At Andrew McDonald Shoemakers our design philosophy is to combine the best of traditional handcrafting techniques, as practicised by mastercraftsman for over hundreds years, with the best available leather materials .

This philosophy enables us to create footwear of excellence . We believe in designing footwear that employs sustainable materials making the shoe comfortable , long wearing and repairable.Each pair of shoes we make is a unique item hand made to the needs of the individual .

The Last

The Last is the wooden mold that your shoes are made upon. The last determines the shoe shape and the fit and heel height. Each last is as unique as the feet they are designed to fit. All our lasts are carefully hand shaped to fit the contours of your foot.

Once your shoes are complete your lasts will be stored in our last library ready for next pair of shoes.

Leather Selection

Choosing the right leather for the right style is critical to ensuring comfort and durability. Full grain leathers with a natural finish produce the best results. When making our footwear we carefully select the right grade and type to suit your needs .

Specialised  leathers such as Shell Cordovan ,Crocodile and other exotics can be ordered on request. 

The Upper

The top section of the shoe is usually made from Calf or Kid leather and has two components. The upper lining is the layer that contacts the skin. This layer needs to be breathable and flexible. The Upper or outer skin makes up the style of the shoe.

This leather needs to be strong, weather resistant and must maintain its shape. The combination of these two leathers is critical to the comfort, longevity and appearance of the shoes.

Once we have chosen the appropriate leathers for your uppers, we cut the pieces from the selected hides .These Pieces are carefully assembled and finely closed (stitched) together creating your upper design .

Sole Materials

Assessing the right soling material to suit your needs will ensure the best comfort.
All our leather soling and insole material is Oak Bark tanned. This tanning technique produces a flexible, resilient leather that moulds to your foot shape and emits a pleasing oak bark perfume.

In addition to leather soles we offer a variety of Rubber, Crepe, Resin and Urethane composite soling materials to meet your requirements.

Sole Construction

Our mens and womens shoes are constructed according to the requirements  and customer  requests  of each shoe. We  employ methods such as Cemented, Wooden Pegged, Handwelted or Blake Stitch constructions.

For more information  or queries  on the craft or the choice  and availability of materials   email :  info@andrewmcdonald.com.au