UP THERE for Clark's – The Artist, Artisan & Shoemaker

To celebrate the ongoing legacy of Clark's Originals footwear, UP THERE brings a bespoke finish to 14 custom pairs to be released via raffle to the public.

For the campaign, we follow shoes from illustration all the way to finished product—passing through the hands of three gifted UP THERE community members in the process.

The iconography—created by artist Mike Kennedy—is inspired by the iconic temple dogs which sit within our Flinders Lane store. These two colourful characters are in themselves inspired by totems which protect Melbourne's Chinatown—a stone's throw from our storefront.

Mike reworked these protective symbols into abstract interpretations conveying the feeling of protection and danger. The result is designs which span dogs, dragons, spiders and bats—with a colour scheme which draws from the signature palette of UT.

To transpose the artwork onto Clark's footwear, we employed the talents of craftsman Anthony Wicks of Anthill Workshop. Anthony works on vintage chainstitching machines to create tactile, intricate portrayals of Mike's imagery. Through a painstaking process, Anthony 'draws' each image by hand with stitches instead of brushstrokes. The final product is inimitable in its finish—rich in texture and filled with character.

The final step in the process sees our "Shoemaker" Chase Shiel—known for this work creating fully bespoke footwear. Chase rebuilds that which was deconstructed in order to work within the confines of Anthony's machine which was never intended for footwear.

When all is done, we're left with 14 completely unique pairs of shoes. The Wallabee and Desert Trek are transformed from being a classic piece of footwear and reimagined as a canvas for artistic expression and genuine collaboration.

All 14 Clark's Customs by UP THERE will be available via UP THERE Launches from Thursday, February 27.

Pairs will be on display in-store at 69 Flinders Lane from February 28 – March 2, with raffle winners drawn March 3.