No pictures this time unfortunately, the place didn't allow photos. But it's understandable, because after today, I know almost everything about making a Gucci stiletto.
Right behind the Footwear Design Lab of Polimoda at the Castello (yes, a small castle), there is Gucci's factory. Or more like a protocol atelier when you look at the size of it, of course most of the production is either sourced to their own factories elsewhere or to third parties. So, let's start the process before my mental notes fade away... I am been in a really bad state today, even thought it might be allergies with a bad itch but no signs or anything. Thus, I think I might have even spaced out a couple of times during the tour. Oh and how could I forget, the call from the bank about my overseas transfer....!
First, the last. The shoe last is THE most important part, without the last, there shall be no shoe. Gucci has their own prototype last which only need adjustments for the toe shape and the heels. The 2/3 of the foot which is the arch is more anatomical so there really isn't anything too fancy you could do to it even if you wanted to. First the last is cut from wood, a special kind, forgot the name, but it's use for its hardness and resistance to other pressures during the process. After the wooden last is done, it is scanned into a digital file, which then sends this information to another machines that sands a chunk of plastic into the exact form within a couple of minutes. It was an amazing thing to watch, I gave my full attention then.
Second, to the designs. When the designs come from the workshop, they are drawn onto tape paper that are taped onto the lasts, then the tape is taken off and stuck onto another flat sheet of paper. Then there is a procedure called the CAD, which scans the lines of the print and produces all the patterns needed for that certain design. The front cover, the lining, the heel platform, everything. The patterns are put into identity folders that belongs solely to each design, then sent to the cutter. There are three different measures to cut, one by hand with a knife, one with a digital machine, the other which is the oldest ways of doing it, with steel outlines like those you stamp cookies with.
Then, the different layers of the materials are shaped onto the last, with literally tons of clue and nails. First is the inner sole. Ever wondered why your boots beep going through the airport customs? Because many of those tiny nails are left in the shoe to maintain shape! :) Some of those nail shooting machines (I don't know how else to call me), sound almost like machine guns, now imagine how many nails go into one shoe.... If you are working with leather, it will be constantly stretched, so to make sure the leather doesn't break, it needs to be worked with heat.
After the surfaces are done, the sole is sanded and glued to the outer sole and the heel is attached. The heel is at first attached with one large nail shot through a hole in the last from the inside, then several smaller nails are shot through in an angle to make sure the heel would be stable, like what you do in construction.
Finally, it's the finishing, meaning taking away all the extra glue, applying the correct color to the edges, applying the inner surface of the sole with the GUCCI print, and last but not least, polishing with shoe cream to give it a refreshing look.
I know I mentioned a lot about this machine and that machine, but actually most of the work is done by hand, such as applying some of the nails and stretching the material to the right shape, the curving of the edges, the sanding of the surfaces.... Really, a lot. So when you think about it, maybe a Gucci shoe is more worthy of the money than a Chanel bag....
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