Pskaufman Footwear
Pskaufman shoes will bring an end to many a sole-searching--their philosophy is that their shoes will improve with age and remain covetable for life. While this may seem like a quixotic mission, Pskaufman is a cult-classic amongst those that appreciate the story found in the scuff marks of a durable shoe, “People come back for style and quality, they don’t come back because it broke apart” says Paul Kaufman.
Paul Kaufman is veteran shoe designer of the punk rock staple shoe brand NaNa that cultivated a cult following in the 90’s with his Good-year welt technique. After resurrecting the brand with a wildly successful collaboration with Chloe Sevigny’s capsule collection at Opening Ceremony, Kaufman began his new brand, Pskaufman.
The Pskaufman shoe store occupies the basement of an old hotel tucked away in the Historic Core of Downtown Los Angeles. The location is a labyrinth of pure whimsy at a sprawling 7,000 square feet that houses its store, offices, and a large area for events. Kaufman’s vision is to create a space to converge the many creatives they know, “We’ve found so many people through our brand because it speaks to artists and creatives... they understand it.”
The entire expanse of this Pskaufman domain is eponymous with the craftsmanship of its shoes; each nook and cranny of this space was repurposed to preserve the lovely bones of this 100-year-old building, leaving a beautifully rugged aesthetic in its wake. The effect is otherworldly, a sojourn that you wish would never end.
Written by:
Kandice Che
Photographed by:
Eslee
