Our step-by-step creation process!
Inspirations and sourcing
Everything begins with daily research: blogs, magazines, runway shows, trend reports… our stylist reviews it all. This process sparks her creativity for the new collection. At Pied de Biche, the team visits trade shows and meets with suppliers to discover new patterns, styles, colors, and materials that will define the upcoming season.
Through this sourcing, we select beautiful Italian and Portuguese leathers, enabling our stylist to develop and refine the collection’s universe.
Our stylist assembles a moodboard that gathers a color palette, seasonal themes, and current trends: materials, atmosphere, design, lifestyle…
Style Definition
From there, the entire team contributes: everyone shares their opinions on the style of the upcoming collection. Ideas are exchanged among the sales, marketing, and retail teams (the latter being particularly important as they represent our customers’ preferences). Every input is considered to craft a collection that will delight your feet.
Hand-drawn model development
Next, our stylist focuses on designing models for both men and women. She begins with hand sketches before translating them into digital formats. Key elements that embody the brand’s DNA—such as the heel counter, bi-material constructions, or bicolor details—must be included in her drawings. She proposes various formal options, which she presents to the team and primarily to the founders.
A first prototype is selected, followed by color variations.
Team discussions are held to decide on:
- Materials like nubuck, grained leather, calfskin, goat leather, suede, glitter, patent, raphia, etc.
- Solings made of leather, microcellular materials, with or without anti-slip pads…
- Heel styles such as block, flat, stiletto, spike…
All these elements are finalized before creating technical sheets.
Once the collection plan for each model is established, our stylist carefully drafts detailed specifications to be sent for prototyping in our workshops in Portugal.
Prototype Review
Upon receiving the prototypes, the entire team shares their feedback. The luckiest may try them on and give us a walk-through. Each prototype is reviewed: stitching, materials, laces, comfort, overall aesthetics… to create timeless, high-end shoes that will stand the test of time on your feet. Our stylist collaborates with the founders to determine necessary modifications to the prototypes and prepares correction files to resubmit them to our manufacturers until a prototype that meets our expectations is achieved. Often, a selection process occurs during this phase; we are not afraid to experiment, and sometimes certain prototypes are set aside for further refinement later.
Final Selection, Tested and Approved
When the most refined prototypes arrive at our Paris offices, we sometimes eliminate certain color options to ensure consistency within our collection. Team members test the prototypes over several days, regardless of weather conditions—rain, snow, sunshine—they are tried on and evaluated to fine-tune the last details, including size, durability, finish, and comfort. This feedback is sent to our workshops in Portugal, where each detail is adjusted until the future Pied de Biche are perfect. Production can then commence!
