Odessa · Edition 001 · Noir · 40 pairs · Acquisition: €550
The Odessa sneaker is completely handmade in Portugal with the utmost care and craftsmanship. Twelve pairs of skilful hands work two hours on a single pair, spread across several stages of the production process. A 100% EU product, from materials to packaging. Goodyear-welted with a Vibram outsole, a construction chosen for durability and for the ability to be resoled, not replaced.
The shape of the shoe is based on the last of a classic football boot: an ergonomic form that respects the lines of the foot. A wide footbed for healthier feet, with support in the heel and throughout the shoe, and a flat sole for natural foot use. This is the base last of Cárte Crème, on which every future model will be built, so the comfort you know from us stays the same.
The exterior is based on the classic sneaker, with close attention to shape and line. It represents balance, movement and elegance: a design that sits easily alongside different lifestyles and occasions.
Collected, not sold.
True to size, on a wide last. If you are between sizes or have wider feet, measure your foot first. Our size & fit guide has the conversion charts and a short measuring method.
Your pair has already been treated with the natural wax that leather needs in daily wear. Wipe the shoes now and then with a slightly damp flannel cloth, without soap, to take off dust and dirt. For the most part that is all the care they need.
Do not treat the suede parts with any product at all; they are irreparably damaged by them. To keep the smooth leather supple, apply a thin layer of colourless shoe cream now and then, let it dry well, and buff with a flannel cloth.
Full instructions are on our care page. When the sole is worn through, send the pair back for a resole.
Shipping is included within the European Union. Outside the EU a flat fee of €19.95 applies, shown at checkout before payment.
Every pair is numbered and packed by hand before it leaves us. Once your order has shipped you will receive an email with tracking. See our shipping policy for the countries we ship to.
14 days to change your mind, anywhere in the EU. We send a prepaid return label and deduct €25 from your refund. See our Return & Refund Policy.
Made by hand in Portugal
The Odessa is made in a workshop in the Leiria region, where thirty-five people of all ages work side by side and teach one another, so that the craft is not lost. Twelve pairs of hands spend two hours on a single pair.
The leather comes from Alcanena, where most of Portugal’s tanneries are. We have it dyed in small batches rather than in bulk, and keep what is left over instead of discarding it. From the shoe to the box it arrives in, everything is made within the EU.
The Goodyear welt
The sole is not glued to the upper. It is stitched to a strip of leather running around the shoe — the welt — the machine-made version of a sixteenth-century handcraft.
It means the sole can come off and a new one go on, several times, without the upper suffering. Between the insole and the welt sits a layer of cork that gives way as you wear the shoe and takes the shape of your foot.
A welted shoe is normally heavy and stiff. This one weighs 350 grams including insole and laces, against 400 for an average sneaker, and needs no breaking in.
The upper is high quality European cow leather, inside and out, tanned in Alcanena and dyed in small batches. The toe and side panels are suede; the rest is smooth leather. Both develop character with wear — expect the leather to darken and soften over time, a record of where you've worn it.
The suede must not be treated with any product. Shoe cream, polish and waterproofing sprays will damage it irreparably. See Care below.
The outsole combines leather, rubber and Vibram, a proven choice for grip and durability.
Editions work like printings of a book. The Odessa is the title; Edition 001 is the first printing, released in three colourways of forty pairs each. Every pair is numbered by hand within its colourway and comes with its own certificate of authenticity.
When these forty are collected, Edition 001 closes. Future editions of the Odessa may follow, with small revisions to material or detail. Edition 001 will not return.