| “The men will be starting the afternoon work soon, and we can begin our tour,” Kohler announced at a quarter to two. But first he wanted to explain an important toe-shoe tradition. They are made inside out and then turned for drying, shaping and cleaning. Turn-shoe making, as it is called, was the method used for all shoes until the 1870s. Today, street shoes are assembled right side out. Toe shoes and some running shoes are the main turn-shoes still being made; when they are reversed, there is a falt, smooth sole seam on the underside. Have they tried to make a toe shoe right side out? “Yes,” nodded Kohler, “but it didn’t work.” Why not? He leaned back in his chair: “Well, shall we just say it wasn’t a ballet shoe?” |
| At street level, in four large bays and several offices, lies the factory. Nineteen of Freed’s makers work in one of these rooms. There are large skylights, and old-fashioned ceiling fans keep the air cool. Each maker has his own workbench with his name and personal mementos – it reminded me of our dressing rooms, where each girl has her “place” with mirror, makeup shelves and theater case, and where we, too, sew our toe shoes, attaching elastic onto the heel and ribbons at the |
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| sides (the shoes don’t come with pre-sewn ribbons so that each dancer can place them to suit herself.) |
| My romantic vision of little old men like Dr. Coppélius, bent over, sewing shoes while dreaming of their lovely, far-off ballerinas, was quickly dispelled. Many of the makers are young or middle-aged, and they stand (always stand) at their workbenches. I asked if the men had photographs of ballerinas to inspire them. Kohler smiled again: “I think you’ll find the men have other kinds of girls on their walls.” Indeed they do. Pinups, belly dancers and provocative calendar art are where my wafting Giselles should be. The girls who have been taped haphazardly to the walls have never sported a toe shoe – or anything else. |
| Pushing and pulling toward the pointe |
| As the maker begins his work, his bench is already set up with the orders for that day and all the raw materials. “Making” is only a small part of the finished product. The other employees do what the maker does not. Initially, he matches the upper to the shank, pleats the toe and then shapes the shoe after the marking,
measuring, cutting and stitching |
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