About

 For the past 12 years Michael Grey has worked as a designer in many leading fashion companies such as Roberto Cavalli, Vince Camuto, Bass, Levis, and Steve Madden to name a few. During these years his world was been consumed with travel, time in factories world wide, and design. The defining point in his journey was the year attending POLIMODA in Firenze Italy which forever changed Michael's approach to footwear design and craft. While completing the masters program in hand-made fashion footwear, he began to hone his aesthetic, and attention to detail. Michael was clear that he had found a love in hand-making footwear. He quickly found that the role of a designer in most mass brands does not have a place for hand-making.. And so began the search for a place where he could use his newly acquired talents.

 

(Image of the first test sandal stand in 2016 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

Back in 2016 Michael wanted to test a simple concept for making sandals. At the time  he was working full time in a corporate design role, and really feeling a disconnect between the work  done daily, and using his hands in craft. Michael began to design a simple line of 10 sandals that he would try to sell that summer in NY (Williamsburg, Brooklyn). It was from that simple table on the street in Brooklyn that the magic began to happen. Business began to grow, and soon he was consistently busy making sandals for customers from open to closing time. It was at the point that he started to think of how I might really make a business of custom leather sandals. This was the beginning of the idea for the MICHAEL GREY SANDAL FACTORY. 

 

 

The sandal factory is all about returning to craft, in a time where handmade footwear has become a lost art. Its about each customer having a chance to experience magic of a custom shoe at a fair price. We are about giving each customer access to a truly unique footwear experience. I hope you will join us on our journey!