You have questions! We've got the answers.
The bottom line is that we're all about really, really beautiful shoes.
Crafting incredible shoes by hand is a process that requires an intense investment of time, patience, skill, equipment, expensive leather, more patience - oh and, blood sweat and tears. But the end result is so satisfying, so rewarding, that we just love what we do and it makes all the effort worthwhile.
Whether it's for a newborn baby or a dressy businessman, we love turning gorgeous raw materials into wearable works of art. Your support lets us keep doing this work we love, so thank you for supporting us and helping keep the ancient trade of shoemaking alive.
All our products are made by hand in our workshop in the St-Michel neighbourhood of Montreal, Quebec. We do not outsource any part of the production as we prefer to have complete in-house control of the quality.
When we say "made by hand", this does not mean that no machinery is involved. For example, we sew almost all products on sewing machines, and rarely by hand. However, it takes extremely skilled hands to operate this machinery. And many processes are done completely by hand, such as tracing out and cutting all the leather.
Shoemaking is one of many dying arts in our modern world, and finding teachers to learn from is almost as challenging as the trade itself.
Artisan Kiri Skuce learned the basics of sewing and pattern-making in a college program for costume design, then got into leatherwork and accessory production on her own. Learning to make shoes always seemed like the ultimate challenge, but there were few formal education options available, especially in North America. Kiri took several private classes with shoemakers, and practised on her own using books, videos, and forums as guides. Later she worked for several shoemaking companies on the west coast of Canada, including Love Jules Leather, Dayton Boots, and Viberg Boot.
The short answer is yes. You can view a gallery of our past bespoke footwear creations by clicking "Bespoke Footwear" on the main menu.
The longer answer is that we are still in the process of collecting (and repairing) some of the various highly specialized (and in some cases, hard-to-find) machinery, tools, and materials required to produce handmade footwear for adults. Our workshop is currently equipped to create bespoke shoes, but we still have important improvements to make. If you are interested in having custom shoes made, get in touch with us and tell us more. Depending on the style you're interested in, we may be able to help you now, or we may ask for your patience to wait until we are better equipped.
For the moment, we are not offering any footwear for children 18 months and up.
We ship our products via Canada Post.
In-stock orders received by 3:00 pm (EST) will ship from studio in our Montreal, QC within 48 business hours.
Standard shipping (Expedited Parcel) to Canadian addresses takes between 2-10 business days to arrive, depending on where you are located:
ON and QC - 2 to 5 Business Days
AB, SK, MB - 3 to 7 Business Days
Atlantic Provinces - 2 to 5 Business Days
British Columbia - 5 to 7 Business Days
Northern Territories - 7 to 10 Business Days
Standard Air Mail delivery to addresses within the contiguous USA takes between 6-10 business days.
Standard Air Mail delivery to the EU takes between 10-15 business days.
*For delivery times with Express or Priority services, or to countries/territories not specified above, please contact us for more detailed information. Estimated Delivery Times begin once products have been shipped. Service times are not guaranteed.
On stocked items - Absolutely!
Returns are available within 30 days from the day of purchase. All returns must be original, unworn products in their original packaging. Shipping charges will not be refunded on any returned merchandise. Credit refunds will be issued to the original payment method.
Skuce Shoes reserves the right to refuse any damaged, worn or incomplete order returns.
On custom creations - we are happy to offer an exchange on orders in the event your bespoke shoes don’t fit or there is a quality issue. Otherwise, sales are considered final.
If you have a concern with the fit of your shoe, please contact us, as we may be able to remedy your concerns by making adjustments to your shoes without remaking your shoes.
Exchanges for reasons of fit will be accepted only if the shoes are returned in new condition, without scratches or other marks of wear.
Please mail returns to the following address and email us the tracking number so that we know it's on the way.
Skuce Shoes
3333 Blvd Crémazie E
Studio 605
Montreal, QC
H1Z 2H8
Canada
Please note we do not provide refunds for any duties, taxes, or shipping costs. We recommend that you use a trackable and insured shipping service, as we are not responsible for packages lost in transit.