NORTHERN SOLE

The Last Shoemaker hand craft high quality shoes from their workshop in Heslington, York. Co-owner and shoemaker Payson Muller describes the skilled process behind their handsome creations.

@thelastshoemaker

In the lovely village of Heslington on the edge of York there is a unique business that is stepping back in time and striding into the future. From there, on one of the last Parish farms, Payson Muller is quietly creating a world of shoes which are walking far beyond their immediate surroundings.

With his business partner and friend Allan Donnelly, The Last Shoemaker are using traditional techniques to revive quality shoemaking. “We make our shoes through the whole process, from the ground up” says Payson. “Starting with making the last to the client’s measurements, making the pattern from the last, putting the shoes together and fitting them to the client’s feet and taste.” This meticulous approach, taking responsibility for every part of the design and manufacture, is what attracted Payson; “Learning how to make a perfect shoe last was the pathway that got me into shoemaking and where Allan and I met.”

The brand started as an idea to put the duo’s last making skills together. “We needed to seek out the people with the skills to learn from and I learnt everything here in England” he explains. “There are a lot of artisan and traditional craftspeople in England still - it’s fairly hidden but if you seek it out you can find it.” Keen to credit those who tutored him along the way, Payson lists “Steven Lowe and Dominic Casey for last making; for shoemaking, James McCormack; pattern making and orthopaedic bespoke, Bill Bird. And a personal shout out to Terry Brown, who was a local shoemaker in York. He’s sadly passed away now but he directed me to the Independent Shoemakers conference where all my contacts are members.”

As Payson praises the UK, his own origins are a long distance away. “I’m from Los Angeles, California” he confirms; a place which suited his interests less than his Yorkshire home. “It’s actually an industrial city but the industry there is entertainment. Wasted on me as I’m not interested in pop culture or entertainment!” However his upbringing isn’t entirely removed from his present vocation, making natural footwear; “My parents were hippies and the idea of natural footwear, like Birkenstocks, is not new - but it is against the norm.”

The natural footwear that The Last Shoemaker produce is what sets them apart. “We came up with a way to make shoes that people who don’t want to wear shoes appreciate - people who like barefoot characteristics, minimalist shoes. The result is traditional techniques that create modern, minimalist footwear.” The process is time-consuming and hands-on, but mightily effective; “It takes up to 6 weeks to create the lasts” Payson confirms. “The last can then make different styles of shoes for same customer repeatedly, a truly bespoke service.” A bespoke service which is proving popular, with a waiting list on orders now of up to 6 months.

The benefits to the wearers of The Last Shoemaker is not only in the aesthetic style but especially in the comfort. “They allow feet to be their natural form” explains Payson. “Modern shoes have created damage and misshape the foot in my opinion. Our mission is to create healthy shoes and transform feet back to natural comfort.” And for The Last Shoemaker, the benefits are in the process, but it’s not without challenges; “It’s hard to learn the crafts, and because of the time it takes, it’s never going to make you rich” says Payson. “But” he concludes “artisan crafts are very rewarding.” www.thelastshoemaker.com