Handcrafted soles of self-expression
- Laura creates bespoke shoes for women designed for comfort
- She handpicks local Italian and French materials
- She believes that shoes impact how people see themselves
Before Laura Puntillo found her calling in 2010 at a shoemaking exhibit at the Hotel de Ville in Paris, she studied visual anthropology and the impact of visual arts and architecture on individuals and society. “I was struck by this disappearing craft and how it combines sharp physical design, an eye for visual codes and precise manual skills,” she says. Laura trained at the Maurice Arnoult Association before co-founding a workshop with master shoemaker Philippe Atienza. When he retired in 2022, they joined France’s national master artisan-student programme, and Laura opened her own workshop in Paris. She has trained two apprentices so far and plans to launch discovery workshops in 2026.
Interview
- What are the steps involved in shoemaking?
- The process involves four steps, each done by a different artisan. The first step is shaping the wooden mould, called the last, for shape, size and fit. The next step is patterning which is preparing and cutting the leather, before assembling these pieces on the last, and finally attaching the sole. Today, I carry out all four steps myself.
- Does your background in visual anthropology influence your craft?
- Like a piece of architecture, a shoe is a space we inhabit, and one that influences us. My main concern is comfort. I want to design shoes that conform to the foot, and not the opposite. I also pay attention to aesthetics: I am a woman who designs for women.
- How do you develop your custom designs?
- I spend time with each client to understand not just what they want in the shoe, but also their deeper dreams and self-imposed constraints – together, we land on a perfectly suited design. When a client puts on her shoes, she should feel beautiful, comfortable and fully herself.
- Could you describe what your made-to-order shoes are?
- My made-to-order shoes offer handmade quality in standard sizes without the custom design, last-making and fitting. Just like my bespoke designs, I hand-pick high-end French and Italian materials, which allows more people to experience the difference between handmade and mass-made shoes.
Laura Puntillo is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2016 and she started teaching in 2022
Works
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Laura Puntillo
