Interviews with Freed of London’s Longest Running Pointe Shoe Makers – Part 1
Styles of Ballet: Romantic
February 13, 2020
Interviews with Freed of London’s Longest Running Pointe Shoe Makers – Part 2
February 27, 2020
We recently paid homage to our trainee pointe shoe makers, so this week we took the time to ask two of our longest running makers in the Freed of London factory a few questions about their time crafting shoes for us. Watch out for part two next week!
Taksim
1. When did you start working for Freed of London?
13. 09. 1999.
2. What is your maker stamp?
Anchor.
3. Do you have any happy memories that stand out from your time working here? Could you tell us about that?
When I met Darcey Bussell and gave her an interview for the BBC.
4. Where were you working before you joined Freed of London?
Before starting my career at Freed’s, I worked for a designer garment factory as a sample machinist.
5. How do you continue to perfect your craft?
With good training and experience. I strive to make the perfect shoes each and every day.
6. You have been working closely with the same people for so long – do you feel like you are working with a second family?
Yes, we are like family here, I see these guys almost every day.
7. Why do you think the future for Freed is exciting?
We have lots of orders with no sign of slowing down! As long as there will be ballet dancers, there will always be Freed of London.
8. Pointe shoe making is a difficult trade to perfect, how long did it take to get to your current level of skill?
Due to good training I was able to pick it up quickly and perfected my method of making within within six months.
9. You have been here for a significant amount of time, but would you say you’re still learning new things/lessons?
You never stop learning on this job, I am always learning new techniques, especially as the world of dance evolves.
10. Why do you think so many dancers choose to predominantly use Freed of London shoes and products?
We believe in our product and so do the dancers. Also, we still use the same traditional methods that we started with, adding to modern concepts but never changing.
11. Can you tell us a bit about the way Freed of London as a company used to be? What do you think has changed the most over the years?
I believe we are trying to keep with the trends, before we focused solely on pointe shoes, now we are able to venture into new areas, it’s an exciting time.
Alan
1. When did you start working for Freed of London?
2002.
2. What is your maker stamp?
Triangle.
3. Do you have any happy memories that stand out from your time working here? Could you tell us about that?
When I met my dancer Araminta Wraith, appearing on an episode of Sunday Brunch [TV Show] and being in interviewed for The Insider.
4. Where were you working before you joined Freed of London?
I used to work in a pub, I was also a DJ.
5. How do you continue to perfect your craft?
With a lot of time, experience and dedication to making the perfect pair of pointe shoes.
6. You have been working closely with the same people for so long – do you feel like you are working with a second family?
Yes, we spend so much time working together, everyone here is part of the Freed family.
7. Why do you think the future for Freed is exciting?
Because right now we are the best in the business.
8. Pointe shoe making is a difficult trade to perfect, how long did it take to get to your current level of skill?
I am still learning and perfecting my shoes, but at the start of my career it took me about 8 months to train
9. You have been here for a significant amount of time, but would you say you’re still learning new things/lessons?
The ballet industry and ballet dancers are always growing and changing, so I am always learning new techniques when it comes to pointe shoe making.
10. Why do you think so many dancers choose to predominantly use Freed of London shoes and products?
They’re hand-made in the UK, well-crafted and biodegradable, which makes them appealing to many dancers from around the world.
11. Can you tell us a bit about the way Freed of London as a company used to be? What do you think has changed the most over the years?
The quality keeps on improving year on year.
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