zam's shoes ...pradas

[MonCal]

Man, I have had the most difficult time finding shoes. I've looked for months. I spent about 6 hours today going through stores in the malls in Denver and got to the last store and the last row of shoes. There in the new arrivals at Neiman Marcus were some pradas. About 8 pairs between sizes 6 and 10. I had actually given in and bought a pair of state streets at payless for $11.00 which are the same as steve maddens, bass, sketchers, etc.... even though I wasn't happy with the differences in the soles. The Pradas are still a bit pricey ($260.) but they're much more correct and I finally found some. I was actually a little giddy when I rounded the corner and saw them My wife gets to see me act like a kid when I find star wars stuff I've been hunting for.

There are also some "Hot Topic" beads in the box I finally picked up

 

[Ragresen]

I am happy you found a pair. The pair I have actually has the sole not quite right. The desing on the bottom is too fine on my pair, but after all I have been through looking for them and the price I got them at.I am going to keep them and call it close enough until I can afford another set.

 

[MonCal]

I took my shoes to a cobbler today and he says it'll be no problem to modify them. He's nearly positive he can strip the black and dye the tops of the shoes the light purple and sew the brown strips on top of it and around the sides..which tuck underneath the rubber sole / lip thingy He estimated a total price of $100.00 to do them both. If he can't get the black to lighten up enough to dye purple, he'll sew thin strips of dyed purple on first and then the brown strips which will be more like $175. Seems like a good deal to me..saves me a little work. I'll just have to be sure I watch his progress and check his scaling and dying

 

[Zam I Am]

my prob is that they won't cut up the shoe patterning for me. So, i need to find someone better. I could cut it myself, but patterning is essential to comfort. My guess was that mine would all have to be glued, cause i have a red material underneath. And, i am not so sure they'd work with it, they just do shoe repair. UGh.

 

[Dustin Crops Boy]

i believe Zam's shoes were black with just a brown spray over it... look how it's all worn and chipped around the sole and lower portion of the shoe - exposing black underneath.

I was just going to get some deglazer from the shoe store to remove some of the gloss of the black - then spray it was a brown spray dye... then cut out triangles off the top and sew purple leather on from the inside (or have a cobbler do that part).

see where i drew purple in this pic - that's where i will cut... leaving the middle strip in tact. (I haven't decided how high i'll go with the cuts - thus the two difernt versions drawn).Then placing purple pieces in the triangle windows - from behind.

 

[MonCal]

DCB,
That's a good idea. I thought about that when I got home last night so I haven't talked with the cobbler about that option. I agree..I think they're black and painted brown also. I might do it the same way. Have you decided what to do with the zipper? The cobbler said if he put the brown leather on top and tucked it into the rubber, a flap (so to speak) could be left along the zipper and actually covering up about 1/2" of the bottom of the zipper making it more hidden.


Zam I am,
Surely there is someone who could put it together for you. I suppose you could make the patterning yourself. You would have to stitch it to the existing upper as best you can. I realize the shoe stores have a machine that reaches down inside the shoe so you'd have to tuck your new upper into the rubber sole and glue it. Maybe that shoe store could at least do that for you. The thing is you'd probably have to put a zipper or elastic on the top or it won't be going on very easily.

 

[Dustin Crops Boy]

i figured the zipper would be pretty much covered by the ankle guard (at least the guard i made seems to cover it up pretty good) - so i wasn't going to worry about it.

 

[Zam I Am]

I figured zipper on the side of the shoe or better yet, at the very back of the shoe. that way, if the ankle gaurd flips up, you don't see it

Grrr, i have been getting No's because the sole is moulded to the shoe, unlike leather shoes that are sewn/glued together, i will have problems glueing/putting the material together with leather. I might buy some rit dye tonite and see if I can just dye the parts i need purp/brown. It won't be leather, fer now, but is a good makeshift untill i can get someone to say YES!

 

[Dark Trooper]

What model of Pradas are those?

 

[Seven]

Dark Trooper wrote:
What model of Pradas are those?

Yes I am curious about this too. Is there a model No./serial No. or a model name to these Prada Boots? Just in hope to find the same one...

 

[MaulMaus]

*pulls out Prada box from underneath pile of Zam stuff*

*wipes sweat from brow*

Okay.. the label on the box (in Italian of course) calls them "Calzature Donna" : Art. 3U1400 : Group Name Skiskolaer. They are the same boots that DCB and MonCal have images of.

When I bought them (on eBay) they were simply termed "Prada Sport Boots" I remember running through the listings for weeks trying to find my size at a somewhat reasonable price *LOL!* Lost out on a couple auctions... But eventually snagged them! *For all I know it was the same pair being traded around and around and around! *

 

[MonCal]

MaulMaus wrote:

Okay.. the label on the box (in Italian of course) calls them "Calzature Donna" : Art. 3U1400 : Group Name Skiskolaer. They are the same boots that DCB and MonCal have images of.

