Evenin' Sabah People,
I wanted to share some thoughts with you, perhaps because we're headed into the holidays and, more likely, because I'm gearing up for what is something like my 25th trip to visit our workshop in Gaziantep, Turkey.
When I started Sabah 13 years ago - I don't think I understood the difference between handmade and not. I didn't have an understanding of craft or quality materials, nor what it takes to make something really, really well.
I was a consumer - I bought things I liked, and tended toward the less commercial, but without much thought into the hands & names behind it.
That all changed in 2012 when I met Orhan, our longtime partner in Gaziantep, and his family, literally & symbolically, of craftspeople.
I've always been moved by people: their stories, their origins, their recipes, their faces, and what makes them tick. So to uncover a world of shoemaking that was as much about the people as the shoes, as much about the hands as the leather, and where everyday we got to eat delicious kebab and lahmacun at the workshop -- that got me going.
To this day, as our business has expanded from one workshop in Gaziantep to several in Texas, Italy and Turkey; from a single style of shoe (the Sabah) to several silhouettes & constructions, one thing has held true: it's all about craft. And craft is people; by hand and by name, we like to say.
That means we commit to working with independently-owned, family-run workshops & factories that focus on traditional shoemaking techniques and with whom we build deep & real relationships. That means we strive to understand our supply chain from the rubber soles to the rough out suedes and ensure we're working with makers we know, trust and believe are doing things at the highest possible quality.
Why? Because if we're going to make things and put 'em out into the world, over & over, let's make sure they're made well, in every sense of the word, and be proud about that output.
So there it goes... some thoughts, with a bit more detail and plenty of photos below about our workshops & craftspeople in Turkey, Texas and Italy.
Write back with any questions... Otherwise, Sabah UP!
Sincerely,
The Sabah Dealer
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