The Designers Diary #003 - The Craft Behind Every Great Shoe

There are certain phrases that make everyone in the footwear industry smile, and one of them is, "It's just a shoe."

I completely understand why people say it. Most of us don't spend our lives thinking about footwear. We buy shoes because they look good, they feel comfortable or because the old pair finally gave up after years of faithful service. If they do their job properly, we barely think about them at all. In many ways, that's exactly how it should be. The best shoes quietly become part of our lives. They carry us through the school run, long walks with the dog, holidays, work, muddy footpaths and supermarket aisles without ever asking for our attention.

What most people never see is everything that happened before that shoe found its way onto the shelf.

After more than twenty-five years working in footwear design and product development, I still find it remarkable that something which appears so simple is actually the result of hundreds of tiny decisions. Every pair of shoes begins life as an idea, but ideas have a habit of changing once they collide with reality. A sketch that looks beautiful on paper suddenly feels awkward when it becomes a prototype. A leather that appeared perfect in the sample room behaves completely differently once it's stitched into an upper. A sole that seemed wonderfully lightweight might wear too quickly, while moving a stitch line by just a few millimetres can completely transform the way a shoe fits. Developing footwear is rarely about one great breakthrough; it's about patiently solving hundreds of little problems until, almost without noticing, they become one really good product.

Perhaps that's why I've never become bored of this industry. Every project feels like a puzzle waiting to be solved, and every solution quietly uncovers another question. I often say, "If it was easy, everyone would do it," and I genuinely mean it. Good footwear doesn't happen by accident. It happens because designers, developers, factories, technicians and suppliers are all obsessing over details that most people will never even realise exist.

One of the questions I'm asked surprisingly often is how long it takes to design a shoe. The honest answer is that there isn't one. Some styles come together relatively quickly, while others spend months moving backwards and forwards between the drawing board and the factory before anyone is truly happy with them. That's because footwear development isn't simply about making something that looks attractive. Every decision influences another. Change the leather and you may need to rethink the construction. Alter the sole and the fit might change. Improve the flexibility and suddenly the durability needs reviewing. Every answer creates another question, and that's exactly how the process should work.

The first sample, despite what many people imagine, is almost never the finished product. In fact, I'd be slightly suspicious if it were. The purpose of a first sample isn't to prove that you've got everything right; it's to show you what still needs improving. Every prototype teaches you something. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes it's incredibly subtle, but every version moves the product one step closer to becoming what you originally imagined.

Over the years I've realised that this philosophy extends well beyond footwear. Very little in life is perfect the first time. Whether we're trying to build healthier habits, improve our fitness, launch a business or simply become better at something we care about, progress usually comes from being willing to refine rather than expecting perfection. We walk a little further, lift a little heavier, eat a little better or become slightly more consistent than we were last month. None of those changes feel dramatic on their own, yet together they quietly reshape the direction of our lives. Looking back, I think that's one of the greatest lessons footwear has ever taught me.

The same curiosity follows me everywhere now. My family have long since accepted that taking me shopping is a slightly different experience to taking most people. They'll admire the colour or decide whether they like the style, while I'm turning the shoe over in my hands wondering what leather has been used, how the lining has been constructed and whether the sole will still perform after ten thousand steps rather than ten. I don't think I can switch that part of my brain off anymore, although if I'm honest, I wouldn't really want to. Materials tell stories, and after twenty-five years I've learnt that two shoes which look almost identical can behave completely differently once they're worn.

People often ask what makes a good quality shoe, and the answer is rarely what they expect. Quality isn't defined by one expensive leather or a famous logo stitched onto the side. It's the result of hundreds of thoughtful decisions working together. It's choosing materials that age beautifully, selecting constructions that suit the purpose of the shoe and understanding how every component contributes to comfort, durability and performance. Good footwear isn't measured by how it feels during the first five minutes you wear it; it's measured by how it feels after a full day on your feet, or six months later when it has quietly moulded itself to your life.

Jo Martinez
Founder | Wingate Studio

Stronger Every Step.