The moccasins in the workshop photograph still contain their blue lasts. Their uppers sit in a line on the metal surface, with a pair of pliers close by. The view holds together the shoe's finished outline and the equipment needed to arrive at it.
Elsewhere in the sequence, completed pairs are arranged across a table. Repetition makes comparison possible: the curve of the apron, the width of the strap and the relation between upper and sole can be seen from one shoe to the next. A single profile held in the hand makes that outline easier to read.
The underside introduces another view of the work. A stitched line follows the perimeter; the heel gives the sole its change in level. These photographs document what is visible at different stages, without compressing the whole process into a single polished product image.
The Proper Moccasin is made in Portugal, within the House's continuing footwear work there. Keeping the workshop photographs alongside the finished pair preserves something useful: the object can be appreciated for its appearance, while the time and attention around its making remain in view.
From the House archive · The Proper Label®
