How to Care for the PP Shoe — Velvet, Leather, and the Long Life of a Handmade Sole
How to Care for the PP Shoe — Velvet, Leather, and the Long Life of a Handmade Sole
A care guide for the PP velvet and leather shoe — pile maintenance, sole longevity, and the cedar tree.
The PP shoe is made to be worn for decades. The hand-stitched sole can be resoled. The Italian leather lining deepens with wear. The velvet exterior develops a directional nap — a record of use that makes each pair increasingly specific to the foot wearing them. But this longevity depends on how the shoe is cared for between wears.
The velvet exterior. Velvet is a cut-pile fabric — the surface is composed of short, upright fibres that lie in a consistent direction. Pressure and friction flatten the pile and change the surface appearance. To restore it: hold the shoe over steam briefly (a kettle at distance works) and brush the pile back into direction with a soft velvet brush or the back of another velvet surface. Never rub velvet directly with a cloth — this crushes the pile permanently. Between wears, store the shoe in its dust bag or tissue-wrapped in a box. Never stack shoes with the velvet touching another surface under pressure.
“The PP shoe was made over four to six weeks by the same hands that will recognise what correct care produces in it over twenty years.”
— Pieter Petros, founderThe leather lining. The Italian leather interior benefits from a light application of leather conditioner twice a year — enough to prevent the leather from drying out at the crease points without over-softening it. Use a colourless conditioner on light-coloured linings. Allow to dry fully before wearing.
The hand-stitched sole. Unlike glued soles, the hand-stitched construction allows resoling without damage to the upper. When the sole has worn to the point where the stitching is visible or the leather is thin at the ball of the foot, take the shoe to a cobbler who works with lasted construction — not a chain repair service. The upper will last indefinitely if the sole is maintained correctly.
Storage. A cedar shoe tree in the shoe between wears. Cedar absorbs moisture from the lining after wear, holds the shape of the upper, and prevents the leather from developing creases that cannot be reversed. This is the single most effective maintenance step for a handmade shoe.
The PP shoe was made over four to six weeks by the same hands that will recognise what correct care produces in it over twenty years.
