Freed of London makers

I’m still alive and kickin’! I am getting married next month (my gown has frou-frou tulle skirt, naturally). After the wedding I hope to be returning to the rhythm of normal life, and back to ballet class.

In the meantime, here’s a fascinating profile of the Freed of London makers. If you aren’t familiar with pointe shoes, they are rather expensive items ($30-$100 a pop), and professional dancers can go through a pair or two a day (I remember reading somewhere that the NYC ballet spends a half million on shoes every year). Freeds are all handmade in London, and there are less than 50 makers. Each maker has an specialized mark that goes on each shoe (my favorite mark is the Maltese Cross!), and each maker his his own unique style. Very interesting stuff.