Slade McKee

My journey into the world of design began as a dream. A dream that life could be more glamorous than our dull day-to-day reality. I chased that dream across the world to Florence, Italy, where I learned how to make bespoke shoes by hand in the traditional method.

While learning under the tutelage of the best shoemakers in the world, I realized that at no point in their design process did they ever consider what is actually good for the wearer's feet. They had no understanding or care for how their shoes would affect the user's health and comfort over time. Finding myself disenchanted with the purely aesthetic nature of the fashion world, I returned to Canada to finish my Mechanical Engineering degree.

Since then, I have sought to combine my engineering experience, strict quality standards, and eye for aesthetics to create pieces that radiate beauty while maintaining perfect functionality. When you purchase a product from Slade Handmade, you're also purchasing my personal guarantee of quality. Every product I make is built to outlive its owner. I promise you won't be disappointed.