【#05】Making of Shoes - Leathers

Sellenatela shoes are mostly made of genuine leather, with the exception of fabrics and miscellaneous materials. Genuine leather has a uniqueness and taste that faux leather does not have, and designer Enomoto is fascinated by its depth and fun, and prefers to use genuine leather.

This time, we visited Maruki Co., Ltd., a planning wholesaler of leather that is indispensable for making Sellenatela shoes.

As I mentioned in the previous STORIES , in the shoe industry, where the division of labor is thorough, the material stores that handle leather are also subdivided by field. We are dealing with

Maruki handles both domestically produced leather and imported leather. The imported goods zone of the showroom is lined with high-quality leather from more than a dozen countries around the world, including Italy, India, and Ethiopia.

Only two pairs of shoes can be made from one piece of leather

The designer, Enomoto, has a baby calf made in Italy that was actually used in HELENA [REDDISH BROWN] from the 17AW COLLECTION, and is said to be the finest calf leather. It is very smooth, soft, and has a fine texture. Now, how many pairs of shoes can be made from this one piece of leather?

―― The answer is only two pairs. Baby calf leather is made from calves up to 3 months old, so the amount of leather that can be removed from each baby is very small.

The pumps in the center of the photo below, HELENA [REDDISH BROWN], were made using the leather in the photo above.

Italian leather is attractive because of its exquisite coloring and tasteful processing that Japanese leather does not have.

Discover the water-repellent leather used for NOA and GINA's rain series, which are popular in Sellenatela. There are many variations.

The in-house designed leathers that can only be obtained at Maruki include unique leathers that you won't find anywhere else, such as denim-like processed ones.

The colors are so colorful and just looking at them is fun! Of course, Italian leather is attractive, but there must be leather that can only be made by Japanese people. Recently, on the contrary, there are times when we receive requests from overseas customers who want us to “create a Japanese-style color”.

A stock room where many leathers are neatly lined up. Color coded by manufacturer tanner.

Pursue fun and create new value

Mr. Kitazawa, the president of the company, says that he is always looking for something new and interesting that he can do, especially now that there are no new challengers, as many leather wholesalers have dropped their reputation in recent years. I've always loved fashion, and I've been to Italy twice a year, always keeping an eye on the latest overseas trends, and continuing this company for 47 years.

``It's a great job to be able to work in fashion, and to be able to go to Italy,'' he says with a smile.

Like Apollo, a shoe manufacturer introduced in STORIES #02 and #03 , Maruki also has young staff members. In order to create new and interesting leather, it seems that the president and young staff are in charge of leather planning.

I found a special pair that the president of Apollo gave me to commemorate the renewal of the showroom.

As a series "Making of Shoes" so far,

We have delivered about Sellenatela's shoe making over 4 times.

In recent years, many manufacturers and materials stores have gone out of business, but there are people who are pursuing fun, newness, and originality by creating a place where young people who will lead to the future can play an active role. By working with such manufacturers and materials stores, Sellenatela can continue to take on challenges.

Ikue Enomoto

Sellenatela Designer Enomoto

I am often asked, "Why do you stick to Japanese products?" I think that the interesting thing about Japanese products is the connection with people that is difficult to feel in the production background of mass production lines, and the specialization that comes from the division of labor. The shoe industry is closed, but when I jumped in, there were manufacturers and materials stores who accepted me and took on challenges with me. I would like to work with such forward-looking people to make the shoe industry brighter in 5 or 10 years.

It is often said that being a designer is a job that gives you dreams, but as a shoe designer, I would like to convey the charm of the shoe industry and the fun of making shoes to young people who want to be involved in shoes. increase.

" STORIES " tells various stories related to Sellenatela, such as people, technology, and inspiration sources that serve as image sources for shoe making. We will continue to deliver stories that will make the Sellenatela shoes by your side shine even brighter. looking forward to.

Search