Founded in 2010 by Tsuyoshi Ohno and Yohei Shimamura, Tokyo-based TYE Shoemaker is well-known as the gold standard in shoe-making. Their classic and refined bespoke leather shoes draw from Victorian influences but have their own unique spin. They offer designs that combine an old-world European style with modernity, finished with a Japanese touch.
The pair met as apprentices at the Guild of Crafts shoe-making school in the early 2000s. After working together on a shoe, they found that their vision of shoe-making aligned.
They began making riding boots, before progressing to women’s shoes and now, primarily men’s luxury leather footwear.
They believe shoe-making is a form of artistic expression and work with clients to create their one-of-a-kind shoe. With hundreds of hours poured into the making of each hand-welted shoe, clients can expect their order to take about two years to complete.
Today, they offer both men and women’s footwear. Each piece is made-to-order, and no two shoes are the same.
TYE Shoemaker accepts orders during a yearly trunk show at Mason & Smith.