Christian Ariton (II)

January 12, 2015

IMAG1265_1Day by day I was immersed into a new fascinating world: Mr Myhre opening my appetite for tools, tool makers, quality supplies and teaching me how to approach a task. He constantly challenges me to think bespoke, to decide based on measurements, to work clean and precise. I enjoy it and I’m amazed by his extensive knowledge, from forging tools, sewing machines, to why the best linen comes from North Ireland. The way he understands the beauty and the functionality of a shoe is reflected in the accuracy of all the operations employed in making, the flow of the lines, the character of the shoe, the unity of all details and materials.


At this moment I learn lasting and welting. It’s hard but is amazing, and is life improving. To make bespoke shoes one need to commit to life-long learning, to combine knowledge from design, geometry, anatomy, woodworking, leather working, tool making… That’s the beauty of bespoke shoemaking.

In the end, I want to say that I’m here, after 1 hear of apprenticeship, by the grace of God and the help of all the nice people He constantly puts into my life. I live a life of prayer answers and blessings. Call them the apprenticeship in itself, a workshop at MESH Oslo, 200 EA Berg knives, an amazing master, an interview on Claymoor’s List, a friendship with one of the Lobbs, 3 financial “protectors” and so on.

Elastic Instep profil AF copy

If any of the readers wants to start a similar journey in shoemaking my advice is: dream it, do it, be mad about it. Fears and doubts will constantly come and only a strong purpose keeps you marching on and spending tens of thousands of euros before you make the first one. My purpose is about the feet of that African boy, walking miles for the basic needs. Those feet keep me walking further.


I wrote my story also having in mind those people struggling to make a decision, to renegade a career, to risk the social/professional status they have in favor of following their passion. Shoemaking is hard, is huge, time consuming, expensive, but is noble and rewarding.

My thanks go to JP Myhre, Beate and Wolfgang Topfer and my brothers Mihai and Iulian. I wouldn’t be here without you all.

Total ovenifra