In April, at the newly held "World Championship in Shoemaking" in London, Wataru Shimamoto was selected as the fourth-place winner, beating out many renowned shoemakers. He is the top apprentice of Hidetaka Fukaya. He is aiming to make his debut next year, ten years after becoming an apprentice.

Works by Patrick Frye, "the world's best shoemaker," will be on special display, and top-winning shoes from the "World Championship In-Shoemaking" will be gathered at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building !

Event Information

"World Championship In Shoemaking" Exhibition

□October 3rd (Wednesday) - 9th (Tuesday)

□ Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , B1F = Men's Shoes
▶Learn more here

"The theme was black Oxfords. The highlights are the long vamp and seamless heel. This is a bit technical, but when you try to last a vamp that wraps around from the toe to the heel, the heel area just doesn't fit. So I first made a wholecut (single piece of leather) upper, lasted it, and then drew a pattern directly on top of the upper to cut out the vamp. Then I lasted another wholecut upper of the same design and cut around the lace stay. In short, this shoe is made up of two donut-shaped parts of different sizes, using the uppers of two shoes."

Even experts with considerable expertise probably can't understand this structure without seeing the actual object and having it explained, and Shimamoto has ranked among the top five in the world for this.

I arrived in Florence by my own way.

"Nine years is a long time? Now that you mention it, I suppose so. But for me, it went by in an instant. Every day, new challenges arose. How can I overcome these challenges? Time flew by as I repeatedly tested hypotheses."

In the early 2000s, when people were told to at least get a university degree, there was a boom in luxury shoes. Shimamoto, a university student, was impressed by the beauty of the shoes and decided to try making them himself. What makes his approach extraordinary is that he relied on no one else.

"I've always loved drawing and making things. I remember taking apart a mechanical pencil and drawing a diagram of its components when I was in kindergarten."

Shimamoto went to Asakusa to buy leather and other materials, and, poring over shoemaking technique books, used his home sewing machine to create the shoes over two months. He said there were times when he almost gave up, but when he finished, he was already thinking about his next pair of shoes, believing he could do even better.

"I vaguely thought, 'Ah, this is the world I'm going to make it in.' A single piece of leather becomes a three-dimensional object. I was really drawn to the profoundness of natural materials."

To truly acquire the necessary skills, Shimamoto chose to work part-time at a shoe repair shop. While shoe school would be the most systematic way to learn, he believed that the work of a shoe repair shop, which involved disassembling countless shoes, would be far more educational than school.


"Practicing a lot of work is crucial for a craftsman. Working at a shoe repair shop, I could definitely see my hands getting more skilled. It was also a huge advantage to be able to learn cutting-edge adhesive technology, which is scarce in the world of handmade shoes. These days, rubber soles are a specification that can't be underestimated."

This choice also came with an unexpected bonus. The repair shop was full of craftsmen who had returned from Italy. Whenever I had a question, I could consult with colleagues who had received top-notch training.

After graduating from university, Shimamoto immediately got a job at that shoe repair shop. He worked during the day from Monday to Saturday, and dedicated his evenings and Sundays entirely to making his own shoes. Then, he went to Italy. Surprisingly, he boarded a plane without making any prior contact whatsoever, literally just on a whim.

"I've already made a fair number of shoes, and I judged that I'd reached a point where I could do reasonably well. In other words, I figured someone would hire me. Florence is a city of craftsmanship, so I thought that at worst I could find work doing manual labor."

It was Stefano Bemel who knocked on the door. He was able to meet Bemel himself, who had sadly passed away, but was advised, "It will be difficult for us. Why don't you go to Fukaya?" Bemel was worried that Stefano couldn't speak Italian at all. At that time, Fukaya wasn't taking on any apprentices, but Stefano visited him thinking he had nothing to lose, and unexpectedly he was hired. The path he took, which he was so lucky to have started, was by no means easy.

"I was sometimes told to decide by tomorrow whether I was quitting or not. I desperately clung on. I couldn't just go back to Japan after coming this far. It was pure stubbornness."

There was also a sense of awe, or perhaps even longing, in that.

"He was someone I looked up to, and I never imagined I'd be able to become his apprentice. And I've come to realize that even more since actually working with him. Not only is his technique exceptional, but everything about him is imbued with an overwhelming sense of aesthetics. It goes without saying that the lines he draws are beautiful, but even the way Mr. Fukaya moves his pen is beautiful. I feel so fortunate to have been able to work under him."

Next-generation aesthetic beauty with a touch of masculinity.