Sewing together the different pattern pieces to create a single upper for a shoe or boot is a craft that takes years to learn. This is where our shoemakers add eyelet holes, rivets and the brogue patterns that make every pair of Tricker’s distinctive. It’s also the only part of our factory where ‘skiving’ is permitted – indeed encouraged – because that’s the name of the painstaking process of hand-thinning leather. Once the uppers are closed, they are hung for a number of days to moisturise, ensuring the leather will always be supple and flexible. Every pair is then labelled and numbered by hand, giving them a unique identity.

Our shoemakers now add a wooden shank to the sole, making the shoe strong and supportive. The cavity between welt and insole is then filled with a layer of cork, which moulds to the wearer’s foot, providing insulation and comfort. The cork is then covered with a leather mid-sole for protection. At this stage the chosen sole is added – either leather or rubber – the excess is rounded off and the sole is lock stitched to the welt. After drying fora few days, the heels are then added to each shoe or boot. Now, it is ready for finishing.

In the shoe room, a sock liner is fitted to the shoes or boots for comfort. The finished pair is then cleaned, and the uppers are dressed to create a patina using our unique blend of creams and polishes. After leaving overnight, the shoes or boots are polished and burnished by hand to give them their final distinctive lustre. Then, once they have passed a final inspection, they are laced, wrapped in cotton cloth and packed into their box together with their Tricker’s shoe bags.