Profile: Joseph Curle – Only Natural Design Competitions

Joseph Curle

HEAD – Genève, Haute école d'art et de design

My name’s Joseph, I’m a completely self-taught shoemaker. Nice to meet you! Whilst hazily quarantining with Covid, I watched a video of Amara Hark Weber making a pair of bespoke Oxfords and, on a whim, ordered a pair of lasts on eBay. I’d been following Helen Kirkum, so I tore apart an old pair of Dr. Martens and two pairs of Vans. With no pattern, I stitched uppers on a HobbyCraft sewing machine, lasted them with needle-nose pliers and attached the soles with a hot glue gun. Surprisingly, they survived a trip to the pub. Later, whilst I was studying in Geneva, a friend taught me to use an industrial sewing machine. Over a year I made about fifteen pairs of shoes, working with upholstery leather I reclaimed from Swiss décharges. One pair of mules made it all around India with me. On returning to the UK, without the industrial machine, I bought pricking irons and took up hand stitching. I made a pair of dog walking boots for a friend; bags for a few others. The concept for an unlined, heavy-weight leather derby had been percolating for awhile and I made the first prototype during paternity leave, 9 months ago, when my son was born. The second was a gift for my partner, and the third is this entry (destined for a pal in Liverpool). Someone once told me that if you can make shoes then you can make anything. I find inspiration in that sentiment.

Website

← →

Hand-stitched derby no.3

Category: Footwear

Competitions: Fashion Competition 2026

Saddle-stitched derby with goodyear-welted sole. These shoes are made with no machinery, other than a Dremel to grind the soles. Contrary to the mechanisation which put handsewn shoemakers in the UK out of business, they’re almost entirely saddle-stitched; a traditional technique with a distinctive saw-toothed pattern which can only be performed by hand. Otherwise butt-stitching is employed to ensure a seamless join on the wearer's heel, and the heel counter is formed using a V-stitch, which provides shape whilst working with the weight of the leather. The leather, thread and outsole material for these shoes were chosen for the design principle of maximum sustainability. Each is as unprocessed as you can select and will go easily back to the earth. Vegetable-tanned leather, waxed linen thread, natural crepe soles; bury them in soil and they’d be gone within a decade. Moreover, the shoes were designed for longevity, both in durability of materials and use of traditional welting and slipsoles to be simple to repair and resole at any local cobbler.