Barbara Shaum
Barbara Shaum is my sandal making idol! An activist, teacher, and sandal master, The ‘Grande Dame’ of sandal making had a shop in NYC for 54 years. Barbara passed in 2015 at age 86, but her legacy & her timeless sandals live on.
Davy Rippner
Davy was at the center of sandal making in California in the 60’s. He is still making his signature “Lord of the Rings” sandals on South Pender Island, BC. I’ve had the pleasure of corresponding with him a few times via email, and he is a delightful fellow. Check out his website - it contains a huge amount of useful & eclectic information, including an in-depth tutorial on how to make your own LOTR sandals.
Stavros Melissinos
Stavros was the ‘Poet Sandal Maker’ of Athens, well known for the sandals he would make for tourists & celebrities alike - the Beatles & Jackie O. were repeat clients of his. His son & daughter are still making sandals in Greece.
Thierry Attal
Thierry makes custom sandals in his Paris atelier, where he has been making sandals since he was 15. I visited him when I was living in Paris; he was so friendly and was happy to talk with me about sandal making, despite our language barrier.
Kika NY
Kika apprenticed for Barbara Shaum for 15 years, and still makes gorgeous leather sandals, bags, and leather accessories. They are located in Spain.
Michael Mahnensmith
Michael started making sandals in Catalina in the 60’s, and continues to make his patented ‘Island Sandals’ on Maui. One of my students apprenticed with him…it sounds like it was a real trip!
Jutta Neumann
Jutta apprenticed with Barbara Shaum, and still makes sandals in that lineage but with her own modern twist. Visiting her New York workshop was a total dream! If you are a sandal-head like myself and are in NY, it’s a must-visit spot.