Last year, the historic Rucallen Shoe Repair store, which for 33 years has been a precious pearl of the West Edmonton Mall of Edmonton (Canada), changed its name. The sign board now reads “Custom Shoes by Zapato Sanchez” to indicate that the evolution has begun. It all started in 2014 when Rodrigo Sanchez returned home after attending the Italian ARSUTORIA school.

Repairing shoes was no longer enough for him, so Rodrigo and his father gradually transformed the store into a boutique where customers could order custom-made shoes. It was a resounding success that led to a waiting list of 6 months and pushed them to create their own collection (now in the prototyping stage).

The brand-new line will bring the footwear tradition back to Canada. The models will be made entirely of leather, including the sole, and to last over time. The Blake-stitched construction of the shoes will ensure a handcrafted quality wanted by Sanchez to counteract a market saturated by disposable fashion, “horrible for the health of the feet, and for the environment”.

My father and I make each pair of shoes by hand,” says Rodrigo, “so as to ensure an overall handcrafted quality. We are filled with a passion for what we do. And we’re excited about what’s going to happen in our future.

The Zapato Sanchez models have already been paraded on the catwalk during the Western Canada Fashion Week: “We were able to show our work and see it alongside prestigious names such as Coach and Kate Spade”.