Atlanta native and Cords Shoes and Boots founder Sarah Green made her way up and down the coast perfecting her craft before returning to Atlanta in 2013 to set up her shop of finely crafted, handmade shoes. After attending Parsons The New School of Design in NYC and spending two years in New Orleans working at an affordable housing project, Green began making shoes first as a hobby, then later made moves to pursue shoe-making full time. She purchased a large lot of equipment from the widow of New Orleans’ last shoemaker, Rupert Trusty. Then, she made her way to rural Bucks County, Penn. to apprentice for master shoemaker Perry Ercolino, who specializes in bespoke shoes for an elite clientele.
Today, Cords Shoes + Boots is one of a handful of companies in the U.S. that designs and produces handmade shoes on a limited scale. The lines focuses on classic, time-tested designs, and utilizes some of the finest American leather in the world.
CommonCreativ chatted with Green about her inspirations, the Atlanta Underdog Initiative and the possibility of some blue suede shoes.
CommonCreativ: How did you get into leather working and making shoes?
Sarah Green: I was actually interested in making shoes before I knew anything about leatherwork. About four years ago, I randomly started to wonder how shoes were made. I have a background in woodworking, so I thought it might be something I could do as a hobby. I had never worked with leather or sewn a stitch in my life. I just wanted to see if I could figure it all out during my free time.
CC: What inspires your designs?
SG: I am so driven by simplicity and functionality. A shoe is a really small design canvas, and some of the most beautiful, time-tested designs are the simplest ones. There are not many bells and whistles on a classic oxford or boot, but their lines are clean, and everything is there for a reason. Shoes are such cool objects because the design is effectively dictated by both the function and the ways our feet work.
CC: What makes your products stand out?
SG: One of the main things that makes Cord Shoes stand out is that they are 100-percent designed and made on a small scale in Atlanta. While there are still some shoes being made domestically in production runs in factory settings, Cord is one of just a handful of companies making shoes in the U.S. at this scale.
It is very exciting to watch the company grow, but I don’t ever want to let go of the production aspect. It would be relatively simple to design some killer boots and have them made in a factory up in the Northeast, but I am committed to keeping production in my region. I get so much satisfaction from making shoes, and I think other people would too. I think it would be fantastic if there were 100 similar companies in the U.S. making shoes. There used to be, and there can be again.
CC: What inspired Cord Shoes to start its support for the Atlanta Underdog Initiative?
SG: Cord has partnered with Atlanta Underdog Initiative (AUI) because they are a great organization that supports a cause close to my heart. My dog is a little pit bull rescue that ended up on the wrong side of things when he was a pup, through no fault of his own. Pit bulls are wonderful dogs, and there is so much public misinformation surrounding them. AUI strives to foster and rescue dogs whenever possible, but they also place great importance on breed education and finding alternatives to Breed Specific Legislation. There will definitely be other non-profit collaborations in the future. I think it’s really important to build these kinds of components into your business model. Small businesses can have a big impact in their communities.
CC: How do you promote yourself locally and internationally?
SG: Up to this point, I have relied mostly on word-of-mouth promotion. Cord is still a small operation, so I’ve been able to stay busy with limited promotion. However, in the next year I would really like to expand the company and grow our production capacity. I’m very excited and thankful about the fact that local publications have been really receptive to Cord.
CC: Do you have any new projects in the works?
SG: Oh yes! Currently, there is just one style for sale on cordshoes.com. It’s a pretty rad boot, for men and women, and I always intended it as our flagship boot. Right now, though, I’m in the process of finalizing three new designs to go up on the site during late fall: a men’s chukka boot, a new women’s boot, and a women’s oxford. Also, I just ordered some leather (what I thought would be gray) that showed up in super bright blue. So who knows… I may be designing some limited-run blue suede shoes in the near future.
CC: What are some of your favorite spots in Atlanta?
SG: There is a beautiful walking and biking trail near my house in East Atlanta called the South River Trail. I think that’s probably my favorite spot right now—I just wish it were longer. As for nightlife, I’m a homebody and pretty much stick to East Atlanta. El Mexicano on Moreland and The Earl are where I usually end up if I have time to make it out of the shop.
CC: Who are some of your favorite artists in Atlanta?
SG: I have to admit I’m not too knowledgeable about the Atlanta art scene. I really like Blackcattips—he puts up a lot of stuff in my neighborhood, and his signs always make me happy. There was one of a shrimp at the corner of Flat Shoals and Bouldercrest for a while that was just about my favorite thing. Then somebody knocked it down. I just hope he keeps putting them back up.
CC: What do you think of Atlanta’s current creative scene?
SG: I think Atlanta is a pretty great place to be right now if you’re in a creative field. It’s sort of been perpetually under the radar for a long time (and still is to a certain extent) compared to the other creative hubs in the U.S.—that can definitely have some great benefits. You can’t beat the cost of living and the support that comes from being part of a smaller scene, no matter what your medium. I don’t think I could do what I do if I lived in most other cities. Atlanta, at least for now, is a great place to get stuff done because you’re not constantly panicking about making rent.
See more of her designs at her online shop, Cord Shoes and Boots.
