janet Middleton

Shoe designer/Pattern Cutter Freelance

Over 35 years working in Shoe industry as Shoe Designer & Pattern Cutter, Product Development, Manufacturer. All Shoe making skills include all processes > Clicking/Closing, Hand lasting, Packaging, Branding. Mainly Womens Fashion, Childrens, Mens.

Absolutely passionate about manufacturing in UK, teaching old skills to new generations. Supporting British /Independent business working with Designers, Makers, Business & Educational Foundations who have visions around their ideas to promote, educate & make shoes.

Over 35 years working in the Shoe Industry around the UK. Worked as Shoe Designer/Product Developer for UK factories & as Freelance for companies including Vivienne Westwood, Nick Coleman, Ad Hoc-London.Developed own Womens Brand & Baby/Childrens Brand & manufacturer.

1987 - 89 JH CLARKES - SHOE DESIGNER / Pattern Cutter - 3 years

1989 -91 LEICESTER Factories - As above

1991-95 Freelance- LONDON - Designer/Shoe Product Development (Worked with AD HOC- London, Vivienne Westwood, Leatherworks/City Cobbler, Shoes for Prince, Patterns for Steve Pateman/Kinky Boots, Helen Storey, Katherine Hamnett, Nick Coleman, Betty Boo, Courtney Love, Carleen Anderson) 

1995 -98 PICCADILLY/UNDERGROUND Shoes - Senior Shoe designer/Development working in Womens/Mens - UK Factories including George Cox, Ambassador Shoes, WJ Brookes, Tebbutt & Hall

1999 - 2020 Starchild Shoes - Designed/Developed Own baby Shoe brand & UK manufacture. Exhibited London, Paris, Tokyo. Produced & managed 2000 pairs a week. Sales, Marketing, Manager of 22 employees.

2018 - Present - Technical Footwear Demonstrator @ University of Northampton - Fashion/Footwear. Demonstrating Pattern Cutting, Shoe making skills, include clicking/closing, hand lasting. Run footwear workshops, samples, technical files & creative leather applications.

Education- School - Burleigh College - GCSE - English Lit/Language, Fashion Design, Geography, Biology, Maths OLEVEL - Art & Design Foundation.

Further Education - Southfields Footwear College - City & Guilds Diploma -Shoe Design & Technology level 1 - 4, Clothing & Footwear Papers 1-4

Further Education - City & Guilds Diploma Textile & Creative techniques, level 1-4

Workshops/Summer schools

Intensive Bag/Leather Accessories Summer School - UAL - London Fashion.

Indigo/Eco Dyeing - Committed to Cloth

Most recent education…

Creative Leather Applications - University of Northampton