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Head to Toe

Head to Toe

Head to Toe

August/September 2014 issue of American Craft magazine
Author Staff
Pierrepont Hicks, Boat Shoe

Pierrepont Hicks, boat shoe; Photo: Courtesy of the artist

Pierrepont Hicks
This boat shoe is made of suede, with natural rubber soles. Available in both men’s and women’s sizes, each pair is hand-sewn in the United States. The Minnesota-based company, which takes its name from the Brooklyn intersection where one of the founders grew up, got its start making ties and quickly branched out into partnerships with U.S. manufacturers, focusing on classic designs.

Billykirk
Billykirk’s double-button belt is a buckle-free twist on a traditional leather belt. The company was founded by brothers Chris and Kirk Bray in 1999. Now based in New Jersey, Billykirk makes leather goods in-house and in partnership with Pennsylvania Amish leather crafters.

Todds.Ties
By day, Todd Sohayda is an equitities trader and analyst in Lincoln, Nebraska; by night, he’s a maker of ties and men’s accessories. Sohayda’s wife, glass artist Carrie Strope Sohayda, helped him create a tie for an event a few years ago, and he was hooked, quickly putting together a collection of ties made from vintage fabrics, many from the trove his late mother-in-law assembled.

Melissa Cameron
The Seattle-via-Australia jeweler mixes enamel and steel in her often angular jewelry. The 3 Axis Neckpiece is part of her Geometrie series, inspired by the work of René Descartes and Cameron’s own work in two-dimensional design using AutoCAD.

Michael Cepress
All of this designer-maker’s pieces are crafted with a small team at his Seattle studio. Cepress specializes in classic menswear with modern flair, and his colorful scarves are made to order, using handwoven fabrics.

Zkano
Each pair of these organic cotton socks comes from Fort Payne, Alabama, the sock capital of the world until outsourcing took its toll. Founder Gina Locklear joined forces with her family’s sock-making business and today employs a crew of about 50, making a colorful variety of socks in small batches.
 

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