In Their Shoes

Description In a specially extended interview for the Cordwainers, Katie Greenyer talks to maverick Patrick Cox the award-winning, British-trained, Canadian fashion designer whose eponymous footwear label introduced the Wannabe loafer, one of the most iconic shoes of the 90s.  Patrick talks about his peripatetic childhood between Canada and Africa, and his early days as a self-professed 'fashi...

In this episode, Katie Greenyer interviews the award-winning Deborah Carré and James Ducker of the handsewn bespoke shoemaking brand Carréducker. Join the conversation as they discuss their individual routes to becoming artisan shoemakers and to joining forces to create products built to last, with a focus on sustainability, excellence, comfort and fit.  As second careerists who met while training...

In our latest podcast, Katie chats to the brilliant Kristina Blahnik, niece of Manolo Blahnik, whose name is synonymous with women’s luxury shoes. Kristina is CEO of the Blahnik family brand and shares her thoughts on running a family business, and how to lead and manage a thriving company in the 21st century. She is also guest judge for the Cordwainers Footwear Awards 2025.  Listen as Kristina ta...

In this episode Katie Greenyer talks to Tim Cooper, CEO and Cobbler-In-Chief of Oliver Sweeney, and finds out what makes him tick. Footwear is in Tim’s blood having generations of cobblers and shoemakers before him, even though at first, he resisted its siren call!  After graduating in Economics at university, Tim followed the family passion serving a comprehensive factory apprenticeship in France...

In this episode Katie Greenyer chats to Adele Williamson, a former finalist of the Cordwainer Footwear Awards she went on to become the first female apprentice at Trickers, QUEST scholar and now heads up Trickers bespoke department. Listed in Drapers 30 under 30 and for the Bright Young Things Community awards she has made shoes for His Royal Highness the King. They discuss Adele's route into foot...

In this episode, Katie Greenyer chats to Sophia Webster – artist, entrepreneur, ‘boss-lady’, and Mum who is known for her joyful, playful, feminine shoes that are instantly recognisable. Sophia tells the story of her journey into footwear from a degree course at the London College of Fashion to a Masters at the Royal College of Art. Throughout her student training, she sought internships with the...

In this episode Katie Greenyer chats to Sacha Spencer, Senior Buyer for Womenswear, M&S. Listen as they chart her journey in footwear. From an occasional Saturday job in her parent's shoe shop in Somerset and a love of all things creative to a career of over 20 years of experience in retail. With over half of which spent with Clerks, she describes her rise from shop floor assistant through tre...

In this episode, Katie chats to Richard Wharton, best known as the Co-founder of Office, Founder of Offspring, Poste, and Poste Mistress. He has over 40 years of experience in the footwear industry. A master of footwear retail, his varied experience stretches from luxury to high street, men's to women's, sports to dress. He is a self-professed shoe nerd whose chance cash-in-hand job unloading a lo...

In this episode, Katie chats with Georgina Goodman. A fellow Cordwainer,  footwear style icon, tutor, stylist, and entrepreneur. She is straight-talking and tenuous. Her footwear is discreetly luxurious, and she possesses an extraordinary attention to detail and the ability to read the tea leaves of trends. Listen to her rollercoaster journey from leaving school at 16 in a world that didn’t r...

In this episode, Katie chats with Neil Clifford, CEO of Kurt Geiger. Hear about his journey from a dyslexic schoolboy leaving school with only one O-level at 16years old to becoming CEO of Europe’s largest luxury shoe and accessory retailer. Since that drawing of a green flash trainer for his art O-level, his career in fashion retail spans now 30 years, half of this time has been spent at Kurt Gei...

In this episode, Katie chats with fellow Cordwainer and judge for the annual Cordwainer Footwear Awards, Atalanta Weller. Atalanta won the British Fashion Councils' coveted NEWGEN competition in 2010. NEWGEN is the most established designer development scheme globally and designers are identified by their creativity, strong design aesthetic, and point of difference. Atalanta’s ground-breaking scul...

In this episode, Katie chats to Michael James, Director of Sales and Development at Springline, England's only surviving shoe last maker. Michael is a master craftsman and has worked with many of the best designers, brands, and celebrities. Measuring feet and making lasts for the rich and famous, from our current King to Hagrid and the Gringotts Goblins out of Harry Potter to working with brands s...

