The Craftmanship of Comfort - How we handmake our shoes
The Sole of Spain: Unpacking the Craft of S&G Shoemaking
It is no secret that Spanish-made footwear represents the pinnacle of European quality and enduring style. But beyond the beautiful finished product, what exactly makes our shoes so exceptional? The answer lies in time-honoured techniques, obsessive precision, and intelligent design. But, it all begins with the Last!
The Foundation – Understanding the Last (Horma)
Every great shoe begins with the Last, known in Spanish as the Horma. The last is an anatomical mould, traditionally made of wood or modern high-density plastic, that defines the shape, size, fit, and proportions of the final shoe.
The last is arguably the most crucial component, as it dictates the entire fit experience—from the height of the arch to the slope of the heel and the volume of the toe box. Master shoemakers spend countless hours perfecting a last design, ensuring it not only looks beautiful but respects the natural mechanics of the foot. It is the three-dimensional blueprint that ensures a shoe offers true comfort and a perfect silhouette.
Sargasso & Grey use unique lasts (lasts with a wide toe) that have been created exclusively for our footwear to ensure all of our shoes are created with a wide or extra-wide toe box. There is an important distinction between wide lasts and lasts with a wide toe: Wide Lasts will create a shoe that is wide all over (often meaning they are unsuitable for people with bunions, who generally only need width at the front of the shoe). Lasts with a wide toe ensure that the shoes only offer extra width in the toe box; with the rest of the shoe being a standard fit (suitable for the majority of people with wide feet and bunions).
The Last
Precision – The Art of Pattern Cutting (El Corte)
This process of creating and cutting the shoe from a pattern is called, El Corte (The Cut), and is a precise art that translates the 3D shape of the last into flat pieces that will later be stitched together.
The initial pattern is essentially a 'mask' created over the last. This flat pattern is then used as a template to cut the leather pieces. Precision here is paramount. Artisans carefully select the best part of the hide, avoiding imperfections, before cutting the components by hand.
Crafting Comfort - Creating the shoe
Sargasso & Grey shoes are intelligently designed to address and eliminate a range of pain points that people who have wide feet, hammertoes, bunions or other foot issues often experience. Whilst we know our shoes are special, they are not specialist shoes; they are simply shoes that have been more carefully and considerately created, putting the wearer at the heart of the design.
The cut pieces of leather, known as the upper, are stitched together in a process called El Aparado.
Lasting
Once the upper has been assembled, it is pulled taut over the last—a process called lasting—giving the shoe its permanent shape. This stage ensures the leather conforms perfectly to the last's contours, guaranteeing the consistent, beautiful shape and fit you expect.
We work closely with our family-run factories in Spain, choosing partners who specialise in different types of footwear such as Espadrilles, court shoes and trainers, ensuring our shoes are made by the best in the business.
All Sargasso & Grey footwear is made with a wider toe box to offer much-needed extra space for feet to relax. But what truly sets our footwear apart from other wide-fit shoes are the hidden comfort features we incorporate:
- Two layers of memory foam padding within the leather insoles.
- Heels with a wider base and platform soles for more sturdy support.
- Hidden foam panels that envelop the entire toe box to offer seamless cushioned coverage for hammer toes and bunions.*
- Soft leather linings
Katie inspects the shoes on the factory floor
The dedication to our shoe design, from the anatomical structure of the last to the millimetre-perfect cuts of the pattern and customised comfort features, is why our Spanish-made shoes are more than just footwear—they are a lasting piece of craftsmanship.
Sargasso & Grey shoes ready to ship!