Konstantinos Theofanidis

Shoemaker

©Konstantinos Theofanidis

Timeless classics

Konstantinos specialises in custom made men’s shoes
He aims to make shoemaking resonate with young people
High quality leather is key to his work

For Konstantinos Theofanidis, handcrafting shoes involves the word "meraki", a Greek expression that defines something that you do with passion and love, something you put your soul into. The craftsman from Thessaloniki grew up in a family of shoemakers, spending a major part of his childhood working in his father's workshop. Eager to develop a personal work, more in line with his approach to craftsmanship, Konstantinos created his own workshop in 2011. He offers a collection of men's timeless classic shoes: loafers, derbies or even leather sneakers, which he revisits with a modern twist and subtle details. The quality of his work and services has allowed him to seduce a loyal clientele, who like to visit him in Thessaloniki.

Interview

©Konstantinos Theofanidis

©Konstantinos Theofanidis

What do you enjoy most about shoe making?: Creating! You start from the image you have in your mind, you design it, you collect the materials and after countless hours of hard work, step-by-step the image in your mind becomes reality. A creation of your own through which you are exposed. It's a beautiful feeling.
What inspired you to open your own workshop?: From an early age, I spent many hours working in my father’s workshop, a mass production shoemaker. At the age of 24, driven by my love of craftsmanship, I decided to go further into the craft and dedicate myself to make custom shoes, to offer only high-quality services.
Is there a type of footwear you particularly like to work on?: Making shoes, especially handmade ones, is divided into many steps: leather cutting, sewing, assembling, welded construction, Blake – although in this craft you keep learning as long as you live – I like to use the best construction methods for each stage, not be limited by my skills.
What would be your advice to a young person starting out?: To be passionate about what you do. To spend countless hours in the workshop, designing, cutting, sewing – and then starting all over again. As the saying goes "Choose a job you like and you won't have to work a day in your life".

Konstantinos Theofanidis is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2002