of materials and a reinforcement shank and allows the material to sit on the last for at least 24 hours. Wheeler reinforces that each shoe type is made a bit differently. After she gets the supplies, it takes about 18 days to fully make a shoe. “Initially, finding suppliers was a hurdle,” Wheeler said. Something she had to conquer before moving forward with her shoe making business. “Every heel height, every size, every half size, every toe shape has to have its own last,” Wheeler said. “My supplier is in Finland and he does the design work but the machine shop that actually makes these out of a high resin material is in Portugal and then there are some components that I have to learn how to make myself because I’ll never be able to get them from overseas.” To officially begin her business, Wheeler recently purchased a shop in historic downtown Excelsior Springs, Missouri. She plans to open Shelby’s Stiletto Factory in mid- January. Her shop is named after her dad’s classic 1970 Shelby Mustang.
An extremely sharp knife and steady hand is needed when trimming the leather’s edge.
Wheeler relaxes in what is to be her new studio complete with exposed brick walls, soaring ceilings and gleaming hardwood floors.
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