Andrey Kaveshnikov

Andrey Kaveshnikov graduated from Moscow State University of Design and Technology as a footwear technologist. Today he is one of the few, perhaps the only, hand shoemaker with a specialized higher education — a rare combination, since most people enter this craft through practice alone, without an academic foundation. After university, Andrey spent 10 years at a large Russian footwear manufacturer, where production meant thousands of pairs, conveyor lines, and industrial processes. While one part of him worked in mass production, another was drawn to the opposite pole: individual, one-off work, where each pair is made by hand for a specific foot and every detail matters. These are two different worlds within one profession, and Andrey chose to master both. In 2009, the internet offered no clear video on the subject and no step-by-step article about hand shoemaking. There were only old masters reluctant to share secrets, worn books, and endless experiments with cut leather, damaged lasts, and a stubborn desire to understand the craft alone. That is how Andrey’s path in hand shoemaking began alongside his factory work. More than 17 years later, he is an internationally recognized master, an annual participant in world shoemaking championships, and someone equally fluent in the language of mass production and individual, one-off craftsmanship. “The more discoveries you make, the more you want to go further and understand the subtleties of this craft. I love what I do, and I have carried that love in my heart for many years,” Andrey says. That is why Kaveshnikov School was created. Not because there was too little information about shoemaking, but because there was too much, and beginners drown in contradictory advice without knowing whom to trust. Andrey knows the craft from every angle: academic, industrial, and the hands-on, one-off tradition — from his first failed stitch to championship-winning work. He knows exactly what beginners should focus on so they do not lose years repeating mistakes he once made. Here, you learn from a master who brings together theory, production experience, and an authentic handcrafting school, rather than from scattered fragments of advice online. Step by step, stitch by stitch.