a world increasingly driven by disposable fashion, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for restoring legacy footwear — shoes that still possess exceptional leather quality, strong structural foundations, and the unmistakable soul that only time and wear can create. Much of my work has centered around heritage American and European footwear, including vintage Allen Edmonds wingtips, bicycle toes, and custom patina projects, along with refined European styles from Mezlan, including woven oxfords and other classic dress silhouettes. Many of these pairs arrived heavily neglected: dried and oxidized uppers, uneven factory finishes, deep creasing, dulled welts, faded color transitions, and years of embedded contamination that muted the natural beauty of the leather. Beneath all of that wear, though, there was still life in the shoes — and that is what I’m always trying to uncover. My restoration process begins with deep leather cleaning and decontamination using saddle soap, leather cleansers, and controlled stripping agents such as acetone or professional deglazers to remove failing finishes, wax buildup, silicones, and surface contaminants. I approach this carefully because the goal is never to aggressively strip the leather, but to reveal its natural character while preserving its integrity. Once stripped, the leather is slowly rehydrated and nourished using products such as Saphir Renovateur, Venetian Shoe Cream, and penetrating conditioners designed to restore flexibility, richness, and depth back into tired calfskin. I allow the leather time to absorb and stabilize before moving into color work. Leather responds best when it’s treated patiently. The artistic process begins with custom patina development. Rather than applying flat, uniform color, I build depth through layered dye applications using alcohol-based dyes, creams, and tonal blending techniques that create movement and transparency across the upper. My work consistently gravitates toward rich cognacs, museum browns, tobacco undertones, espresso burnishing, and antiqued transitions that give the shoes an old-world European character without looking artificial or overdone.

As with most Friday’s it started out with a walk to the local cafe with my youngest before school. She has here Lactose Free Hot Chocolate and I grab my coffee. Then its the drop off to school and home for more scheduling work and a couple of online meetings with the team 2500 Km (1550 Mile) away. Todays outfit consists of; M.J. Bale Bowning Suit in Green, it is cut from 100% Australian Merino wool and woven in Italy into a Super 110s twill with a subtle two-tone micro pupstooth weave and lightly brushed flannel finish. Charles Tyrwhitt Non-Iron Stretch Burlington Weave Shirt in Silver Grey OTAA Canterbury Green with Royal Red Striped necktie OTAA Gold Bond Tie Clip OTAA Crocodile Green Textured Socks (The texture even looks a little scaley) Ducapo Monkstraps in Dark Green “But first Coffee” lapel pin SOTD - Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb Nghtvision WOTD - Duka DateJust Homage in in Gold with Green Dial, Aka Ms Hawn