From a drawing to a boxed pair
Every development runs the same five stages. The timings below are what actually happens, not a best case with everything arriving on time.
Brief and tech pack
A drawing, a reference pair or a sketch. We read it back to you as a written spec before anything is cut.
Last and heel
Selection from the library or new tooling, plus the pitch calculation that ties the two together.
Prototype
Two rounds. The first is about shape and the second about fit, and they are never combined.
Production
Cutting, closing, lasting, sole attachment and finishing, run in one batch rather than split across weeks.
Inspection and despatch
Every pair opened, checked against the spec and boxed here; export paperwork travels with the shipment.
Timings
| Stage | Elapsed | What holds it up |
|---|---|---|
| Spec written and agreed | 3 to 5 days | Missing detail in the brief; we will not guess it |
| First prototype | 15 working days | Material sampling from the tannery |
| Second prototype | 10 working days | Fit test scheduling with three wearers |
| Production | 45 days | Confirmed materials in house; this clock does not start before that |
| Inspection and despatch | 3 days | Export documents for non-EU shipments |
The two prototype rounds, and why they stay separate
The first round answers one question: is this the right shape. It is made in whatever leather is to hand, often the wrong colour, because judging silhouette against a colour you have chosen is harder than it sounds. The second round is the real material, the real construction and the fit test.
Clients under deadline pressure ask us to combine them roughly twice a season. We decline. Every time we have agreed to it in the past, a fit problem reached production, and the cost of re-cutting a run is an order of magnitude above the fortnight it saved.
What we need from you
- A tech pack or a drawing with the details you care about marked. A photograph of a reference pair is fine.
- Your fit intent: who wears this, for how long, standing or walking.
- Material direction, even loosely. We can source from our tanneries or work with yours.
- One decision maker. Prototype rounds that go back to a committee take a season, not a fortnight.
Every pair is opened before it is boxed
Every pair is opened and checked against the written spec before boxing: heel seat, sock adhesion, sole edge finish, lining wrinkles, colour match across left and right, and box and label accuracy. Rejects are re-worked where they can be and destroyed where they cannot; they are never sold as seconds under your brand without your written agreement.