In today’s mass manufacturing market, there are few brands that uphold tradition and quality quite like Yuketen. Designer Yuki Matsuda learned shoe-making traditions from leather artisans and respected predecessors, and is still bringing his own improvements and flourishes to the craft today.
Yuketen pieces pay homage to the American craft of shoe-making by remaining truly handmade products from bona fide craftsmen and women. Almost all components are American-made, and each shoe is made in America using ancient genuine hand-sewing techniques. This means that an actual human hand punctures the leather to create each thread-hole, a process that is almost extinct.
These days, it’s rare to see a product made with such care and precision. Yuketen’s are made to last, and take on the character of the wearer with each step. The genuine hand-sewing process produces the most comfortable shoe possible, and the American “naked” leather, known for it’s thickness and softness, contours to the shape of your imprint. Yuketen also uses 100% rubber natural crepe soles, which “learn” your tread pattern, and are completely Earth-friendly and decompose over a considerable amount of time (don’t worry- you can wear them for the long haul).
Based in Hermosa Beach, California, Yuki is known as a ‘rockabilly aficionado’, and those punk rock influences can be seen in the details of his designs. With a backbone of pure American leather heritage and a touch of rock n’ roll flair, he is able to marry exacting quality with playfulness, and has made serious headway with his risk-taking collections. Yuketen shoes are made in small runs, and available only in stores where Yuki feels the customer can understand and appreciate their true value. We’re proud to be one of them. Shop Yuketen here.
Watch: Tanner Goods
Dansk Fashion Awards 2012
