About
Claire Best is a shoe maker based in Melbourne. Her footwear is designed and made by hand, with an emphasis on quality materials, craftsmanship, contemporary design and innovation. All aspects of production take place in her Brunswick workshop, and each pair of shoes are made to order.
Claire has taught a variety of short courses at the Centre for Adult Education (CAE) and Third Drawer Down, for would be shoe makers and leather craft enthusiasts alike. She is now a tutor of footwear short courses at the RMIT School of Fashion & Textiles.
2013-2014 saw Claire exhibit as part of Melbourne Now at NGV International, and her ‘Painted Derby’ shoes have since been acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria for their permanent collection of fashion and textiles.
Claire has also been commissioned by the Powerhouse Museum (MAAS) in Sydney for their permanent footwear collection. Her ‘Gusset Brogue Boots’ were exhibited as part of ‘Recollect: Shoes’ in 2014- 2015.
Made to Order
'Painted Derby Shoes' as seen in the NGV '200 Years of Australian Fashion' exhibition catalogue. Catalogue image National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne 2016.
'Derby Heels' pictured during the Seam Seam But Different runway performance by Remie Cibis at Neapoli Bar, Melbourne. Image by Kristin Wursthorn 2017.
Claire Best is a shoe maker and designer based in Melbourne, Australia. Her footwear is made by hand, with an emphasis on quality materials and craftsmanship.
All aspects of production take place in-house, with two collections released online each year. Materials are sourced from local manufacturers and suppliers, and each pair of shoes are made to order, usually with a short make time prior to shipping or collection. Please note bespoke design orders are not available at this time.
Previously, as well as traditional footwear designs, Claire has specialised in playing on classic footwear forms with her unique range of hand painted shoes. Treating the leather as a drawing surface, these creations are a celebration of the one-off nature of the bespoke making process.
Claire's designs have been exhibited and are held in permanent collections of fashion and textiles including the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) and the Powerhouse Museum (MAAS) in Sydney.
View the Painted Derby Shoes on the NGV online catalogue here: www.ngv.vic.gov.au
View the Gusset Brogue Boots on the MAAS online catalogue here: www.maas.museum
Custom Colours + Sizing
Custom colours and half sizes can be available for any of the designs on our website. Current styles can be customised, sometimes at extra cost - book a consultation via the Contact page to discuss. We do our best to respond to email enquiries asap. Please note, when we are experiencing a busy period there is a waiting list for customised orders. Prices and time vary depending on complexity.
Collaborations
Join the Mailing List if you would like updates on new projects and collection releases. Some design and theatrical commissions to date have included the MTC’s As You Like It, Twelfth Night and Shakespeare in Love. Also Eleventh Hour Theatre’s Waiting for Godot, Victorian Opera, Circus Oz, MSFW student runway and the ‘In Haus Projects ‘ slippers collaboration in 2020.