Andrés Figuerola is the only shoemaker on Mallorca who makes shoes entirely by hand

They are graced by names such as Blucher, Budapester, Full Brogue, Monk, Oxford or Slipper. They are classics for a man and are entirely made by hand by this maker of made-to-measure shoes, Andrés Figuerola. This 50-year old from Esporles takes around 40 hours to make one pair. There is a choice of twelve different models.

“The design comes from England, the leather mostly from Germany, the threads from Portugal, the tools mainly from France,” says Figuerola. His mini-factory is thus rather like a small-scale Europe.

At the same time, his workshop appears anything but modern. Indeed, it seems rather like a museum. “My retreat,” Figuerola calls his little kingdom, looks over the glasses that sit on the tip of his nose, and says: “Welcome to the 18th century!”

For 20 years, this man has learned his métier, serving his apprenticeship with one “of the best shoemakers in Spain”, at the workshop of José Riudavets of Menorca, a “true master craftsmen with the hands of a pianist and the eyes of a lynx,” relates Figuerola. A shoemaker of the old school who could, with his own eyesight, discern deviations of less than half a millimeter.

Figuerola works with the very same perfection and uses only the finest calfskin or horse leather, which is as fine as glove leather. The material alone may cost up to 150 € a pair. Figuerola as a rule charges from 300 to 600 € a pair; however, for that “they last 15 to 20 years”.

To indulge in this fine footwear there come friends and those who still appreciate exceptional, high-quality footwear. Andréa has several foreign customers and it goes without saying that Figuerola exclusively carries stock made by himself.

All his work is made-to-measure. The shoemaker’s wooden cast precisely corresponds to the shape of the customer’s foot. There then follows: selecting the model, cutting the leather, perhaps stamping in the characteristic peekaboo design. Here, incidentally, a sure hand is certainly useful, each eyelet must fit perfectly – for instance in the case of the Oxford model, the shoes that Fred Astaire so loved.

The next step is for the uppers to be joined to the soles. This in itself is a specially demanding technique, bearing in mind that the stitched seam lies hidden in the sole. First of all, therefore, it is cut open and subsequently cemented together again. Last but not least, is the heel: for this, several leather pieces, layer on layer, are nailed on top of one another until the requisite height is finally attained. Now, the sole edge and heel are shaped with a sharp knife, smoothed down and coloured to go with the upper and finally the whole is polished until it gleams. Finished!

“What is so fascinating with this work is that one sees how something acquires form before one’s eyes, how it becomes ever more beautiful,” says the shoemaker with passion. No pair of shoes is exactly like another and everything comes from Nature. Even the adhesive that he uses consists of water and meal – a highly practical paste as it allows the foot to breathe.The tools of his trade too are particularly precious to this shoemaker. Andrés inherited these from his father, who was given them, in turn, by his father. There are pieces of equipment, scissors, pliers and files - sometimes with wooden grips that are no longer to be found on the market. Unless one has a requisite portion of luck of course! This occurred a short time ago when, in the course of the winding up of a long-established ironmongery, Figuerola discovered some bodkins [a sharply pointed instrument for making holes in leather]. Having carefully wrapped paper around the circular needles he has stowed them away in a drawer in his ‘retreat’. He now guards them like a treasure.