If my heart belongs to vintage, my soul definitely belongs to shoes. As you’ve no doubt noticed over the years, I have a love for novelty shoes and accessories. And if those items happen to be shoes and accessories masquerading as food of some sort, I simply can’t resist. You may have noticed one brand in particular, Shoe Bakery, tends to grace the area south of my ankles more often than any other. So, I thought it was high time to give you a bit of insight into all of their amazingness.
I‘ve been a fan of Shoe Bakery for years – ever since they made me a custom pair of my very favorite cherry sundae heels (they were no longer produced, but SB brought them up out of the archives just for my shoe-loving pleasure). I’ve since added everything from ice cream flats, to cookies and cream heels, to the most amazing unicorn handbag to my collection. If you’ve never heard of them before, Shoe Bakery makes the most delicious of footwear confections – basically dessert for your feet! Unlike any shoes I’ve ever seen, they work to bring together style and whimsey and do so unapologetically.
Given my intense love for these calceological delights, it should come as no surprise that Head Artist and Baker Chris Campbell and I have zipped numerous emails back and forth over the years. And I was thrilled beyond thrilled when Chris wanted to collaborate on this post and tell us some of his trade secrets.
I mean, how does one get into designing desserts for your feet?? Read on to find out….
(Photo via Shoe Bakery)
Q: Can you tell be a bit about yourself and your mission for Shoe Bakery?
Chris: “Well, my name is Chris Campbell, I was born in Tampa Florida and grew up here my whole life, so I am a Super Floridian! I have always been into art since I was young. I would always doodle to keep me busy and out of trouble. I went to UCF in 2008 and created a custom sneaker company which lead me to starting Shoe Bakery. For Shoe Bakery, I wanted to make shoes for women and make them feel special the same way I did for men with custom sneakers. I love sweets and thought it would be a perfect pairing and a way to brand my work so it is unforgettable.”
Q: Do you have a brick and mortar or are you exclusively online?
Chris: “At this point we “donut” have a brick and mortar store…yet! We plan on moving that direction soon since we receive a lot of emails from customers from other countries asking if they can come and visit. We’re trying to figure out where would the best location be.”
Dress: Jumblelaya (similar modern & vintage) // Bag: Shoe Bakery
Bag: Shoe Bakery
Q: Have you always had a passion for designing footwear?
Chris: “For the most part, I have always been interested in wearable art since high school, I even designed my band’s marching uniforms before I left! There’s also something about art that you can show the world that excites me verses art just being displayed in your house.”
Q: Your shoes are some of the most unique designs I’ve ever seen – where do you get your inspiration?
Chris: “Most of my ideas come from mom and pop bakeries around the Orlando Area. When we started, the ideas came from brides who wanted their shoes to match their wedding cake. Now, we get a lot of our ideas from instagram dessert trends and feedback from our customers.”
Dress: gift, Lindy Bop (similar) // Bag: Betsey Johnson // Shoes: custom, Shoe Bakery
Shoes: custom, Shoe Bakery
Shoes: Shoe Bakery, no longer available
Q: Your shoes look good enough to eat! Can you walk us through the typical process of going from a shoe order to creation? How long does a typical pair take to make?
Chris: “Thank you! Normally a custom design process is as follows: we work on the design with our customers until they like the direction and create a mock up/sketch based on the collaborative ideas. Once they agree on the sketch, we start the order where the customer can provide their own shoes or they can use one of our brands. As soon as we receive the base shoe, the customization process begins. We use an acrylic medium for the texture of the design and use baker’s tools to get our shoes to look like cake. Our shoes take about 5-10 weeks depending on the complexity and drying time for each shoe. We have a waiting list of about 5-6 weeks and that adds a lot of time to the order.”
Dress: Vintage (similar) // Flats: Shoe Bakery (similar)
Q: It’s never fair to ask you to play favorites – but what’s your favorite shoe you’ve designed thus far?
Chris: “That’s a tough one, but I would have to say the Cherry and Blueberry pie wedges. But, the Rainbow Wedges are a close second!”
The minute these cherry pie beauties hit instagram, I started drooling. From the buttery crust to the pop of red cherries, these were not going to be shoes for ladies who like to fade into the background. Naturally, I had to pounce on them immediately….
They arrived and I actually gasped. Not only do they come in an amazing custom box that looks like a sundae in and of itself, complete with rainbow sprinkles, but each pair is thoughtfully provided with heel inserts. I have to say, though, I slipped mine on and right out of the box they were incredibly comfortable. Even at a 5″ heel height, I felt I could race around in them all day without issue. The shoe they use as a base (onto which they then add their amazing decoration) is really high quality – good arch support and cushion. I’m definitely very comfortable in heels, but I really didn’t feel as though I was teetering around in these, despite their 5″ heel.
The popularity of Shoe Bakery means that your shoes will take some time to come out of the oven. They are generally handmade to order, and the Cherry Pie Wedges currently have a a 8-10 week waiting list. But I can definitely attest that these delectable wedges are more than worth the wait.
After all of that shoe porn, I hope you’re as smitten with Shoe Bakery as I am. I can honestly they they are true artwork for your feet. I’ve already got my eye on my next pair (heyyyy pink syrup ice cream heels, I see you). You can also keep up with Shoe Bakery and drool over their latest designs on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
In the wake of Florence, as our town is working to rebuild, it helps to see some of the beauty in the world. From a neighbor spending their day helping another clear their yard, to photos coming across the miles to people displaced, relieved to see their home is alright, to the most perfect, delectable shoe.
We’re heading home in the next day or so – it helps to have amazing shoes to complete the journey. Whimsical and pristine, ready to walk towards whatever awaits us.
xoxo
Outfit Details:
Dress: Sweet Life Vintage (similar modern and vintage here, here & here)
Necklace: Unique Vintage, sold out (similar)
Crinoline: Malco Modes
Handbag: Tuesday Rose Vintage (similar here & here)
Shoes: Shoe Bakery
Lip Color: Ruby Woo
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