Shoe / Footwear Design and Schools?

[lara_banana]

Thank you all so much with the help for the assignment. It really help me out!!!! And special thanks to Oria!

 

[Riley]

does anyone know where you can study shoe design in sydney, australia????

 

[duvogh duvall]

How does one go about designing/making shoes???

Hello

I am new here, not a fashion designer, but a graphic designer. One day the receptionist where i used to work came in with these really cool shoes on, and since then i have started sketching different ideas for high heel shoes, like wedges i guess...

anyway, i would really like to start making some prototypes, but have no experience at all making shoes. I'd like them to be made mainly out of light wood (the bodies of the shoe that is)...but how do i start?? How do i find some one to take my sketches to, that can physically create the shoe(s)?

How do i find someone who isn't just going to take my ideas and make them themselves? How does one begin a shoe design career?

I live in Seattle, so not sure if there are any folks in the northwest that i could go to...but any place that could help me out would be great, northwest or not.

Any and all advice as to how to get started in this process, would be tremendously appreciated.

thank you very much

 

[Luna]

I studied accessories design at FIT in nyc... we learned handbag/belt/shoe design and construction.

Shoe design is VERY HARD and EXPENSIVE... especially if you've no previous background in it.

The equipment is sometimes costly.. Becoming a shoemaker/designer is really tough, but people have done it.

I'm sorry I don't have more advice... move to ny and take some shoe classes? find a cobbler that would take you on as an apprentice?

Good luck in the Shoe biz!

 

[renferme]

Hi Duvogh - it's much easier in Europe - there are plently of shoe design courses (including degree courses) where you are taught the subject properly - including pattern cutting, grading and construction. I disagree that it's difficult - it's just different to garment making! The only ones I could find in the USA are much shorter, only focussing sometimes on one product type.

I usually point people in the direction of http://www.shoeinfonet.com/

Go into the school section on the left hand sidebar menu,

Info copied and pasted here:

D.W.FOMMER II -- School of Western Bootmaking
827 NW Birch - REDMOND OR 97756
Tel: 1-541-923-3808
E-mail: [email protected]

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY - OKMULGEE
Small Business Occupations Department
1801 East 4th Street, OKMULGEE, OK 74447
Contact: Jerry Wilson
Tel: 1 918 756 6211 ext: 271 - Fax: 1 918 756 1315
E-mail: [email protected]

PUCCIO AND MACKAY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SHOEMAKING AND DESIGN
Contact: Sissy Puccio
P.O.Box 44872, 1710 N. Marshall Rd. , 45042 MIDDLETOWN (Ohio)
Tel: 1 513.476.SHUZ - Fax: 1 513.420.2668
E-mail:[email protected]
Two-day workshops

SHOESCHOOL.COM
P.O.Box 1349 - Port Townsend - WASHINGTON 98368
We organize a 5 Day, Hands-On, Experiental Education Program and we also offer Private Consulting Programs for Advanced Training.

TEX ROBIN CUSTOM MADE BOOTS
Contact: Tex Robin
115 w 8th street, 76834 COLEMAN (Texas)
Tel: 1 915-625-5556
E-mail:[email protected]
One, two, and three week courses in cowboy bootmaking. Second generation bootmaker with over 45 years experience. Only one student per course. Contact Tex Robin, bootmaker and Teacher.

Also this site will make any design for you - I've no idea how good they are though

http://www.beautiful-shoes.com/

 

[renferme]

To add: If you can travel - the ARS Sutoria school in Italy is one of the best known schools that offers shorter courses and the teaching standard is very high.

http://www.shoeinfonet.com/schools/EU/schools_ars.htm

I studied for a degree here

http://www.dmu.ac.uk/faculties/art_and_design/ug_courses/foot_des.jsp

 

[Benher]

I studied for 10 days with an artist who expressed herself through shoemaking. She had studied with shoemakers and cobblers as well as others.

You need a "last," the foot shaped form upon which you make the shoe. It has to be the correct size, but not an issue if you are only designing. It also has to have the right shape, toe roundness and arch height for your particular design, and the proper angle to accept the high heel. You can sometimes find them at antique stores. The commercial ones "break over" in the middle to allow the shoe to be removed. Also consult a local "shoe findings and supply" company.

I have hand-carved lasts, left and right, out of pine, using a band saw and a large upright belt sander. I first cut my blank in half and screw it back together. If the cut is angled properly the heel half will readily release when unscrewed. It took about 40 hours to make the lasts.

