Ichigo Ichie Shoemaker

Lee Trung was born in Vietnam and worked as a software engineer before moving to Japan in 2013. He began an apprenticeship with Japanese shoemakers shortly after arriving in Japan. This apprenticeship lasted about five years. Ichigo Ichie Shoemaker opened for business in 2015.

Each pair of shoes produced by Ichigo Ichie Shoemaker is made by hand. One artisan handles all phases of construction for each pair. The process requires consultation with the client, foot measurement, leather selection, pattern creation, and manual assembly. The company uses hand-lasting, hand-welting, and hand-stitching as standard construction methods.

Ichigo Ichie Shoemaker uses materials sourced from tanneries such as Annonay, Weinheimer, and Horween. Leather forms the primary material for uppers, linings, and stiffeners. The soles are attached to the shoes by hand using ten stitches per inch. Leather heel and toe stiffeners are used in all models.

Ichigo Ichie Shoemaker sells ready-to-wear shoes. Made-to-order and made-to-measure options allow some design and fit customization. The company also offers bespoke shoes, which involve several fittings and custom lasts. Models include a seamless wholecut, a split toe derby, a swan neck oxford, and the Kai loafer. These models feature design elements such as a single piece upper, split toe seams, swan neck stitching, and contrast piping.