| Taking a tour through Freed of London's main pointe shoe factory outside of London made it very clear the company has maintained their high standards by not deviating from a successful formula. That formula involves respecting a distinguished tradition going back to 1928 when Frederick Freed, his wife and an assistant opened a retail store in St. Martin's Lane where they sewed shoes in the basement. |
| As Frederick Freed Ltd. prospered, Mr. Freed realized that many dancers stopped dancing because the traditional shoes of his day had a fixed width and were too narrow for some customers. He then began to concentrate on providing custom shoes, a skill and a service that remain Freed's special province. |
| For generations dancers have prized these shoes for their lightness and sensitivity. Bronya Seifert, Advertising and Production Manager, says that the way they make their shoes is a very old method called turnshoe. That's when the shoes are made inside out until the block is formed by hand, dried and then turned right-side-out. Every street shoe was made this way until the 1870's. |
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| It's such a complicated process that Freed's would rather hire people who have had no shoemaking experience at all rather than having to un-do what they have learned and re-train them. It takes at least 6 months to train a "maker"; then a bit longer for them to fit into their own style and find them own rhythm. |
| Due to the demand of the American market for an 'off the peg' (meaning every one is exactly the same) shoe, the company now has three new models made in a slightly different way. The Studios, Studios II and The Studio Professional have the block made separately and then is inserted into the upper so that all the blocks will be identical, but it is still hand made using all the same bio-degradable products and ingredients as the other styles. The Classic shoe, in contrast, will have slight variances due to the fact that every maker is different with their own idiosyncrasies. They're not trying to make them different; it's just that a style develops. |
| Michele Attfield, recognized as one of the foremost authorities on pointe shoes in the world, is a Director of the company as well as the Main Fitter. Full of confidence, charm and |
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