Custom Shoes for Women

Women often have their very own ideas when it comes to the perfect pair of pumps or boots "with that certain something". But finding "that certain something" is not terribly likely from among the normal range of off-the-shelf merchandise. For this reason, we will handcraft exactly the pair of shoes that you have in mind. Just the way you want, for example, tone-in-tone with your favorite dress. And, while we’re at it, how about a matching handbag, too?

You don’t have a specific idea but you’re bored with everything you see in shoe stores? Let us show you our materials and styles – from practical to sporty to extravagant. The great variety will surprise you!

Superior quality is something that has always played a major role for the Paul Körting traditional shoemakers. A customized wooden last ensures a perfect fit without any pressure or rubbing points; at least two fittings are scheduled so that customers can have an intensive exchange with our shoemakers and share their ideas.

Custom Shoes for Men

Who hasn’t dreamt of owning one of the classic models of men’s footwear? A derby, a brogue or a blucher? Or a pair of Italian slip ons? We can make your dream come true. There are no limits to the materials we have on hand to choose from either.

Whether calfskin, crocodile leather or canvas; your wish is our command. How about a matching belt or wallet from the leather remnants?

Visit us at our traditional workshop in Charlottenburg. We would be happy to present our diverse models and materials to you – without any obligation on your part. Take in the rustic flair of a genuine crafts workshop and familiarize yourself with the various benefits of loafers, Norwegians, monk shoes or George boots in a relaxed atmosphere.

Master orthopedic shoemaker Christian Kuhlmey – the great-grandson of the company founder – and his team are looking forward to your visit.

Therapeutic Footwear for Diabetics

As a diabetic, you will need custom footwear if the width of an off-the-shelf shoe no longer suffices for you. This would be the case, for instance, should you require extra depth for shoe inserts that are thicker than half a centimeter.

Diabetic shoes are characterized by design features that prevent sores and irritation: Added space for toe movement, hidden stitches and seams for a smooth interior that prevents rubbing or pressure points, as well as custom-molded shoe inserts that protect particularly sensitive areas of foot (after a healed ulcer, for example). Apart from a co-payment contribution, health insurance carriers cover the costs.

Manufacturing shoes for diabetics is very important and also very challenging for a master shoemaker. Whereas other customers can immediately point out "where the shoe pinches" diabetics, who often suffer from nerve damage to their feet, often can’t feel whether the shoe has a good fit or if it still needs to be optimized. This is where technology and the finesse of our experienced orthopedic master shoemakers come into play.

It goes without saying that we also take into consideration your expectations in terms of the shoe’s appearance and the surface material used insofar as this is reconcilable with the footwear’s medical requirements.

Materials for Our Custom Footwear

Custom leather shoes – which are traditionally made – are the most comfortable and durable footwear that you can imagine. Leather adapts excellently to the foot, it offers breathability and superior durability if properly cared for.

Our palette of materials ranges from sporty, coarse-grained leathers to elegant, patent leathers.

We also process snake, antelope and ostrich leathers as well as various types of lizard skins and leather imitations. In addition, we produce shoes made of pure silk or linen.

You are welcome to provide us materials that you have personally sourced. Accommodating the diverse demands of our customers has always been a cornerstone of our company’s philosophy.

Orthopedic Adjustments to Off-The-Shelf Shoes

Orthopedic adjustments to ready-made shoes serve to facilitate stepping and walking. These adjustments have a varying scope and can be made to any pair of shoes that you bring to us; practically any part of a shoe can be altered to give you relief.

Thus cushioning or pads can be employed at the sole and heel of a shoe, for instance. So-called butterfly soles can help if you suffer from pain caused by splayfeet, for example. Cushions for the ball of the feet are worth considering for foot disorders.

Rocker bottom soles facilitate foot roll-over. A shoe base reinforcement, on the other hand, ensures that the foot does not move during the roll-over process. In combination with a cushion, such reinforcement reduces pain in the ankles that a complete roll-over would entail.

Heel wedges can be used to compensate for slight leg length discrepancies (greater leg length differences may be addressed with custom footwear). Transversal arch supports are a relief in particular for the metatarsal region, which causes pain with overuse, but they also help prevent the foot form rolling inwards.

Raising the inner and outer edges your shoes, on the other hand, is helpful when it comes to knee disorders, as with arthrosis, for instance, as well as with a congenital or acquired foot misalignment.

Inner shoes / Foot Orthoses

Inner shoes, or orthoses, are made with a prescription by a medical doctor. Depending on what is required, they either stabilize or fix into place the foot. They are used to treat either congenital misalignments of the feet/legs or those that result from accident and are used for rehabilitation following (sporting) accidents, to treat so-called polio foot or unstable joints.

Custom orthoses are put on just like a regular shoe. Thereafter, the outer shoe, which can be either customized or a ready-made, is pulled over it. The orthoses ensures that it too fits the foot in a stable and snug manner.

Orthoses are generally fashioned out of lightweight leather and thus add very little additional weight. They thus don’t constitute an additional burden to the wearer.

In the case of greatly discrepancies in leg length, a leg-lengthening prosthesis (see photo) can serve as an alternative to the inner shoe. Here the natural foot is brought into an equinus position before fitting the leg with a knee-high shaft with a foot prosthesis. It has the same function as an inner shoe yet, as a "shoe above the shoe", it yet looks very different. We can jointly decide which variant is more beneficial for you.

