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Published on 2/28/25
"The shoemaker's son always goes barefoot," as the proverb says. What it doesn't tell us, however, is that shoemakers love having (very well) shod customers. Luxury pairs or very good quality shoes are a godsend for artisans, not because of the repair price, which will be the same from one pair to another, but rather because beautiful materials are very pleasant to work with.
It's important to know that there's a wide variety of shoes brought to the cobbler. Depending on the owners' ages and, of course, the neighborhood, the materials of the shoes differ. Fast fashion shoes are sometimes made of leather, sometimes synthetic. The heels are, at best, coated PVC; otherwise, they're pure plastic that melts when worked on. It's therefore a challenge for the artisan not to damage the pair under these conditions. Fortunately (for whom?), adhesive compositions have evolved, and it's entirely possible to repair these heels, provided one is very careful.
When leather isn't leather... shoes are actually very fragile! If the material is accidentally scratched, it's irreparable, unlike genuine leather which can be sanded, polished, stripped, or re-colored. When the shoe is unglued in places, the cobbler's only fear is that this "fabric" will tear or won't adhere properly with the glue, and that the finished work won't live up to the standard the artisan could achieve with leather shoes featuring quality leather or rubber soles. With genuine leather, preparation is straightforward, and glues adhere perfectly. Attaching protective soles or heels is seamless, and the finishes are always beautiful.
There, I've said it, shoemakers (the shoemaker!!) love beautiful shoes... She loves leather that smells like leather, soles with pretty finishes, heels that stay in place, pairs that can be shined... The shoemaker loves renovating pre-owned luxury shoes. She loves working on My Pretty French Shoes' stock and being able to offer them to you, all beautiful and ready to be worn again...