Under the Knife With Shoe Surgeon Dominic Chambrone

In the classic "The Shawshank Redemption," Tim Robbins made a daring prison escape by secretly tunneling, a pocketful at a time, through the wall of his cell. The only hint something was amiss the day he planned break out was that he replaced his prison-issued shoes for a pair of glossy-black civilian dress equivalents.

"The guards simply didn't notice," says narrator Morgan Freeman. "Neither did I... I mean, seriously, how often do you really look at a man's shoes?"

The movie was set in 1966. But 2016 is a whole new ball game, because now it is all about the shoes.

What's Old Is New Again

"Growing up, I was a kid who always wanted to dress up and wear cool clothing," recalls Dominic Chambrone. "I started screen printing in high school and to me at that time, it was 'fashion.'"

Chambrone should give his humble beginnings more credit, because when he turned his attentions to his shoes, the magic happened. While still experimenting, Chambrone describes how, in 2001, he turned his skills to a pair retro Jordan Nikes, a pair that his friends all soon had, because he wanted to stand out a little. The reaction he got was off the charts.

Today, Chambrone, AKA The Shoe Surgeon, counts Eminem, Justin Bieber, Will.i.am, and Olympic medalist Will Claye among his burgeoning fan-base.

Forget the A-Listers

Well-known in the underground fashion world for his self-taught customizations and full-on restructurings of standing models, it was when Team Bieber began tapping Chambrone's fashion prowess in 2011 that the Shoe Surgeon hunkered down and got serious. His star may have already been on the rise, but he nevertheless apprenticed under master cobblers Daryl Fazzio and Michael Anthony Carnacchi, learning from first stitch to last how a shoe is constructed.

Yet now, working out of a garage in Santa Rosa, California, one would have little inkling how highly regarded Chambrone is in the fashion world as a designer and shoemaker; the man behind the magic is as understated in demeanor as his work is fashion-forward. Indeed, he hardly seems to notice the A-listers clamoring for his art.

"I could truly care less about what celeb wears my work," Chambrone says, "as long as the person respects the craft, and my work - that's what means the most."

Moreover, the man will not be rushed if it means quality would be sacrificed. From the fire engine red John Geiger Moccasin (made from a Nike Air Force 1) to a custom-designed piece, producing properly posh paddles is an exercise in patience. While Chambrone admits he can whack out a pair, from concept to finished product, in little over 24 hours, it is more likely his creations will take anywhere from 40 hours to several weeks; depending on design and materials, the wait for a pair of his handmade shoes is anywhere from three months to a year.

Next Steps

From street fashion to the Millennial Era office, more leeway is given to shoes than ever before. While the classic black office shoe (of "Shawshank" fame) has withstood the test time, and will probably continue to do so, it could be argued it is now something of a back-up to the more flashy, individualized shoes on the market.

With hallmarks including studs, American Indian-style fringe or hip zippers racing across his work, and thanks to a healthy Internet and Instagram following, Chambrone's artistry quickly lofted him into the upper echelons of shoe fashion, and he now regularly works with legendary brands including Nike, Supra (Bieber's favorite), and Android Homme. But as cutthroat as any sector of the fashion world, Chambrone remains coolly undaunted; his own vision is his anchor.

"I don't believe in competitors; my shoes are made by my passion, blood, sweat and tears," says Chambrone. "My shoes now represent my journey from when I was a baby until now."

And when asked about the mystique of the shoe and why something so utilitarian has become such a make-or-break fashion choice?

"Shoes show one's soul. We are on our feet most of the day," he proclaims. "And shoes are what we step on everyday. It's what bonds us to the Earth."

So says the master.