Craftsmanship
Since its founding, Yuki Shirahama Bottier has been specializing in bespoke shoes, and all manufacturing processes are carried out in its own atelier. By carrying out all processes from measuring to finishing in-house, it is possible to achieve a beautiful finish and a consistent fit.
The creation of bespoke shoes begins with a careful measurement of the customer's feet. We look closely at the foot and record minute features such as the contours, flat feet, protruding bones, etc. All dimensions are measured at this stage, including the width from the big toe joint to the pinky toe, the instep height and the shape of the heel.
At Yuki Shirahama Bottier, Shirahama is in charge of this process and also handles the subsequent production of the lasts (wooden forms), allowing him to gain a deeper understanding and create the ideal fit for each customer.
Based on the measurements, we create a last. Using all the numbers, we make the most of our imagination and experience to create the shoe. The wooden last is carved out bit by bit to fit the shape of your foot, making it truly one of a kind.
Once the last is complete, the next step is pattern making and cutting of the leather. Patterns for the upper, tongue, quarter, etc. are created while reflecting the customer's desired style, and carefully selected leather is carefully cut based on them.
The cut leather then moves on to the sewing process. The leather to be made into the upper is then hand stitched and decorated with broguing, depending on the customer's order, and gradually approaches the finished product.
Next comes the process of making the bottom. After attaching and processing the insole, the upper is hung on a wooden last. The leather is pulled to fit the shape of the wooden last faithfully, changing the direction and strength of pulling the leather to suit the different last shapes one by one. After that, the bottom is completed through a blind stitch, a topstitch, and the building up of the heel.
At Yuki Shirahama Bottier, every step is carefully woven together, from the first conversation to the final polishing, to create a one-of-a-kind pair of shoes. Our goal is to deliver "the best pair for each person." Through dialogue, we propose shoes that naturally reflect the wearer's individuality.