Lane Marinho

Shoemaker

©Numa Paiva

Every step with mindfulness, poetry and rigour

Lane has been interested in handcrafting since she was a child
She believes that the artisanal process improves us as human beings
Her constant curiosity leads her to improvise and experiment with techniques and materials

Since a very young age, Lane Marinho has been attracted to the universe of manual crafting. From the women in her family she learned to crochet, embroider and sew by hand. Growing up in an environment where women created and repaired their own clothing impressed upon her the importance of working with her hands. While still at university studying product and graphic design, Lane participated in the design contest of a renowned Brazilian shoe brand – and won. The prize was an internship at the company. This is where she ended up working for many years acquiring experience and where her passion for shoemaking began. After several other roles, Lane finally answered the calling to return to basics an develop her own workshop. "I am always testing a detail, a knot, a new fold... Sometimes I mix two drawings that were separated on paper, and bring them together like a puzzle in rehearsal, in a very free process," she explains about her approach.

Where

Interview

©Numa Paiva

©Numa Paiva

How important is the artisanal process to you?: I think the artisanal process is one that enhances us as human beings, connecting us to the lost dignity of knowing how to build objects by hand. It also gives us a different relationship with time, one that is more natural, less urgent, and that halts to see poetry. The result of creating with mindfulness is that pieces are more original.
What are your biggest sources of inspiration?: My biggest inspirations come from the simple life of cities in the interior of Brazil, where my family comes from and where I spent my childhood holidays. I find inspiration in the architecture – especially that made by non-architects; in Brazilian and African music; in paintings styled in the colour palette of the Impressionists; and in the textures of stones and shells by the sea.
Has your perception of your craft changed over time?: In 2013, I decided to make the transition from larger industries and return to working with my hands. I had a need for a new lifestyle, one that encompasses a more purposeful way of working and a different speed in my work. I never identified with the big retail market, because I like paying attention to the detail and the enormous poetry that lives in the small things.
How do you envision your work in the future?: Ever since I took on this work format, I have tried to incorporate learning, research and experiments into my day-to-day routine without too much planning. This constant curiosity generates energy to follow through on a project with the same enthusiasm it begins with. I intend to continue in this way, possibly with experiments and studies into areas such as painting, photography, ceramics and other manual techniques.

Lane Marinho is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2013