Most shoes are made for a foot that doesn't exist. An average foot, an average size, an average heel. If yours happens to match, lucky you. If not, you squeeze in, add an insole, or give up on the shoes you really wanted.
I work the other way around. For more than 20 years I've been making handmade leather clogs and sandals on wooden soles in my workshop in Gijón, Spain, and every single pair starts from nothing. No finished shoe waiting on a shelf, no box of standard sizes. Just your measurements, a piece of leather and a block of wood.
Here's why that makes such a difference.
A factory shoe vs a shoe built from scratch
A factory starts with a mold. Thousands of pairs come out of it in a handful of standard sizes and one heel height, and then they wait in a warehouse for someone whose foot is close enough.
A shoe built from scratch starts with you. Your length, your instep, the heel you want, the leather you love. Nothing is decided until you tell me.
| Factory shoe | Built from scratch | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | A standard mold | Your measurements |
| Sizes | The usual middle range | EU 33 to 47 and beyond |
| Heel height | Fixed by the model | Your choice, up to 18 cm |
| Design | Take it or leave it | A starting point you can change |
| Stock | Made in bulk, then sold | Made only when you order |
1. Made for your foot, not an average one
To make a clog that really fits, I need two measurements: the exact length of your foot and your instep. That second one is the secret most shoe brands ignore. Two people with the same size can have completely different insteps, and that's usually why a shoe pinches on top or slips at the heel.
Because I build the pair around your numbers, it works whether your feet are wide, slim or somewhere in between. You're not adapting to the shoe. The shoe is made for you.
That's why these two measurements matter so much. They're the foundation of your pair. If one of them is wrong, even by a little, the shoe won't fit the way it should, no matter how carefully it's made. So please take your time: follow my step by step guide to measuring your foot, check twice, and if you have any doubt, send me a message before you order. I'd much rather help you measure than make a pair that doesn't fit.
2. Any size, any height
Factories stop at the sizes that sell the most. If you wear an EU 33 or an EU 46, you know how hard it is to find a platform clog that isn't either a child's shoe or a men's work boot.
When I start from scratch, a size 33 and a size 47 take exactly the same care. I make EU 33 to 47 and beyond, and that's also why many men who love platform shoes order from me. The same goes for height: the heel can be low and easy for everyday, or a full 70s platform up to 18 cm.
3. My designs are just the starting point
This is the part I most want you to know. Every model you see in my shop is a proposal, not a rule. Love the Berlin clogs but want a lower heel? Like the Dubai sandals but in another leather? Want the Snow clogs on a darker wood? We can do that.
Since nothing is made before you order, changing the design isn't an extra or a complication. It's simply how I work. You choose:
- The heel height
- The colour of the wood
- The leather and its colour
I make the rest. My designs are just the starting point. The final pair is yours.
4. Nothing wasted, and lighter than you'd think
I don't keep stock. I only make what someone has ordered, so there are no unsold pairs ending up in a warehouse or a landfill. Slow, yes, but honest.
And because I choose the materials for each pair, I can use what works best. My soles are made from ayous, a light wood, so even a tall platform feels easy on your feet. People who remember the heavy wooden clogs of the past are always surprised the first time they put a pair on.
What happens in those 20 to 30 days
Waiting a few weeks makes much more sense once you know what goes into your pair. This is the journey, from first message to your door:
- Your measurements. You send me the length of your foot and your instep. I show you how to measure them at home. Take your time here: everything else is built on these two numbers, and if one is off, the pair won't fit right.
- Your design. You pick a model as a starting point and tell me what you'd like to change: heel, wood, leather.
- The leather. I cut every piece by hand for your size.
- The sole. I shape the wooden sole to the height you chose and finish it by hand.
- Putting it together. I stitch, assemble and add every detail myself, from the studs to the lining.
- On its way. Your pair is checked, packed and shipped to you, wherever you are in the world.
Questions I get asked a lot
Can I change the heel of a model I like?
Yes. Every design is a starting point. You can change the heel height, the colour of the wood and the leather.
How high can the platform go?
Up to 18 cm, and as low as you like for everyday wear.
What sizes do you make?
EU 33 to 47 and beyond. Every pair is made to your measurements, so unusual sizes are no problem.
What measurements do you need?
Two: the length of your foot and your instep. Please measure them carefully, because the whole pair is built on them. If one is wrong, the shoe won't fit as it should.
Are wooden platform clogs heavy?
Not mine. The soles are made from ayous, a light wood, so they're comfortable to wear all day.
How long does it take?
20 to 30 days to make your pair by hand, then I ship it worldwide.
Your pair starts with you
A shoe built from scratch takes a little longer, but it's the only way to get a pair that fits your foot, your height and your style, all at once. Browse my clogs and sandals, pick the one that catches your eye, and tell me what you'd change. I'll take it from there.
Made by hand, one pair at a time, in Gijón, Spain.