There’s only a handful of specialists still designing and making small batch, handmade shoesin Victoria. It’s a very niche field that requires talent, hard work and passion – something that designers Johanna Preston and Petr Zly have in spades.
Recognised at the 2024 Victorian Premier’s Design Awards for Best in Category – Fashion Design, Preston Zly’s Trampa sole shoes are the epitome of Victorian craftsmanship and innovation, created by a team with incredible longevity in an industry that usually favoursmass-production.
Johanna Preston can trace her personal obsession with shoes back to her childhood when her mother – a longtime bunion sufferer – endeavoured to make sure that her daughters didn’t suffer the same fate. From a young age, she and her sister would be fitted for custom shoes atBetsy Pryam in Burke Rd in Camberwell. While Betsy is long gone, the legacy of providing comfortable, extremely well-made and beautiful shoes continues through Preston Zly.Johanna initially studied orthopaedic and bespoke footwear manufacturing at what was once Collingwood TAFE, but really ‘found her feet’ honing her skills in intensive summer courses in shoe design under the tutelage of a Bulgarian master shoemaker.
Petr Zly, Johanna’s life and business partner had a slightly different trajectory. He studiedsculpture at the former Phillip Institute of Technology, and continues to create and exhibit in that field, but transitioned towards shoe design. Making shoe components and figuring out how to create timeless shapes that are both light and strong was a natural extension of his art form.
Each Preston Zly collection is designed with women’s moods and occasions in mind. The common factors are always exceptional quality materials, balance and comfort for the individual wearer.
While Preston Zly shoes can hardly be described as subtle – with bold and distinctive shapes and colours that push the limits – there is a subtlety in their design process with ‘secret’details just for the customer.
Each shoe makes a statement, and elements are worked in a way that is surprising – such asincorporating internal platforms that change the shape of a shoe without being obvious externally.
“We're fascinated by historic shoes and gain inspiration from the sculptural form, curves and shapes of period shoes and the fact that they evolved to fulfill specific purposes – from elongating appearances of courtesans, to adding height or protecting heels when horse riding” commented Johanna.
“But we also welcome the opportunity to experiment with different technology and modern design to elevate our shoes and create something entirely new,” she added.
Having had a lot of experience in casting and working with resin proved to be a huge asset for Petr when it came to designing the signature Trampa platform sole.
“The challenge was that it needed to be created in a full range of sizes. Using 3 x 3D printers simultaneously, I was able to engineer the elegant design, but it took several technical iterations and 3 months to print all the components and overcome initial obstacles,” said Petr.
There is a beauty and a very sculptural architectural element to the Trampa, with a dynamic pop of colour, which is both playful and intriguing.
The most rewarding part of the design process for both Johanna and Petr is seeing the shoes on their customers’ feet.
“It works with your legs without being exploitative. So it's got a lot of durability, toughnessand considered volume without being overly chunky,” commented Johanna.
“It's also a little bit brutalist. It’s not a fashion item per se, so it will remain a ‘classic’ Preston Zly piece that is wearable for 30+ years – like all our shoes really,’ added Petr.
“We don't design ‘classic’ like Chanel or old school Balenciaga, but unlike global luxury brands, we know they're not going to be replicated. It’s also the genuine wearability and comfort of our shoes that sets us apart from the mass-produced options on the market,” said Johanna.
The couple has spent 30 years building a very loyal clientele. The bespoke nature of Preston Zly and small, hand-made production lines means that most of their shoes end up in the hands of local devotees with a smattering of international sales.
Both Johanna and Petr are content with not expanding their market reach as supply could not meet demand if they were to extend operations. It would also change the dynamic and what they were trying to achieve. Deliberately choosing not to have international agents means that the only way to obtain a Preston Zly original is to purchase a pair online or from the Brunswick East studio store.
Having said that though, when legendary and cutting-edge artists like Bjork and Deborah Harry own a pair of your shoes, you know you’ve achieved cult-status.
Designing and manufacturing quality women’s footwear for 3 decades gives Preston Zly an advantage. Their practice has evolved beyond creating mere objects of beauty.
‘It's become more about listening to our loyal clients and making sure that they're getting something that doesn't just look amazing but is actually comfortable and wearable – with straps and buckles in the right places and constructed with love using the finest quality leathers from trusted tanneries for maximum durability and softness,” Petr remarked.
“Choosing leather as our base material isn’t for everybody, but it's a beautiful thing to wearand it's a sustainable byproduct. Plastics and leather substitutes cannot compete quality-wise, are bad for the environment and require the use of very toxic glues,” he added.
Producing 2 collections a year means an output of 14 different pairs of shoes, which is considerable given the handmade process.
When asked what the secret to their success and longevity was, both Petr and Johanna mentioned agility and working slowly to hone and refine their craft. Also being able to make changes to their business model and how they do things has been key. One of those changes was a decision to partner with a company in Indonesia to take over the bespoke production of the shoes, freeing Johanna and Petr up to focus more on creativity and design.
“We just want to have a balanced life now, like what our shoes are all about,” Johana stated.
Preston Zly had never entered a design competition before the 2024 Victoria Premier’s Design Awards. And what made them apply now?
“Normally we just have our heads down working, but after all the testing and intensive work, the Trampa sole just stood out to us as a design worthy of recognition. There is something iconic about it,” observed Petr.
“It was amazing to be recognised at this stage in our career. It's an important validation for our client base because they've been quietly appreciating our work for years,” noted Johanna.
It seems that Johanna and Petr have definitely got the balance right and will continue to produce unique, sustainable, high-quality handmade footwear that blends traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation for decades to come.
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