Shoe facts - How is a Shoe Made?
More than 100 operations go into the construction of a shoe. The first and most important step is the creation of the last; a hand-carved wood or moulded plastic replica of the human foot. It alone determines the contour of the arch and how evenly the wearer's weight will be distributed throughout the foot, both of which are critical in establishing comfort.

A different last is required for each shoe style, whether the shoe is handmade or mass-produced. Lasting demands great skill and a trained eye for fashion. After recording as many as 35 measurements from a footprint that shows the distribution of the body weight, the maker judges the symmetry of the toes, calibrates the girth of the instep and the ball of the foot and calculates the height of the big toe and the contour of the instep. He also estimates how the foot will move inside the shoe.

The lastmaker's challenge is to address all ratios without compromising the architectural beauty of the shoe design. For a heeled shoe, he visualises the heel height, then proportionately determines the size of the throat. Next, the appropriate height of the shoe's quarter is established: too high and it will rub the tendons; too low and the shoe will fail to grip the foot properly. Most crucial to the fit of a shoe is the measurement of the shank curve, the area that includes the ball and instep of the foot, because this is where the body's weight falls when the foot is in motion.

Then, using the last as a guide, the patternmaker cuts out the shoe's upper and lining, bevels the edges to ensure a good fit and sews the pieces together. Next he constructs a toe box, adds the counter (a stiffener for the shoe's back) and soaks the leather so it will easily conform to the lines of the last. A master craftsman carefully positions the upper on the last, tautly stretching it before the sole and the heel can be attached.

In the final steps, finishers trim the welt, pare the heel, burnish the sole and add the insole lining. Last but not least, the shoe is polished and buffed - and ready to wear!