Field Flowers

Every bespoke commission begins with a conversation.

Over the years, inspiration for commissions has come from many different places: paintings,
architecture, gardens, travels, collections and cherished objects. Often, it is through getting to
know a client and understanding what matters to them that the beginnings of a design emerge.
The commission I came to call Field Flowers began during a conversation with a long-standing
client from the United States, whom I meet regularly in New York, London and the Cotswolds.

While staying at her cottage near Burford, we found ourselves talking about the extraordinary
wildflower meadows that had appeared alongside the A40 that summer. The colours and natural
abundance of flowers had made a lasting impression on us both, and before long the
conversation turned to how that sense of beauty and spontaneity might be captured in a
bespoke commission.

A little later, my client sent me photographs from the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.
Amongst them were several botanical artworks that echoed the flowers and forms we had
admired in the meadow. Together, these references helped shape the direction of the design.

As with all commissions, the next stage involved developing ideas and exploring possibilities. I
created a series of illustrations, experimenting with different arrangements of flowers and
embroidery until we arrived at a design that felt right.

The embroidery was then developed directly onto the suede panels. At this stage, the design
begins to take on a life of its own. Individual flowers emerge, colours are refined, and the
character of the piece starts to reveal itself.

The finished boots were crafted in soft pink suede and embroidered with a selection of
wildflowers inspired by those early conversations. While the original meadow provided the
spark, the final design became something entirely its own.

One of the joys of working with returning clients is seeing how a commission becomes part of
their life once it leaves the workshop.

These photographs were taken by photographer Dan Lowe in my client's New York apartment.
Dan had travelled to New York to photograph another client's home and was invited to visit this
apartment as well.

The apartment itself has been featured in Architectural Digest, and seeing the boots amongst
the artwork, furnishings and objects collected by their owner feels particularly fitting. The homes
my clients create are often rich with craftsmanship, individuality and carefully considered details,
and those interests frequently form part of the conversations that shape a commission from the
very beginning.

Looking at these photographs, it is easy to see how the boots became part of a wider personal
collection, sitting comfortably amongst the things that inspire and surround their owner every
day.

For me, bespoke shoemaking has never been simply about creating footwear. It is about
listening, interpreting and transforming ideas, memories and personal interests into something
unique.
Every commission tells a different story.
This one began in a Cotswold wildflower meadow and found its way to New York.