That Dapper Chap: The Shoe Whisperer

That Dapper Chap shows us his leather brogues before and after The Shoe Whisperer has worked his incredible magic and created a different pair of shoes.

A few weeks ago I visited Steve Skippen, otherwise known as 'The Shoe Whisperer' in the foyer of London's Hilton Hotel. He told me all about his trade as a master shoeshine to the stars, and he even gave my black tassel loafers a good brush up and shine while I was there. See the full piece here.

Shoe re-colouring

For my visit, I also took a pair of old tan leather brogues as I was also aware that aside from shining shoes, Steve is also a recolouring expert, and can change a battered old shoe into a beautiful new pair, like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Follow the incredible transformation of my shoes in the images below:

My old tan leather Red Tape brogues. ready for the bin?

The brogues ready for recolouring and rejuvenation

The first splash of blue leather dye is applied

The man himself working his magic

Steve first removes all traces of dirt and grease with a strong chemical before applying the first layer of dye. The dye is then allowed to dry before additional layers and colours are applied.

Using different colours can create a multi coloured or tonal effect on the shoe, resulting in a very different and very eye catching look. I chose a blue and a green dye and steve blended these two colours together along the shoe to great effect.

"The process takes about five days" steve told me after I excitedly asked how soon it would be before I could have them back. "The layers have to be built up and each one has to dry before the next can be applied"

After the layers of dye are dry Steve then polishes the shoes, concentrating on the cap to give a deep and lustrous shine. The final result is breathtaking!

The Results

The finished article, stunning colour and mirror shine

My brogues, before and after

I'm sure that you'll agree that the finished results are astounding. They're like a brand new pair of shoes. Not only have I saved money but I have a better pair of shoes and a more individual pair han I could ever have bought. These are a one-off and unique to me and I am ecstatic with the results.

Other work

Here are some other shoes that Steve has transformed.

Stunning yellow/green graduation

From white to electric blue with a dark shine cap

From white to tan with a dark shine cap

From tan to a yellow and green blend

From dull to dramatic

From white to a red and blue gradation

An individual recolouring of the pointed brogues

Before and after: Tan to burgundy

From white to bright blue

So, if you have a pair of shoes that need a new lease of life or if you just want something truly individual and unique for your special day, the sky is the limit! A basic one colour patina is £40. Two colours with burnishing on top of a base coat is £70 and anything above three colours is £120. So take them along to The Shoe Whisperer and get those tatty old shoes transformed!