California shoemaker preserves wooden foot forms made by Italian cobbler
LOS ANGELES (CBS, KYMA) - A California shoemaker is keeping the art of handmade footwear alive while preserving the legacy of a legendary designer.
Chris Francis inherited a massive collection of wooden foot forms made by the late Pasquale Di Fabrizio.
Known as the "Shoemaker to the Stars," the Italian cobbler created custom footwear for Hollywood celebrities from the 1960s until his death in 2008.
The collection has inspired Francis to keep his own glam-rock collection going despite some challenges.
"One time, the celebrities would brag about how much they paid for a pair of shoes, and they would want something that nobody else had. Nowadays, I'm finding more and more celebrities wanting shoes for free which is just killing shoemakers like me," Francis shared.
Francis began designing shoes in his kitchen back in 2011. Each pair is meticulously handcrafted and can take anywhere from a few days to several months to make.
