In The Making
Dancers in Lockdown
April 16, 2020
Dancers View – An Interview with Isabella Torres
June 19, 2020
The Classic Pointe Shoe
The Classic Pointe Shoe
Tradition
The year was 1929 when cobbler Frederick Freed began handcrafting pointe shoes from a tiny basement in Covent Garden. Working alongside his wife and one assistant, Freed quickly became the go to name for some of the most famous and respected dancers in the world.
Fredrick Freed used one of the oldest methods of shoe construction, ‘Turn Shoe’ which means the shoe is made inside out and then ‘turned’ to reveal the finished shoe.
Fast forward 90 years and the same traditional methods are still be used to make over 250,000 pairs of Classic Pointe Shoes a year!
The Maker
Each and every one of our Classic pointe shoes are painstakingly hand crafted by a highly skilled master craftsmen called a ‘Maker’ There are currently 28 Makers across our three UK factories each with their own makers mark. A maker can produce up to 41 pairs of shoes a day all made by hand!
Origin of the Makers Mark
When Fredrick Freed started to expand and take on other makers, he devised a way to determine who made which shoes, by making them all stamp their shoes with a mark, to which he referred when shoes were returned with any faults.
After a while dancers realised that certain shoes suited them better than others and they eventually became aware of the significance of this mark on the shoes they preferred. They were then able to quote this mark and get their preferred shoes, which is still the case today.
Did you know? Freed pointe shoes are said to be some of the quietest shoes on stage, one of the reasons for this is that a Freed pointe shoe is constructed entirely from natural and biodegradable components and with a hand shaped multi layered block.
Special
Two thirds of all Classic Pointe Shoes are made to Dancer's individual specifications, these are called 'Specials' and require accuracy to within 3 mm. It is the combination of skill, expertise and dedication to the customer that gives the Freed pointe shoe its world renowned reputation of excellence.
Watch the full Classic Pointe Shoe making process
Where to Buy The Classic Pointe Shoe
Available to order from our flag ship store in Covent Garden*, mail order and now online! (Currently available for US customers only)
* Covent Garden Store is temporarily closed due to the current Government restrictions. Updates can be found at www.freedoflondon.com
Related posts
Dancers in Lockdown
April 16, 2020Dancers View – An Interview with Isabella Torres
June 19, 2020
The Classic Pointe Shoe
The Classic Pointe Shoe
Tradition
The year was 1929 when cobbler Frederick Freed began handcrafting pointe shoes from a tiny basement in Covent Garden. Working alongside his wife and one assistant, Freed quickly became the go to name for some of the most famous and respected dancers in the world.
Fredrick Freed used one of the oldest methods of shoe construction, ‘Turn Shoe’ which means the shoe is made inside out and then ‘turned’ to reveal the finished shoe.
Fast forward 90 years and the same traditional methods are still be used to make over 250,000 pairs of Classic Pointe Shoes a year!
The Maker
Each and every one of our Classic pointe shoes are painstakingly hand crafted by a highly skilled master craftsmen called a ‘Maker’ There are currently 28 Makers across our three UK factories each with their own makers mark. A maker can produce up to 41 pairs of shoes a day all made by hand!
Origin of the Makers Mark
When Fredrick Freed started to expand and take on other makers, he devised a way to determine who made which shoes, by making them all stamp their shoes with a mark, to which he referred when shoes were returned with any faults.
After a while dancers realised that certain shoes suited them better than others and they eventually became aware of the significance of this mark on the shoes they preferred. They were then able to quote this mark and get their preferred shoes, which is still the case today.
Did you know? Freed pointe shoes are said to be some of the quietest shoes on stage, one of the reasons for this is that a Freed pointe shoe is constructed entirely from natural and biodegradable components and with a hand shaped multi layered block.
Special
Two thirds of all Classic Pointe Shoes are made to Dancer's individual specifications, these are called 'Specials' and require accuracy to within 3 mm. It is the combination of skill, expertise and dedication to the customer that gives the Freed pointe shoe its world renowned reputation of excellence.Watch the full Classic Pointe Shoe making process
Where to Buy The Classic Pointe Shoe
Available to order from our flag ship store in Covent Garden*, mail order and now online! (Currently available for US customers only)
* Covent Garden Store is temporarily closed due to the current Government restrictions. Updates can be found at www.freedoflondon.com