Unmarked

Unmarked was established by Hugo Fonce, an industrial designer of Chinese and Mexican heritage. Fonce was born in Querétaro and grew up in León. His interest in footwear started during his early years. He pursued a career in industrial design and founded the company in León to reflect the shoemaking tradition of the region.

Unmarked operates from a 2,000-square-foot workshop located in León, Mexico. The workshop employs about 15 artisans. Equipment in the facility includes vintage machines, some originating from the 1920s. The process to make each pair of shoes involves more than 200 steps.

Unmarked uses Goodyear welt construction on its footwear. The company sources leathers such as Horween Chromexcel and uses materials including natural cork and vegetable-tanned leather insoles. Unmarked applies techniques such as “punto marcado,” a type of hand-tooled stitching.

Unmarked manufactures various models, including boots, shoes, and sneakers. Examples include the Archie Boot, which draws influence from traditional work boot styles, and the Jack Penny Loafer, which features crepe soles. The brand has partnered with The Shop Vancouver to develop a suede zip boot with a natural crepe sole. Footwear releases by Unmarked occur in limited runs.