The outside of the Freed factory in East London is a humble building and anyone walking by would never suspect that ballerinas all around the world depend on Freed shoes. Without them, these talented dancers couldn’t do what they do. On April 18th, 10 members of The London Ballet Circle were privileged to have a tour of this amazing factory.
The Freed shoemakers are artisans. They are craftsmen and women who take immense pride in their work. Many of them have never seen a ballet but that doesn’t matter. It’s the shoe that counts. Making one pair of ballet shoes is a team effort involving up to 14 steps, each lovingly carried out by one of these exceptional people. In addition to making shoes for ballet companies around the world, many thousands of pairs are made for the Freed retail stores. In total, 350,000 pairs are produced each year. Each and every one, handmade.
The LBC members listened with fascination as each step of the process was explained, from receiving the specs from the fitter to packing for shipment. Each of the shoemakers, who have spent between 20 and 32 years at Freed, kindly explained the part they play and patiently answered questions… and there were many.
A very happy group of LBC members left Freed with huge grins on their faces and a new appreciation for pointe shoes.
