Barbara Shaum, now 81 years old, has been hand crafting custom fit leather sandals and belt in East Village for her entire life. She was one of first females allowed and served at McSorley’s Bar in 1970, and still is a very much active out-going girl^^
With two girls from Japan to promote Sumi Jo’s upcoming Concert at Carnegie Hall in November, we all chatted and gossiped subjects in girls’ interest while sitting outside of Nomad restaurant in East Village.
She claimed herself as the best ‘Barbara-cue’ when I offered to hang out at one of best Korean ‘barbecue’ restaurants together. Alright, she is more of ‘Barbara-cute’ to me^^
SB
The sandal maker Barbara Shaum prefers to focus on her craft, not changing trends. (“So gladiator sandals are popular again?” she asked recently, only moderately curious.) Since opening her business in 1954, her technique has stayed pretty much the same. Customers still choose from about 30 classic styles and an assortment of skins; their feet are measured, patterns are drawn; a couple weeks later, there’s a fitting.
The age-old craft was taught to her by Menalkas Duncan, who learned it while visiting Greece with his aunt, Isadora. “I’m not really fashion-fashion,” Ms. Shaum, 79, said as an employee fielded a call from a Vogue editor. “I’m more traditional.”
Her sandals take four weeks to make (order now and have them by Memorial Day) and cost from $300 to $600 — a good deal, given their shelf life. “A woman came in here the other day who had her sandals for 30 years!” Ms. Shaum said, herself looking a little surprised.
Barbara Shaum, 60 East 4th Street; (212) 254-4250. Open Wednesday through Saturday, 1 to 6 p.m.
The New York Times
#1 by corrado nai fovino on October 25, 2010 - 10:16 AM
i would like contact Ms Barbara Shaum but i not found mail.please turn to her this letter
Dear Barbara
I would be interested in working as a bag’s fashion designer with you. After looking at your website for a considerable amount of time,
work is even more fascinating to me. I would be very interested to talk to you about it.
I have specialized in nautical bags,drawing my inspiration from traditional naval craftmanships,working with rope, learning to make
nautical knots, nets and other ….. as sailors used to do. hundreds of knot keyrings , competing with the expertise of old seamen. My
passion for sailing and and boat races allowed me to continue in my obsession with rope.
I would like to start developing a line of handbags and accessories with a strong call to the sea and boats. Retrieving implemented by
both the historical research of some elements already existing in the real seamanship, both through the use of materials traditionally
found in this reality such as hemp, leather, ropes and with the use of the knots used as decoration but also as a demonstration of
craftsmanship. My idea is a line that takes two directions: one of a small production called “haute couture” strictly done and sewed all
by hand and very personal, the other more industrialized and made a major serial production
I would enjoy being part of the team that has the design philosophies demonstrated by your lines. Please feel free to call me at your
earliest convenience.
Thank you for considering me and for taking time to read my cover letter and resume.
I also kindly invite you to visit my website https://sites.google.com/site/dado1965xxx/ and check out my latest creations in leather. I
hope you will consider the representation of my work and sell my items in the shop.
I hope you and you like them and might emerge between us a profitable collaboration for both
I am writing because as read in my bio, I am very attached to New York (since 1984) and would like to have a work experience in your
wonderful city.I would like try to Show me and my work directly, I would give my contribution artistic and creative, in fact I would live
for some time in the “Big Apple”, I’m Searcing people, which can help me in my project of expansion, which may be interested in my
creations, that want to be my first representatives and resellers, who can also offer the opportunity to temporarily live and work in
New York and especially see the possibility of a profitable collaboration . I offer all my creativity, my guides, my integrity, my honesty
and my commitment to pursue common objectives,
#2 by SB on October 25, 2010 - 10:27 AM
Dear Forvino, SB will make print and bring the ltter over to Barbara. If you can email me the contact number of yours, it would be best way for Barbara to reach you^^ sb@iloveev.com
#3 by Anisha on July 11, 2011 - 11:34 PM
A roilnlg stone is worth two in the bush, thanks to this article.