Austalian Pendragon Shoes ~ They’re Not Just For Elves Anymore
January 11, 2010 by cinder
Filed under art & sole
Claudia Lynch, shuzsociety art & sole columnist
Okay, I know I just did a whole piece on elf shoes at Christmastime … Heavens to Etsy! You Don’t Have To Be A Shoemaker To Gift Like One. Apparently, I cannot get them out of my system. But stay with me here, because these amazing faerlie-inspired shoes are not just for elves. Big-name designers have discovered this mystical Australian footwear by Pendragon Shoes, and it’s in huge demand throughout the fashion and art world.
Pendragon Shoes is the name of the Australian designing and shoemaking duo Jackie Orme Ward and Adrian Lockwood. Their web site pendragonshoes.com — a work of art in itself — says that they make “Unique handcrafted leather shoes”, but somehow that seems like an understatement.
These are genuine works of art — and I shudder to think you’d ever shutter them away in your shoe closet. From a small workshop on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Adrian and Jackie accept commissions from around the world and create exclusive limited edition collections, costume shoes, and exhibition art pieces, all designed and made by the two of them, personally. There is no factory, and no elves to assist. “What we are about is a hands-on process with the emphasis on attention to detail. Rare buttons, antique buckles, vintage and hand tooled leathers combine to create the distinct Pendragon signature. You won’t find these shoes anywhere else!” say Adrian and Jackie.
“Since establishing the label in 1987, it has been our vision to create something extraordinary and unique; a quest to bring to life shoes you’d dreamt you might one day find; shoes to desire and delight…..shoes to treasure.” Works from their exhibitions, including “Metamorphosis”, “Visions of the Absurd in the Age of Reason”, “Secret Desires” and “Art in Shoes” (Munich), have toured around Australia as a retrospective for the last five years, and a pair of their shoes was acquired by the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney in 1997.
Pendragon art shoes have featured at Milan Fashion Week 2007, Design Festa Tokyo 2008, and were most recently commissioned and photographed for a September 2009 Italian Vogue editorial by Steven Meisel and Karl Templer. The piece goes on for well over twenty pages, and looks like Fellini’s version of Commedia dell’Arte, mixed up with scenes from Les Miz and the Artful Dodger.
Pendragon Shoes featured in September 2007 issue of Italian Vogue.
Of course, I wanted to know everything there is to know about these fantastical creations, and Adrian was kind enough to respond to my email questions almost immediately.
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Why shoes? How did you get started in the art shoe business? Did you begin in shoes or in costumes?
We met at University and teamed up because we were both into making things, and shared a few market stalls. The shoe thing was accidental really. We had a stall at a festival and made some pointy colorful boots to wear — half half colors and bells — and found we had orders. It grew out of that.
What did you make and sell at the market stalls?
All sorts of things: jewelry, candles, tie dye, silkscreen, batik and hand painted fashion; sort of a swampy/fantasy collision vibe.
Why are you called Pendragon? I found something on Ebay called “Red Shoes” that appears to be a vinyl record by a group called Pendragon. Any connection?
No connection to the song or the band. Pendragon is an old Welsh name. The King Arthur of legend’s full name was Arthur Pendragon, Son of Uther Pendragon. It seemed appropriate to the shoes we were trying to make early on, the kind of shoes that fell out of faerie stories or through the cracks between worlds.
What and where is the Woodford Folk Festival? Where else do you exhibit? Can these be seen anywhere in the US?
Woodford Folk Festival is an amazing week long festival. It’s held on a beautiful Sunshine Coast hinterland property and runs from Boxing Day through to New Years Day every year. It started as a small folk festival but has grown to be an all-embracing arts/multicultural/ideas melting pot: music, circus, theater, workshops, debates, comedy, you name it…and camping. It culminates in an amazing fire ceremony held in a natural amphitheater at the top of the festival. If you get the chance,go! We also have exhibitions occasionally and do the odd market.
I haven’t found any retail sources, so I’m assuming all of your work is custom. Are there any plans for retail sales?
You’re right, we don’t have any stockists and we have been largely custom made. This year however, we are looking to reinvent ourselves with an eye on exporting to Europe and the US. We are investigating possibilities.
Can you tell me some of the theatrical productions you’ve worked on?
We’ve done shoes for heaps of theatre over the years, but mainly for the Queensland Theater Company and Opera Queensland; also worked on a few films, the biggest one being “Peter Pan”.
Do you wear your own shoes, or are the cobbler’s children barefoot?
Nice question. Yes we wear our own shoes and Jackie’s children have the odd pair, mainly for dress-ups.
Which are your favorites?
The favorites are always the latest thing you make, I think. Currently, Alice booties and an older favourite, high autumn leaf boots with curly heels.
What are the curly heels made from on the autumn leaf boots? It looks like metal.
That’s right, they are blacksmithed steel.
Can you say a few words about remaining in business in this horrible economy by making something beautiful and perfect and not compromising to make them cheap and awful?
This is a tricky one; we have had probably the worst year financially ever this last year and the best creatively. Being asked to create boots for Steven Meisel’s Italian vogue photostory was a bolt from the blue and a great catalyst for us. Not compromising? I guess we are both very stubborn and have a blind faith in what we do. The idea has always been to bring something special into being and neither of us have a clue about business anyway…That’s probably the real reason.
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By Claudia Lynch, artist and shuzsociety “art & sole” columnist. For more about Claudia Lynch, artist and creator of ShoeStories™, please visit her web site at www.claudialynch.com.
Hello my name is Maria!
I’ve also stuck on these fantastic shoes, I have three pairs that I have with the images on my web store, these are not the most spectacular so I think that many here in Sweden will like them. I will sell them on commission and as well buy a few pairs that I will be on sale in my shop. I think those with the flower on. Trro and I hope these shoes will go well and sell.
Please visit my webb shop and have an look..