That said, while he can work wonders on worn-out shoes, Lee said he does turn down jobs if the uppers are extremely damaged or are too dirty. In those cases, it makes more sense for the owner to buy a new pair instead of engaging him to reconstruct the “body” of the shoe. “I also generally stay away from working on synthetic leather as those do not last,” he added.
But most importantly, the shoe owner has to make it a point to care for their footwear if they would like it to last for as long as possible, he said. “The most important way to extend the lifespan of your shoes is to spend time on basic cleaning and maintenance. Think about it, we wash our clothes each time we wear them but not our shoes. But bacteria can also accumulate on shoes over time and this could cause the deterioration of the material.”
Indeed, as in the case of the previously mentioned vintage Air Jordan 1s, his posts on Instagram show how the leather, while aged, was not damaged thanks to the owner’s tender loving care over the years.
This is why he hopes more people will consider restoring their well-loved shoes instead of tossing them out. “Repairing a pair of shoes is such a mundane thing that we often do not even think about it. So when our shoes get spoiled, we think it is time to buy a new one,” he reflected.
“Customisation and restoration options are still relatively new in Singapore but hopefully in time, more people will appreciate this craft.”
