Quality hand made footwear.

Ethically made. Locally made. Made to order. Minimal waste. Sustainable. Transparent.

Claire Best is a shoe maker, designer and teacher. Her footwear is made by hand, with an emphasis on quality materials, craftsmanship, contemporary design and innovation.

Claire Best Handmade Shoes is located and manufactured in Melbourne.

Who makes your clothes?

All production is in house in Melbourne.

Can you share a little more about your values?

All our footwear is designed and created ethically in-house, at our workshop and studio in Preston, Melbourne. Materials are locally sourced from a small group of suppliers and family run businesses. Our designs are made to order to minimise waste, and the majority of leather used is ex-job lot bundles from big fashion houses, thus utilising the waste of fast fashion.

Which particular fabrics do you use?

Mostly leather, however sometimes heavy canvas as well for shoe uppers and bags.

Any extra efforts you make at Claire Best Handmade Shoes that you can share?

As well as traditional footwear designs, we specialise in playing on classic footwear forms with a unique range of hand painted shoes. Treating the leather as a drawing surface, these creations are a celebration of the one-off nature of the bespoke making process. Fit and styles can be customised, to ensure the perfect fit and design for each client.

Can you share some labels you admire?

Kloke, Arnsdorf, Vege Threads, Penny Sage are amongst a big list of local designers we love!

Price guide:    $300 – 500 up to $500 +

Size guide:      Womens sizes 36_43, Mens sizes 41-47

Want to get in touch with Claire Best Handmade Shoes:

clairebest.com.au / @clairebesthandmade / [email protected]

217 Dundas St, Preston, VIC 3073. Studio visits by appointment only.