If you’re struggling to find the ideal shoes for your big day, you’ve come to the right person. With a shoe closet consisting of only 5 pairs (this must be some sort of crime for a girl!), I know just how difficult it can be to find shoes that seem right for you. So imagine my delight when I discovered Wootten—a Melbourne-based bespoke footwear brand designed to help you create the perfect pair.
Established in 2012 by Jess Cameron-Wootten, this brilliant store offers two services. Bespoke: where you work with the shoemaker to develop a design that’s just right for you and is tailored to fit your exact measurements. Or Made To Order: where you can customise a pair from their existing range, with options to individualise everything from the colour of the leather to style of stitching on the sole.
As Jess says, “What makes us different from nearly all shoes on the market is that we work directly with the customer to finesse their design/idea/dream into reality…[our] shoes are as much about the experience as they are about the finished product”. With hundreds of colours and finishes to choose from—including some unique choices like Kangaroo or Barramundi leather—you’re bound to end up with a finished product you’ll love!
Following in the footsteps of his father (who was also a bespoke shoemaker), Jess Cameron-Wootten continues the family legacy by creating footwear the old-fashioned way. Each Wootten shoe is handmade in his Prahran workshop and is designed to let the luxurious leathers speak for themselves, “We build shoes to last and look to make the materials shine in the process, thus we are driven to create classic and timeless designs”.
If timeless shoes sound like just the thing for you, Jess suggests some styles for your wedding day from their Made to Order line. “You cannot go past a classic dress broque [such as their Oxford and Derby styles] or a simple and elegant whole cut. The Oxford for the traditionalist, the Kentucky for the more relaxed or the Electric Monk or Uncle Tony for the individual seeking a sleeker look”. But if you’re looking for something special, Jess can help custom make those dream shoes you’re searching for.
From top to bottom: the Saddle Oxford, Kentucky Derby and Uncle Tony styles
Aside from their stylish shoes, Wootten also sell some great leather accessories, which capture that same classic style. My personal favourite are their leather bow-ties – a unique touch for the groom who wants to stay traditional while trying something a little different!
Once you’ve finally found those perfect shoes, now comes the tricky decision of what to wear with them. Jess has some helpful hints: “Stay classic and go with something that you are comfortable in and that makes you feel empowered. After all, if the shoes make you feel great, that feeling will carry across to the rest of your day.”
So if you’re like me and need to fill up that shoe closet, I suggest you check out Wootten’s website or visit them in-store at 20 Gratton St, Prahran.
Images courtesy of Wootten
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