FORTIS GREEN X OSCAR HUNT TAILORS

In August 2018 Fortis Green shoeshine once again worked alongside Oscar Hunt Tailors to promote their made to measure suiting service. Over three days we offered complimentary shoe shines within the light filled lobby of 567 Collins Street, Melbourne.  

While guests received their luxury shoeshine, staff from Oscar Hunt had the opportunity to develop a rapport with potential customers, develop future leads and explain their services in a relaxed atmosphere. 

Oscar Hunt Tailors pop-up at 567 Collins Street Melbourne

Oscar Hunt Tailors pop-up at 567 Collins Street Melbourne

FORTIS GREEN x MERCHANT 1948

New Zealand footwear retailer Merchant 1948 contracted Fortis Green shoeshine for a day of complimentary shoe shining for both their customers and Chadstone Shopping Centre shoppers.

This unique activation promoted their brand new Merchant Workshop, exclusive to their Merchant Chadstone store. The Merchant Workshop within the Chadstone Shopping Centre is a one-stop shop for shoe repairs, monogramming, and upgrading your favourite shoes or boots with Vibram soles, for longer-lasting wear. 

Merchant 1948 launch promotion at Chadstone Shopping Centre

Merchant 1948 launch promotion at Chadstone Shopping Centre

Fortis Green shoeshine wins Melbourne Design Award

The Fortis Green shoeshine team were delighted to receive a silver medal at The Melbourne Design Awards for our full leather, hand made bespoke shoeshine chair.

Standing at over 2 two meters tall it took 16 square meters of leather and over 6 metres of individually welded pieces of steel to make. It features 59 hand made leather buttons and combines the old world upholstery technique of Diamond Buttoning and traditional piping with the hard edge Art Deco period of the 1930's. 

Fortis Green commissioned Industrial Designer Craig Willmoth to create a chair that challenged and reinvented what a traditional shoe-shine chair could be. We wanted more than just a generic copy of a shoe shine chair found in a Google image search. We asked him to create a striking, fit for purpose theatre piece, that owned any room, demanded attention and most importantly provided an experience for anyone sitting in it that was not easily forgotten. 

Craig used the Shoe shine foot rest to add an Art Deco element to the chair - fusing steel with upholstery. He designed the feet to invoke the ascetic of a 1930's car hood emblem.  Using 8ml round mild steel he individually welded each piece together side by side. He then then hand ground the joined pieces to bring the shape of the feet to life and powder coated the finished product. The result is a perfectly symmetrical and ergonomic shoe shining foot rest that speaks to the 1930's, while integrating with the traditional diamond buttoned leather.

Craig used the one metre rule taught to him by his mentor to ensure a person of any height would be able to comfortably sit in the chair and reach the foot-rests. The one metre rule gives a rule of thumb for the most comfortable seating experience. The seat depth is calculated by subtracting the overall height of the seat (from the base), from 1 meter.

We were delighted with the results and proud to see Craig's work recgonised by Driven X Design.

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