www.modernluxuria.com
Italy, Europe, Edmonton: Fashion Forward Custom Mens Shoes An Edmonton shoemaker’s story of success in an industry where competition is global and style is priority
Julio Sanchez was born to a family of shoemakers
many pairs of mens shoes that are specially designed
in Chile. He brought his craft to Canada in 1977 but
for their owners and often end up on runways and
it didn’t become clear to Sanchez that his ancestral
in fashion shows. “There are many stores in the mall
trade could fund his new life in Canada until he fell
that you can see a beautiful shoe in the window
on hard times. In a conversation with Modern Luxuria
but when you put them on a custom made shoe is
Magazine, Sanchez recalled how whenever he was
unlike any other shoe,” Sanchez said. Sanchez goes
between jobs he would earn a living creating leather
into his store everyday to work on creating shoes
goods and even sandals for babies. “We were very
for his clientele. The shoemaker says COVID-19 has
successful. So when my son was born, I opened up
slowed down his ability to take orders and bring in
my own store.” Zapato Sanchez started out as a shoe
new clients but the social distancing has allowed
repair store but when Sanchez’s son grew older the
him to catch up on orders. He says it's a six-month
younger Sanchez went on to study shoe design
long process from design to completion and that the
at the Ars Sutoria School in Italy. “And we’ve been
handcrafted custom made shoes that come out of
designing and making shoes ever since,” Sanchez
his store are like none that you can find in Edmonton.
said with a chuckle. Zapato Sanchez is a small store
“We compete with shoemakers in Italy and in
in West Edmonton Mall but out of its doors walks
Europe,” admits Sanchez. www.zapatosanchez.com
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