Sole survivors: Fashion people show us the shoes they’ve had resoled
IMAGE VIA @fleureganstyle/INSTAGRAM
as told to daisy henry
Best foot forward.
I have a pair of ballet flats that have been teetering on the brink of death for a few months now. A simple black style, they’re the most comfortable, versatile pair of shoes I’ve owned and devastatingly, the brand no longer sells them. I assumed I’d just have to wear them until they fell apart.
Despite writing at length about upcycling, and interviewing people about the creative ways they mend and reimagine old clothing, the option to have them resoled never occurred to me.
For more on slow fashion, head to our Pre-Loved section.
Lo and behold, you can do the same with footwear. By taking your shoes to a local cobbler, you can extend their life by years, for a fraction of the cost of replacing them. Eager to know more, I asked five fashion people to show me the shoes they’ve had resoled and what the process involved.
Camille Allen, host of ‘I Want Your Job’ and Triple J presenter
As the old proverb states, ‘boots are made for walking’. I usually find my shoes secondhand, which leads to the inevitable dry rot. Stiletto tips are crushed and the limp of my blistered foot puts even more pressure on the sole of the pump. I thought this pain and excessive use of duct tape was the life I had signed up for. This was until I found The Lygon Street Cobbler.
They’re affiliated with Northside propaganda (faux tabis line their back wall), they’re honest and they’re passionate. The prices I’ve paid have varied between $25 and $250, depending on what needs fixing.
The most recent shoe I’ve sent in is my Bianca Buccheri Pony Hair Pumps. They hurt like a bitch but my god are they hot. I’ve categorised them as sitting shoes, but adding a protective sole has meant they’ll stay in high rotation for years to come.
Zara Duffy, textile recycler
My heart sank when I first started feeling the concrete through my favourite tabi shoes. But, refusing to let a tight budget separate me and my faves, I decided to fulfil a long-time dream – shoe-making. I went from freaky shoe girl to freaky shoe amateur cobbler!
After emerging from a YouTube rabbit hole, I bought a pair of ‘topy’ half soles and raided our shed for tools. All up, this cost about $30. Yes, I cut and super-glued my fingers and it took ten times longer than a pro. But there are limited options for shoe recycling, so I’m excited to explore this avenue a little further.
Catherine Jia, digital slow fashion creator
I got my cowboy boots about four years ago from Newtown Vintage 313 and wore them pretty much every day until the soles were completely worn down. Instead of replacing them, I took them to Roger Shoe Repairs in Redfern, where Roger (a second-generation cobbler with over 50 years of experience) fixed them up for around $50, which felt so reasonable. And I was able to pick them up within 48 hours!
They’re vintage and took me so long to find, so I couldn’t imagine just throwing them out and replacing them! They’re a one-of-a-kind pair that I know I will never find again.
Candy Brat, digital fashion creator
I have had two pairs of Maison Margiela shoes resoled. Soft leather soles can wear down quite easily, so I had them resoled, not because they were damaged, but more as a preventative measure.
There are not many cobblers left in Geelong, where I live, so I went to Santoro Shoe Repairs in Newtown, as they’re one of the only family-run shoe repair businesses in Geelong. It cost $70 per pair and the wait time was approximately two weeks, but it was worth it to extend the life of my beautiful shoes. If you would like to see the before and after, I documented the process on TikTok.
Fleur Egan, fashion stylist
Let’s talk about my love of resoling my shoes. While many people think to get this done after the soles look transparent, I’m an early resoler!
As soon as I get myself a new pair of shoes, whether vintage or something I’ve splurged on, I head straight to see Roger at Roger shoe repairs in Redfern. It costs around $50 and he even takes the colour of the sole into consideration to match it to your shoe. He’s been doing this for 50 years and I just love visiting.
Resoling your shoes means they don’t have an expiration date and it makes vintage shoes feel like they’ve had a fresh start. Don’t wait till they’re on their last legs – do it straight away and your shoes can last a lifetime.
For more tips on taking care of your shoes, try this.
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