Beautiful Shoes Made With Love In Moss Vale
We just LOVED this story when we heard it!
Carole Tilling is the founder of Page Shoes, a wonderful fashion business selling handcrafted ladies shoes that started over three decades ago.
Fast forward to today and it’s a family affair with Carole’s 99-year-old-mother, Doreen and Carole’s brother part of the team making these gorgeous ladies shoes in Moss Vale!
So wonderful!
We caught up with Carole to hear more about what she loves about designing and creating ladies shoes, and how it all began.
1 :: How did you get involved in shoemaking?
I was born into the shoe trade.
My parents, Fred and Doreen, were well established as suppliers of components to shoe manufacturers, starting their business back in the 1940’s in their backyard shed!
It just made sense to take the leap into making the entire shoe.
2 :: Who or what are your biggest influences or inspiration?
My parents have been my biggest influence.
They instilled in me a strong work ethic, diligence and integrity, for which I’m so grateful.
In terms of inspiration, I love looking at what’s happening in fashion across the globe and using my creativity to make beautiful shoes.
3 :: What materials do you like to use in the process of creating what you do?
Page Shoes are all leather – from the sole, lining and upper – which means they wear beautifully and last an age.
What makes us different is that our customers can choose from an almost infinite palette of leathers, then select their style and size (ranging from 4-13).
It’s extraordinary some of the colours my ladies choose – a combination I never would have considered looks fabulous in real life.
4 :: Tell us about a career highlight.
The highlight of my career has been working with my family. My 99-year-old mum has been my constant companion and my brother very generously houses my workshop on his Moss Vale property, where he also makes the soles.
5 :: What challenges have you experienced in your career?
The biggest challenge I’ve faced is finding artisans with the traditional skills to handcraft my shoes.
As with many artisanal trades in Australia, the low cost of imports and the high cost of producing locally has not encouraged people to enter the shoe trade.
6 :: What are your plans for the future?
I’ll continue to make shoes as long as it makes me happy.
I have the enthusiasm, the capacity and the client-base to keep going for the foreseeable future.
Handcrafting shoes for my lovely clients brings me a lot of joy.
7 :: Why do you love being a creative in the Southern Highlands?
I’m in good company in the Southern Highlands. I have local friends who are artists, clothes designers, horticulturalists and farmers.
I’m proud that every Page Shoe is handmade in Moss Vale and grateful to work in such a beautiful pocket of the world.
It offers me constant inspiration.
