How a Bespoke Shoe Is Made (10): Footbed and Shoe Trees

The Footbed

A key element of comfort – yet one that is often absent in traditional bespoke shoes – is a removable, custom-made footbed. In many classic bespoke models, a leather top layer bearing the manufacturer’s logo is simply glued onto the insole as the final interior layer. In some cases, additional support elements – e.g., made of cork – are placed between the insole and the leather top layer to provide extra support for the foot.

A removable footbed, as featured in our Vitallo Kontorline models, is rather rare. When it is individually molded from highly breathable Climatocork using a specialized vacuum process, it becomes truly unique. For more details on Climatocork, see this Journal article. To learn more about our one-of-a-kind vacuum-based fitting process, click here.

The Shoe Tree

To help a shoe maintain its shape over time, it should always be stored with the right shoe tree. This allows the shoe to return to its original shape while at rest – so it always looks fresh and fits perfectly each time you wear it. Ideally, the shoe tree should closely match the original last used to craft the shoe.

There are various types of shoe trees. In general, they should be made from open-pored wood – not plastic – to absorb the moisture left in the leather after wearing. Whether the shoe trees are multi-part or feature a spring mechanism to make them easier to insert is a matter of preference and brand philosophy. What matters most is that the shoe tree fits the shoe properly and is used correctly – filling the shoe without distortion. If inserted incorrectly – for example, using a left shoe tree in a right shoe – it could alter the shape of the shoe and compromise the fit. In such cases, the shoe may need to be reworked on the original last by the shoemaker.

Conclusion

We hope this Journal article has given you a brief look behind the scenes of bespoke shoemaking. Naturally, we’ve focused on the key stages and kept the descriptions at surface level. Still, it should give you a sense that crafting a true bespoke shoe often takes 40 hours or more – and that prices in the range of several thousand euros are entirely justified for such extraordinary craftsmanship.

Conversely, any “low-priced” bespoke shoe offered for just a few hundred euros should be viewed with a healthy dose of skepticism – especially in terms of materials, techniques used, and above all: is it truly a bespoke shoe?

It’s equally important to consider where the shoe is made – in high-wage countries like Germany or in low-wage countries where working conditions for the people making these shoes are often questionable.