In this episode, Katie chats with Alexandra Fullerton, a freelance stylist, and writer, currently Fashion Director-at-large at Glamour UK. Alex has been known to declare that she prefers shoes to some people and founded #thedailyshoe on Instagram. Previously, Alex was Fashion Director at Stylist Magazine. Over her 20-year career, Alex has contributed to Grazia and international editions of Vogue a...

Welcome to season 2 of the Cordwainers’ ‘In Their Shoes’ Podcast, in which you’ll be inspired by the brightest and best in the footwear industry. The range of participants is vast, from bespoke footwear and craft experts, to retailers, innovative entrepreneurs, and influencers. Join our host Katie Greenyer, Cordwainer and Creative Director of Pentland Brands, for refreshingly open and honest conve...

In this extended episode, Katie speaks to Ian Watson, CEO and driving force behind one of Britain’s most successful shoe brands, Hotter Shoes, in front of a live audience. As the UK’s largest specialist footwear brand Hotter Shoes sells over a million pairs of shoes a year, to more than 4 million customers around the world. Ian is credited with having accelerated the company's digital growth and H...

In this episode, Katie speaks to Helen Kirkum , London based artist and designer and the inaugural winner of the Cordwainers Footwear Award in 2014. Helen has developed a unique formular learnt from manufacturing to deconstruct and reconstruct footwear utilising recycled and dead stock. She has the ability to tell the most incredible stories through her work and started her own studio in 2019. Kat...

In this episode Katie interviews Beatrix Ong , fellow Cordwainer and a footwear legend that has collaborated with some of the world’s most respected designers, brands and artists. She is best known for her sustainable and eco-focused practices within design, for which she has been awarded an MBE. Step into the shoes of the sometimes author and judge of the Cordwainer Footwear Awards as she describ...

In this episode, Katie talks to Charlotte Olympia Dellal who built her own footwear brand in 2008, after studying at London College of Fashion. Charlotte Olympia’s products are famed for their spin on Hollywood glamour, a mantra that as a designer she lives and breathes. A fellow Cordwainer and judge of the Cordwainer Footwear Awards she has a sharp eye for detail and is an inspiration to fellow d...

In this episode Katie speaks to Dominic Casey , fellow Cordwainer , master craftsman, teacher and bespoke shoemaker. Dominic has worked in the bespoke shoe trade for over 35 years. He originally trained as an orthopaedic shoemaker while simultaneously teaching the BA course on design and pattern making at Cordwainers college. He has his own workshop, worked in the ladies fashion industry and for 1...

In this episode Katie speaks to Caroline Groves , a fellow Cordwainer and master shoemaker, her brand is internationally renowned for luxury craftsmanship in shoes and accessories. Her work seeks to blur the lines between fashion, art and fantasy, often combining embroidery and needlepoint. She believes there are many ways to make a shoe and it is as much to do with the heart as the head. Katie an...

In this episode Katie chats to Guy West, fellow Cordwainer and judge for the annual Cordwainer Footwear Awards . He is an entrepreneur, co-founder and designer alongside Mark Jeffery of established brand Jeffery-West . A footwear brand that has a worldwide reputation in offering individual, highly distinctive men’s footwear. Offering insights to Guy’s personal and professional life from kite surfi...

In this episode Katie speaks to Michael Atmore, style icon, fellow judge for the annual Cordwainer Footwear Awards and Chief Brand Officer, Fairchild Media, at Penske Media Corporation and importantly Editor of Footwear News , the industry’s bible for the shoe business. Their discussion opens a window onto both his business and personal life, from being a member of a big sporting family and his lo...

In a jam packed episode Katie chats to Joachim Sedelmeier, fellow Cordwainer , Judge of the Cordwainer Footwear Awards and Head of Design at Paul Smith - one of Britain’s foremost designers renowned for his creative aesthetic, ‘classic with a twist’. Growing up above the family shoe shop in Germany, his childhood memories are filled with the smell of leather, but he initially resisted the idea of...

Welcome to the Cordwainers’ ‘In Their Shoes’ Podcast, in which you’ll be inspired by the brightest and best in the footwear industry. The range of participants is vast, from bespoke footwear and craft experts, to innovative entrepreneurs and influencers. Join our host Katie Greenyer, Cordwainer and Creative Director of Pentland Brands, for refreshingly open and honest conversations allowing you to...