THE SECOND LIFE
ON LUXURY SNEAKER RESTORATION, THE RESOLE SERVICE, AND WHAT A SHOE CARRIES INTO ITS SECOND LIFE
A SHOE RETURNED FOR RESOLING IS NOT A BROKEN SHOE. IT IS A SHOE THAT HAS DONE ITS FIRST WORK AND IS READY FOR MORE.
THE SOLE HAS WORN. THIS IS WHAT SOLES DO. THEY ABSORB CONTACT WITH THE WORLD ACROSS THOUSANDS OF MILES AND EVENTUALLY REACH THE LIMIT OF THEIR CAPACITY. THIS IS NOT A FAILURE. IT IS THE DESIGNED FUNCTION OF THE COMPONENT. THE QUESTION IS WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. IN A SHOE BUILT TO BE RESOLED, THE ANSWER IS CLEAR: ONLY WHAT HAS WORN OUT IS REPLACED. EVERYTHING ELSE IS PRESERVED.
WHAT THE SHOE CARRIES INTO ITS SECOND LIFE
THE UPPER. WHICH HAS BEEN WORN IN. THE LEATHER THAT HAS BEGUN TO DEVELOP ITS PATINA — THE SPECIFIC, UNREPEATABLE DEPTH OF SURFACE THAT COMES FROM YEARS OF CORRECT WEAR AND MAINTENANCE. THE INSOLE, WHICH HAS COMPRESSED SLOWLY TO THE EXACT ARCHITECTURE OF THE FOOT ABOVE IT. THE LASTING, WHICH HAS SETTLED. THE CHARACTER OF THE OBJECT, WHICH IS NOT WHAT IT WAS WHEN IT LEFT THE WORKSHOP.
THESE THINGS CANNOT BE REPLACED. THEY CAN ONLY BE EARNED, THROUGH USE, OVER TIME. A RESOLED SHOE CARRIES ALL OF THEM INTO ITS SECOND LIFE. A NEW SOLE BENEATH LEATHER THAT HAS LEARNED ITS OWNER. THE SECOND LIFE BEGINS WHERE THE FIRST ENDED, BUT WITH A SHOE THAT IS IN MANY RESPECTS BETTER THAN IT WAS WHEN NEW. MORE SETTLED. MORE PERSONAL. MORE ITSELF.
WHAT THE RESOLE SERVICE REQUIRES
THE RESOLE SERVICE AT 1812 RETURNS THE SHOE TO THE WORKSHOP. THE WORN OUTSOLE IS CAREFULLY REMOVED. THE CONSTRUCTION IS INSPECTED. THE UPPER AND LASTING ARE ASSESSED FOR ANY STRUCTURAL REPAIRS REQUIRED. A NEW SOLE IS FITTED TO THE SAME SPECIFICATION AS THE ORIGINAL. THE SHOE IS FINISHED TO THE STANDARD OF A NEW PAIR. IT LEAVES THE WORKSHOP IN THE CONDITION IN WHICH IT ARRIVED YEARS EARLIER, WITH THE ADDITION OF EVERYTHING IT HAS BECOME IN THE YEARS BETWEEN.
THE ECONOMICS OF THE LONG TERM
THE COST OF A RESOLE IS A FRACTION OF THE COST OF A NEW PAIR. THE UPPER, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE LABOUR AND MATERIAL VALUE, IS PRESERVED. THE LEATHER THAT HAS DEVELOPED ITS CHARACTER IS KEPT. THE INVESTMENT CONTINUES. THE COST PER YEAR OF WEAR OF A HANDMADE SHOE THAT HAS BEEN RESOLED TWICE IS LOWER THAN THAT OF THREE INFERIOR PAIRS ACROSS THE SAME PERIOD. THE ECONOMICS OF QUALITY ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE ECONOMICS OF COST.
THE SECOND LIFE IS NOT AN AFTERTHOUGHT. IT WAS DESIGNED IN FROM THE BEGINNING. EVERY PAIR OF 1812 ENGLAND SNEAKERS IS BUILT TO BE RESOLED. CONTACT US WHEN THE SOLE HAS EARNED IT.
