Llorraine and Debra

So here we are, in a lovely garden surrounded by four stately buildings between 56th street and 57th street.  Under the practised eyes of Llorraine and her assistant, Debra, Ingrid and I  spent the morning gluing shanks  to our soles, cutting out our shoe uppers, skiving our toeboxes and getting swoozy from all of that glue so we are having lunch al fresco.

“Did you know that champagne is absolutely marvelous served with fresh snow?”  This was another pearl of wisdom from Llorraine, our She Wolf of Shoes.

Today is Day 3 of our Mastering the Art of Shoemaking Class and we are finally catching glimpses of wonder as we work our way to heaven on heels.  Wow! happens a lot.  Our shoes gain life, personality and the power to amaze with each step of our shoemaking journey.  And they have names.  Ingrid’s strappy shoes are Pucci Rock.  Debra’s empire heeled Louis XIV-meets-flapper are Molly and Llorraine thinks my Jackson Pollack peek-a-boos should be named 300, after the animated film about the Spartan warriors.

I can’t wait to show them to you.

Walk among angels and dance with demons

How can I possibly return to the world of indifferently designed shoes?

And you, how could I leave all of you in such an unbeautiful place?

Here’s what you must do:  Visit Llorraine and wander through her gallery of Inner Dreams Awakened. You will be inspired.  You will be uplifted.  You will be happy.

More images to come!

“Sigh! OK, I’ll just move out so you can have more closet space for your shoemaking stuff, that’s what’s going to happen, isn’t it?”

Seth knows me so well.

the leather store

Get more Wow!

If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:

Getting to Wow! to feel good, do good and look good

Nonprofit Knitwear for all things knit and nonprofit

Style Notes from me, your artspy

Hoong Yee