Foot Plate Pressure Sensor System

A foot pressure measurement device is a good tool to have when it comes to making inserts as well as customized orthopedic and fashionable footwear. It also proves very useful when carrying out orthopedic adjustments to off-the-shelf shoes.

The customer steps onto the pressure-sensitive plate that measures – with millimeter precision – how the individual’s weight is distributed between the ball, outer edge and heel of the foot, but also with how much pressure each foot is placed individually onto the ground.

The result is a pressure profile that reflects not only the particulars of each foot but also the specific reaction pattern of each foot individually. Thus, even slightest postural misalignments and leg length discrepancies can be detected. This information is used to manufacture (orthopedic) custom shoes or orthopedic footwear adjustments as well as inserts.

Health Insurance

Orthopedic adjustments and custom-made shoes are not a luxury but necessities that relieve you of physical and emotional stress alike.

In accordance with social legislation, insured persons have a legal claim to such orthopedic aids. Your claim encompasses not only the initial acquisition but also a replacement should it become necessary.

Consult with your physician, your health insurance carrier or with us about the possibility of getting such aids and how to go about it.

Inserts for athletes

Orthotic inserts – or insoles – relieve stress on the feet, knees, hips as well as the back. They support the foot especially in areas that are subjected to the most strain but inserts also provide extra stability and cushioning to reduce shock in general.

This is particularly important for athletes since – depending on the type of sport pursued – their feet pound the ground with every step or jump and consequently must withstand several times the runner’s bodyweight. Without orthotic inserts for athletes this can exacerbate faulty foot posture while also increasing the risk of injury.

Inserts support the feet in their natural function; they are thus a useful aid for long distance runners and most other athletes as well. Ambitious hikers will benefit from orthotic inserts for their athletic footwear.  Even individuals who like to take long walks with their dogs stand to profit.

Orthotics for Diabetics

A diabetes-adapted footbed is a customized insole consisting of several layers of padding to protect the foot from injuries. It is used primarily for individuals with advanced diabetes, for example, for those with peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD), polyneuropathy (PNP) but also for diabetics with foot ulcers.

Inserts for diabetics cannot prevent the spread of the nerve damage and blood flow disorders. But, fitted into an adequately wide shoe, inserts can prevent the occurrence of new pressure marks on the foot. And, while cushioning exactly where it’s needed is important, the shape and condition of the shoe is also critical.  Moreover, the shoes of a diabetic individual must not have any seams on the inside; they should have a smooth, even interior to prevent rubbing and irritation.

The basis for a diabetes-approved foot bed is an accurate diagnosis through a diabetologist or orthopedist and the insert must be manufactured by an experienced orthopedic shoemaker who will take into consideration the loss of sensation that diabetics frequently suffer from.

Purchasing special protective shoes, by the way, makes good sense for diabetics.  They will have all the necessary features of a health promoting shoe and be custom-fitted with inserts by a master orthopedic shoemaker. Generally, such shoes can be prescribed by a physician and will thus be covered by the health insurance carrier.

Ultra-thin shoe inserts

Occasionally “ultra-thin” is required. After all, even individuals suffering from faulty foot posture will want to wear nice shoes on special occasions. Ultra-thin inserts are suitable, for example, for use with pumps, snug brogues, high heels, Italian slippers, ballerinas and sandals.

Ultra-thin inserts have many of the advantages of normal orthopedic inserts.  They can be used to treat minor cases of improper foot posture or used instead of standard inserts when an occasion calls for it. They alleviate pain in the ball of the foot, correct foot alignment and serve as shock absorbers.

Inserts for Children

As children are still growing, their bones are softer than those of adults and, thus, the use of orthopedic inserts make good sense to address their foot issues. In the case of children, not only can their symptom be treated but real improvements to their foot posture can in fact still be achieved. Later, as adults, they will be able to dispense with orthopedically-adjusted shoes altogether.

Up until age eight, minor misalignments are quite normal: In fact, bow-legged one-or-two-year-olds benefit from this circumstance as they learn to walk.  Knock-knees, which may be observed in a subsequent growth stage – and which children should have grown out of by second or third grade – is a counter reaction to this condition. 

Many misalignments that last beyond the age of eight can be remedied effectively, for example, with heel cup inserts or sensomotoric inserts.

Beyond this, orthopedic inserts for children are also available to improve, or provide relief from, various handicaps such as motor disabilities or spastic paralysis.

Sensomotoric insoles

Sensomotoric insoles are mainly used for children, athletes and individuals suffering from chronic pain. But they are also an effective method to help patients suffering from spastic paralysis. Unlike other orthopedic inserts, which have a supportive function, sensomotoric insoles stimulate targeted muscle group by means of little pressure pads.

The objective is to achieve a balancing, compensatory effect of the body by activating these muscles. This can be, for example, in repositioning a misaligned pelvis. But many individuals who suffer from back pain also experience relief thanks to sensomotoric insoles.

A further plus factor: Sensomotoric insoles are very thin and can be used with off-the-shelf shoes. This enhances their acceptance by the wearer.

The starting point for the customization performed by an orthopedic master shoemaker is an examination of the foot and a musculoskeletal posture assessment by an orthopedist.