I have one variation. :

CALZATURE DONNA
art. PR4410
group name. SKISKOLAER
colour. NERO

 

[Kay Dee]

DCB has pics of the boots in the "Costume Tips" section of his Zam site. The name on the box of mine is "Calzature Donna" (Actually, I think they're pretty darn ugly )

Well, I'm trying to get up to speed on these boots! It looks like the hunt is on for those darn Pradas that I suppose are a 4 year old boot

My question is, does anyone have a tutorial on how they converted their boots? (Or could kind of post an update on how they finally did it?) I read that Dustin Crops Boy had one at one time, but is his site Kaput now? Or do I just need a link to where it might be burried on his site? Perhaps someone saved some of his info?

On one hand, I have it easy since so many of you have worked in this for years. On the other hand, links and images that were once here are now gone so I feel like I missed out

 

[pennywise]

PM Zam I Am, she my be kind and help you. She is the "go-to gal" for Zam info.

 

[Zam I Am]

No, don't pm me about shoes! I actually "lucked out" and found the perfect soles at a thrift store. I converted my shoes by adding leather that a shoemaker gave me and I chiselled and sewed on a strip up the middle of the shoe. Sorry no tutorials, and I haven't updated my site in awhile because I just had to renew and well, I have been lagging on somethings due to me not learning html good enough, getting the neoprene thing on, and life in general.

The actual footwear is a boot that goes up to the calf. In "Dressing the Galaxy" book, you can see an image on a brown pull out tab. Almost like duck/water/snow boots.

 

[pennywise]

Oops:facepalm Sorry Zam I guess I should'ent have just volunteered you without asking. I just knew that you had one of the best outfits here.

 

[Zam I Am]

Thanks pennywise for the but, I would rather people post on the thread and not pm me. Because most people are looking for the same info, and if it's out on the forum, it prevents my inbox from getting maxed out on questions that everyone would like answers to.

 

[Langsuir666]

Well i just got a new (used, but new for me lol) pair of Pradas, they arent the same as some ppls i think because they have a zip (better for me cause i have wide feet and struggle to get elasticated ones on! lol) They are also brown but they have the correct sole.

I must have trawled ebay for months in total for Prada boots LOL.

In the end i just typed "prada boots" into the search, got it to search title and description across the whole world and just looked at every auction.

I think i paid $170 inc shipping to the UK.

 

[Kay Dee]

Yes, I'm in the middle of a long ebay hunt for that hopeful used item to turn up. Honestly, I'm wondering if people have photos of the Prada boots they started with ? When I did a search for the style number of boot listed in this thread, this is the shoe that turned up. It does have a zipper on the side.

I guess a full blown tutorial isn't exactly what I needed if it isn't there any longer (or nobody saved DCB's), but a few clarifications would be good.

ZamIAm, did you hand sew your leather onto your shoe? I figure with the sole on there, there is zero way an average sewing maching can stitch there. Did anyone have a different way they went about it (Luck with a cobbler sewing the added leather on?)

Also, did anyone start with black leather and truley have luck deglazing it and re-dying it brown? From what I know of dyes, once something is black it would have to be faded or bleached to get it a lighter color like brown. Unless people are using the leather acrylic paints sparingly to cover up the black.

 

[MonCal]

If you keep looking for prada boots you should find them. I've found them for people both with the zipper and also elastic like the stormtrooper boot. Either way is fine as it gets covered up by the ankle guard and shin guard.

As for modifying the boot, I have had plans to do it right forever but never get around to doing it. I believe the section where the purple is is actually cut out of the boot. Another piece of leather is stitched inside the boot overlapping the holes on the inside of the boot. Then the purple piece is glued into that recessed area. I have a cobbler here locally who said he could do it for $150. When we get around to rebuilding our zam suit and get to the boots I'll probably go ahead and do it.

Another option, which is what I did initially was glue the purple piece on top of the boot. It still looks fine and is an option if you can't find a cobbler to stitch the boots. Cobblers have the fancy stitching machines that go down inside the boot

As for coloring your boot, use leather deglazer (which is mostly acetone) to remove the sheen from the leather and give the paint a surface to adhere to. You'll then use brown leather paint. Spray it on in several fine layers. It will take a lot so get 2 cans. This is actually how stormtrooper boots were made originally by painting black boots white. I've painted several pairs of boots for folks and they turn out nice and after wearing they whether nicely. After a year our Zam boots looked perfect. You can advance the whethering by using sandpaper or scotchbrite pads etc. to scuff it up.

I hope that all makes sense.