Sonomitsu: Walking in another man's shoes

Shoe designer Hajime Sonoda of 15 year-old brand Sonomitsu signs every pair that he makes. "Making shoes is my life," he explains. This makes sense. As he sends his products out into the world, it's only fair that he leaves his mark. 

Unlike most fashion designers in Japan, who typically attend design school and join an apparel company for a few years before starting out on their own, Sonoda apprenticed himself to a cobbler in Tokyo's historical artisanal neighborhood of Asakusa. Schooled in the way of making, rather than designing, Sonoda lets the materials and the process dictate the final products, whcih are entirely handmade and, by request, made to fit.

That requires a bit of time. Shoes ordered this spring will be ready just in time for fall, as it takes Sonoda up to two weeks to complete each pair, including time for an additional fitting. This makes the Kyushu native one of a handful of local designers using the idea of delayed gratification as the ultimate fashion statement.

One gets the sense from talking to the very un-guarded designer that he genuinely loves making shoes. He works from an atelier/shop (plus hangout spot) in Yanaka, an area of Tokyo known for quaint, old-fashioned streets -- not the latest fashion looks. "It’s Tokyo but not like Tokyo," he explains. "The slower pace of life here matches my own work pace."

Not one to advertise, most of his customers arrive via word of mouth, and about 80 percent return for a second pair. The objects of their desire tend to have a vintage feel, like a particularly covetable pair of two-tone ankle boots that button on the side in a vaguely Edwardian fashion (new for autumn). Women are the majority of his customers and generally attracted to these less conventional looks (available in any number of kicky colors too), while men prefer classic, durable Oxford styles, Sonoda says. He wears a well-worn pair of chocolate brown lace-up ankle boots. 

Having constructed literally thousands of shoes from scratch the still young designer notes that his motivation is simply "to make good, wearable shoes." Now the only problem is getting over the shame of walking into his store for the first time with cruddy mass market sneakers.
 
Sonomitsu will hold an exhibition of autumn styles April 16-18 at the Yanaka store (Yanaka 4-4-27, Taito-ku, tel. 03 3823 7178). Contact info@sonomitsu for an appointment.