Barely there sandals are the sandals of the moment and the perfect addition to a summer wardrobe. Super sleek and super minimalist means they will go with anything, and in any colour.
We recently had two pairs of white sandals in that were in need of some restoration magic and as both pairs underwent pretty much the same surgery, we compiled them for a case study to explain the process a bit more.
Before restoration
First things first, the sandals underwent a physical assessment in which the team assess the damage and determine exactly what services are needed to fully restore the shoes. In this case, there was quite significant scuffing from a lot of love (and maybe some dancing,) the colour was faded, insoles needed to be realigned and the heel tips were wore down.
Before restoration
Realigning and glueing down the insoles
All the standard repairs are done before any leather or colour restoration so the first step in the restoration journey, our shoe specialist replaced the heel tips. After this, the sandals were cleaned by our specialists to remove any surface dirt and the finisher that would affect the application of the paint. The artisan smoothed down all the leather fibres using a bone folder to ensure the surfaces were as even as possible.
Some of the surfaces were quite damaged such as the toe areas and the heel stems, which generally see the most wear and tear. To combat this, we reconstructed the damaged leather using synthetic fillers to better level the surfaces. Then, a layer of edge cote was applied to restore the texture of the leather. This was enhanced by stamping the leather grain to match the original texture.
Applying fillers
Mixing the colour
The next step was to mix the colour which we do by hand every time. Each white item usually needs a different formula often containing several colours that give the right tone of white, and as these pairs were a slightly different shade of white, we needed to mix two colours. When the colour was matched perfectly, the paint was applied in light layers to conceal the scuffing and brighten the colour.
Applying the paint
A finisher was then applied to match the original and the shoes were left to dry and for the paint to cure for a week. They were then returned almost as good as new and ready to be loved once more.
Restored and revived
The Row sandals: restored and revived
Celine sandals: restored and revived
If you don’t see the service you are looking for on our website, don’t hesitate to get in touch using our preliminary quote form and the team will revert with all the information you need regarding your repair and restoration needs.
