Besides the handmade shoes Duke & Dexter has a customisation service 10F1. Make your shoes personal.
Leather is the material of choice in the new Duke + Dexter trainer, which combines rich suede or washable white Italian leather uppers and linings to create the ultimate sneaker for cool city living.
It features a custom sole unit with a specially padded heel section that has a seamless construction for extra comfort.
Handmade in England, each component is sustainably sourced and ordered to use so there is zero waste and nothing left over.
Where is this name 10F1 coming from?
The name 1OF1 was chosen as each custom pair we create is one of a kind, so they are 1/1. We work with clients on a one to one basis to ensure that we create a pair that is personal to them and cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
How does this customisation process works?
When a client gets in touch with us wishing to create a custom pair, they are put in direct contact with myself, the artist. I will then talk to them over zoom or email to find out their ideas and wishes for their custom pair, talking them through all our options. Once a design idea has been established, I work on creating design mock-ups to send over to them, getting the clients thoughts and opinions throughout the entire process to ensure it is exactly as they would like.
When the client is completely happy with the design mock-up, I can then begin creating their unique pair. The hand-painting process will take a few hours to complete per pair, allowing them to be created to the highest standard. Once complete, I will seal the painting with varnish to ensure the design is durable and made to last. The custom pair is then carefully boxed up and shipped.
Can you say something about the leather that you use for this new line?
To ensure our hand-painted designs in this line are durable, it is important for us to properly prepare the leather before the design is carefully created on top. This process involves deglazing the leather and then using different grade of sand paper to ensure the surface smooth and therefore the perfect canvas for the paint. This part of the design process takes time and is very important to complete on every custom pair.