Gotta be da shooz, part 2
On Sunday, I went to Willie's Shoe Service for my initial appointment to design and make a custom pair of combat boots. I found almost the entire process delightful and fascinating, except for one thing I'll mention later which was my own damn fault.
As I rode South from the 101, down Vine and then over to Cahuenga Blvd (the Highland exit was closed, so the traffic all got off at Cahuenga, so I went past to Vine and then back once south of Sunset), I was struck at how much history this city has. The film industry often feels like a soulless monster, but the history of it is really impressive and romantic. I rode past Hollywood Blvd, with all its fake glitter. I rode past film studios and post-production houses. I remembered that, even with its recent aspects of being run by evil corporate bastards, there is, and always has been, magic in the creation of the silver screen.
But on to the boots.
Willie's is a charming little shop in a corner unit on Cahuenga, right across the street from a bank of sound stages. Inside, the walls have signed celebrity headshots up near the ceiling. (Curiously enough, I didn't see any of celebrities under the age of 40. Damn this disposable culture.) The back counter has lots of examples of their work, although I'm not sure if they did the stuffed armadillos or not.
I was greeted by an apprentice in the shop, Cesar (who is apparently Raul's cousin), who then called Raul for me. Raul is the manager, and his enthusiasm for shoemaking is immediately evident. We sat down to discuss what I was interested in getting made, and I was a bit nervous about it, as there's some levels on which I keep feeling like this is a frivolous endeavor. (Even though, logically speaking, it's not. I'm getting a pair of boots made that are intended to last me the rest of my life. I'm damn well gonna get something that fits perfectly and is exactly what I want.) However, Raul treated the conversation with seriousness and confidence, putting me completely at ease.
He started by explaining that, after we nail down a boot design, they'd be making a mockup (out of the cheapest leather they can find) for me to come in and try on, to make sure it fits correctly, and to figure out any other changes before making a final boot. Originally, they would just make the final boot first, but they got tired of having to re-make boots with expensive materials. We went over various options for overall design, zipper placement, sole type, decorations, and reinforcement. He traced my feet and took measurements around the toe, over the instep, at the ankle, and one more which I'm not remembering.
After all the mechanical concerns, he started sketching the boot design, asking me where I'd like the reinforcements, and explaining where he recommended we place the zipper. We discussed sole options, and ultimately settled on the Vibram #100 sole with matching heel. There's the option of having the sole and the heel as one molded piece, but heels wear out about twice as fast as soles, so having them separate makes things easier.
Ultimately, we ended up with the final boot design. It shows the side zipper (which is on the inside of the ankle), the leather armor patches (which will be on the outer edges of the heel and foot), a representation of the vibram sole, and the loop at the back of the calf, which I enjoy half for interesting look and half for pulling the boot on. Finally, we talked for a bit about what kind of zipper I'd like. Raul's recommendation was an antiqued brass zipper (he said he could dye the fabric black instead of green), mostly for sturdiness and reliability. I'm not sure, yet, as I had something in a silvery metal (steel or aluminum, perhaps) in mind. I'll probably go with the brass one he recommended, though. I've until the beginning of January to decide (when they make the mockup), so I'll continue to mull it over.
I asked Raul how much the boots would cost me overall, and that's where I received my shock of the day: $800. I had figured $450-ish, but that was based on utter supposition, with no kind of research at all, so, really, Own Damn Fault™. That being said, with proper care, the boots will last me the rest of my life, so it's not that big of a deal, really. I paid the deposit (half), and headed out.
All in all, thumbs up, so far.
As I rode South from the 101, down Vine and then over to Cahuenga Blvd (the Highland exit was closed, so the traffic all got off at Cahuenga, so I went past to Vine and then back once south of Sunset), I was struck at how much history this city has. The film industry often feels like a soulless monster, but the history of it is really impressive and romantic. I rode past Hollywood Blvd, with all its fake glitter. I rode past film studios and post-production houses. I remembered that, even with its recent aspects of being run by evil corporate bastards, there is, and always has been, magic in the creation of the silver screen.
But on to the boots.
Willie's is a charming little shop in a corner unit on Cahuenga, right across the street from a bank of sound stages. Inside, the walls have signed celebrity headshots up near the ceiling. (Curiously enough, I didn't see any of celebrities under the age of 40. Damn this disposable culture.) The back counter has lots of examples of their work, although I'm not sure if they did the stuffed armadillos or not.
I was greeted by an apprentice in the shop, Cesar (who is apparently Raul's cousin), who then called Raul for me. Raul is the manager, and his enthusiasm for shoemaking is immediately evident. We sat down to discuss what I was interested in getting made, and I was a bit nervous about it, as there's some levels on which I keep feeling like this is a frivolous endeavor. (Even though, logically speaking, it's not. I'm getting a pair of boots made that are intended to last me the rest of my life. I'm damn well gonna get something that fits perfectly and is exactly what I want.) However, Raul treated the conversation with seriousness and confidence, putting me completely at ease.
He started by explaining that, after we nail down a boot design, they'd be making a mockup (out of the cheapest leather they can find) for me to come in and try on, to make sure it fits correctly, and to figure out any other changes before making a final boot. Originally, they would just make the final boot first, but they got tired of having to re-make boots with expensive materials. We went over various options for overall design, zipper placement, sole type, decorations, and reinforcement. He traced my feet and took measurements around the toe, over the instep, at the ankle, and one more which I'm not remembering.
After all the mechanical concerns, he started sketching the boot design, asking me where I'd like the reinforcements, and explaining where he recommended we place the zipper. We discussed sole options, and ultimately settled on the Vibram #100 sole with matching heel. There's the option of having the sole and the heel as one molded piece, but heels wear out about twice as fast as soles, so having them separate makes things easier.
Ultimately, we ended up with the final boot design. It shows the side zipper (which is on the inside of the ankle), the leather armor patches (which will be on the outer edges of the heel and foot), a representation of the vibram sole, and the loop at the back of the calf, which I enjoy half for interesting look and half for pulling the boot on. Finally, we talked for a bit about what kind of zipper I'd like. Raul's recommendation was an antiqued brass zipper (he said he could dye the fabric black instead of green), mostly for sturdiness and reliability. I'm not sure, yet, as I had something in a silvery metal (steel or aluminum, perhaps) in mind. I'll probably go with the brass one he recommended, though. I've until the beginning of January to decide (when they make the mockup), so I'll continue to mull it over.
I asked Raul how much the boots would cost me overall, and that's where I received my shock of the day: $800. I had figured $450-ish, but that was based on utter supposition, with no kind of research at all, so, really, Own Damn Fault™. That being said, with proper care, the boots will last me the rest of my life, so it's not that big of a deal, really. I paid the deposit (half), and headed out.
All in all, thumbs up, so far.