Bentley and the Shoe Surgeon Teamed Up to Create New Kicks. Here’s How the Collab Happened.
Deep in the trenches of downtown Los Angeles is a sneaker sanctuary that defies its non-descript industrial surroundings. The Shoe Surgeon’s headquarters comprises a pristine indoor basketball court, a loft space—with the aesthetic of a gentlemen’s lounge—and a high-concept sneaker showcase that appears plucked from the set of the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. But recently, the space was visited by an array of unlikely objects: rakish Bentley coupés, sedans and SUVs.
Shoes and cars are often a match made in heaven, but the partnership between this vaunted LA shoe fabricator and the century-old automaker seems simultaneously unlikely and understandable because both entities already exemplify the unexpected—surprisingly swift and engaging cars from an otherwise posh nameplate, and imaginative sneakers that defy footwear conventions.
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Bentley is the brand intimately associated with the royal family; the Shoe Surgeon was commissioned by Nike to create a six-figure pair of gold and diamond-encrusted sneakers for LeBron James. These unlikely dance partners collide in a capsule collection of 10 modified Adidas Forum Low sneakers that recall signature details from Bentley’s Mulliner division—quilted leather trim, cross-stitching borrowed from steering-wheel seams and deep-hued hides that would be just as comfortable in the cockpit of a 200 mph ultra-luxury coupe as on one’s pair of finely finished footwear.
A sign resembling a theater marquee is entitled “Trust the Process” and presides over the Shoe Surgeon’s production facility, a message that founder Dominic Ciambrone says he embraced during the creative and commercial partnership. “I visited Bentley’s headquarters in Crewe [England], and was blown away by how they do things,” he told Robb Report. “I couldn’t believe how clean it was, and it was great to see the handcraftsmanship. Nobody makes things anymore.” The creative collaboration involved a mutually involving process. Bentley Mulliner designer Rich Morris recently filled his time on a long flight by illustrating intricate patterns on his white shoes with markers, resulting in a colorful and custom objet d’art.
The parallels to the automotive world are palpable: Ciambrone says his team of artisans are required to work in similarly specific disciplines, like seamstresses who focus on sewing tiny panels of leather into bespoke sneakers. The Shoe Surgeon’s workshop is a remarkable space, where rows of industrial sewing machines meet reams of colorful materials—suedes, leathers, synthetics—arrayed within floor-to-ceiling storage cubbies. Interestingly, Ciambrone remarks that though one-off shoes are not uncommon, serial production has its benefits. “You can get better quality by producing something more than once,” he says. “But I’m the biggest in this industry and I teach a lot. It’s amazing where we’re at.”
Asked whether cars or sneakers are more difficult to build, Ciambrone pauses for a beat before acknowledging that complexities like crash-safety requirements take the automotive process to another level. But when executed to their highest potential, the Shoe Surgeon’s couture creations become wearable art that can get you from A to B in inimitable style—just like a bespoke Bentley.
Click here for more photos of the Bentley x Shoe Surgeon Collaboration.
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