Paris. Milan. Canberra? World-class shoes in our backyard

Posted on 13 May, 2025

You either get shoes, or you don’t – or so we thought. Sam is one of those rare converts, and he’s hoping Sparrods & Co will convince more Canberran men to become shoe-lovers too.

Meeting Sam Kwame Nyarko, he comes across as your typical Canberran – an engineering graduate working in IT and a mad soccer fan. But scratch the surface and you soon realise Sam has a serious and unique passion for shoes. 

 The idea first came to him in Finland, where he studied for his Bachelor of Engineering in Information of Technology.  

“People in Europe have a lot of pride in what they wear, and in their shoes,” he says. 

“Then I came to Australia and realised that there was a gap in the market. There weren’t many Australian companies making great shoes.” 

“I had coworkers complaining about the lack of high-quality leather shoes on the market. I was shocked by the prices of average leather shoes which are poorly made with cemented construction – where the upper of the shoe is glued to the sole using strong adhesive.” 

“These shoes are less durable, fall apart quickly and cannot be resoled. It explained why I saw stylish men wearing cheap shoes!”   

From there, his obsession for creating a good pair of shoes began, spending countless hours and endless resources searching everything about shoes – from liaising with Italian designers to designing prototypes of numerous shoe designs and sampling hundreds of shoes from different countries. 

“It’s become an obsession,” Sam explains. 

Setting out in 2016, he was a self-confessed novice who knew little to nothing about the complexities and all the intricacies in shoemaking.  

Now, he is only too ready to excitedly explain the difference between a Blake rapid stitched and Goodyear welted construction, or why a studded sole offers the best grip on a range of surfaces because it provides better traction, especially on wet or uneven terrain, while the added studs enhance stability and friction, reducing the risk of slippage  

“Goodyear welted is a traditional shoemaking method where the upper, welt, and sole are stitched together rather than glued. It enhances strength, longevity and water resistance, making the shoes easy to repair and resole when needed,” he says.  

“Blake rapid stitched construction involves the upper being stitched directly to the insole and outsole, then a second, visible rapid stitch attaches the midsole to the outsole for added strength and durability.”  

Using only calfskin leather from some of the finest tanneries in Europe – all of which Sam says meets strict environment standards – he has also roped in friends, and colleagues to test the slightest change in designs to make sure they are perfect before they go on sale.  

As Sam explains, finalising samples before production takes a lot of time and hearing their critiques on the design, the leather used, and the craftmanship lets him create comfort and luxury in every detail.  

 “I’d give them samples to test and see how they fit, and then I’d get their feedback to help improve the designs.” 

“Ordering shoes online can be a customer’s worst nightmare, so we focus on rigorously testing different sizes on different feet to ensure the fit are right before launch. I will not say we have mastered sizing; we have 90 per cent accuracy.”  

The journey has taken him across the globe – making connections in Italy, France, the United States, Portugal, Finland, and now Australia. 

Today, his perfect designs are crafted using the finest  European box calf and full grain leather (tested against leather from all over the world), and crafted by Artisans in Portugal to Sparrods & Co exacting standards and design guidelines. 

“I want to create something that people will cherish and love – the best of the best,” he says. 

“When you pick up a Sparrods shoe, you can immediately feel the difference.” 

When asked how he remains so committed, he smiles as he recounts his mother and his aunt, who are strong women with a strong work ethic. 

“My mother was a trader, who buys and sells coconut oil in large quantities. She sources them from neighbouring country Ivory Coast and visits numerous vendors to find the best price. She then brings them to sell in Accra – the capital city of Ghana,” he says.  

“Neither of them could read or write, and I think about that, and about my education, and it motivates me. It means I’m not scared to try anything.” 

 Today, Sparrods & Co is selling out a wide range of lace-up boots, Oxford shoes, double monks strap, brogues boots, Chelsea boots, and minimalist leather sneakers and shipping all over the world – even a CEO from one of Australia’s largest shoemakers ordered few pairs.

“I just hope more people here in Canberra can learn about Sparrods and try a pair,” he says. 

 Images supplied.