Next you develop your shoe using paper and tape to approximate the design, and use them as a pattern to cut your leather, (perhaps easier to aquire, stretch and form, than plastic). Then you assemble the pieces using lots of tricks of the trade, special materials for the toe box and heel counter, and a leather sewing machine. A pair of shoes also takes about 40 hours to make.

If this is your hobby and your day job is lawyering at $200/hour, a pair of custom shoes would be 80 hours times 200 and cost the equivalent of$16,000! Unless you are an employee of a shoe company, you have to fund the construction of a set of lasts in every size, and the development of the patterns and porduction procedures, then pay on spec for the production run to make available to the stores, all in secret before your design can be copied. If you can design on standard lasts, they are available.

Its an exciting endeavor. Best of luck.

 

[Benher]

For the sake of nostalgia I Googled my teacher, Gaza Bowen, shoe artist. I was deeply saddened by her recent depature. Her site still exists: www.gazabowen.com

 

[tinuvielberen]

If you live in Seattle, you might want to go to Shoe School, which is a series of shoemaking workshops held in Port Townshend, Washington.

http://www.shoeschool.com/shoeschool/index.html

 

[bratbee]

any good fashion design schools in the west coast?

Hi,
I am looking for a good fashion design school in San Francisco bay area. I have heard lots of bad things about Academy of Art and FDIM is not the best choice either. I wonder if CCA is a good one?

thanks !

 

[sstanton]

Direction?

I've been in sales and marketing for many years, but not in the footwear industry. I am planning on attending Cercal in Fall 06, but am also pursuing work in a hands on environment working for a footwear distributor or licensure company. I'm stumped as to whether to take a year out of my life and go to school, or jump right in try to get in on the ground floor. I know a line builder/designer that has worked with Kenneth Cole for many years,............says either way I will be starting from the very bottom. Any suggestions?
Thanks-SS

 

[ace_shoe freak]

Need Info. Help!

hi. i am from the philippines and i want to study shoe designing abroad as our resources here in the country is very limited. does anyone know any design schools that provide scholarships for foreign students or provide financial aid? please, i beg you, help me... i truly want to be a designer for shoes!
thanks.

 

[gius]

how about shoe design schools in Canada?


there are also still craftsmen, in for example italy. they maybe use traditional methods. maybe one could apprentice there, instead of a university? i watched a program about one shoemaker in Siena/Tuscany, and he was just making the shoes himself. i don't know if he went to school for that.

 

[TheSweetest]

I love this thread. I hope to one day design shoes. My sketching is fine so I was glad to hear there was a place I could go that would show me how to get on with the work. Thanks for all the info everyone.

 

[KasiaC]

Shoe Design

I am comtemplating changing careers and looking for something more creative and was thinking of pursuing shoe design. Does anyone know anything about the Shoe Design industry? Are there any schools which offer courses in this field or even accessory design in Canada? How would one approach in getting into this field? What qualifications are needed....etc? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[SamanthaBNYC]

F.I.T. in NYC has a shoe design program. I don't know about Canada, but you could always ask your local cobbler (person who repairs shoes) what school they went to or what ideas they may have.

 

[shuguru314]

F.I.D.M. offers footwear design courses

 

[KasiaC]

Thanks for the info. I'll definately take a look at those schools. Cheers

 

[woofwoof123]

to add:

cercal a footwear design school (i have attended this school) holds yearly competitions for aspiring shoe/footwear designers or those in school already open to anyone who is born after 1974 i think. they give you entire funding for their 8 month course, and money to live in italy as well if you win the competition. there is always a theme, so you can e-mail them and ask for the shoe design competition. it is a great place and they take you to actual factories, suppliers, etc.

oh and look under "news" on their website you can see some of last years winners drawings, to get an idea of what they look for. as a shoe designer this is always aspiring.

http://cercal.org

hi oria
I'm moving to italy in a few weeks, with no plans, and would love to talk about cercal program for a bit. , specifically, how well do they place you into jobs after you finish? please send me a message if you have time, I've tried you but your box is full. thanks !

 

[Oria]

hi oria
I'm moving to italy in a few weeks, with no plans, and would love to talk about cercal program for a bit. , specifically, how well do they place you into jobs after you finish? please send me a message if you have time, I've tried you but your box is full. thanks !

hi you can try me now sorry for the delay and filled box.