Niki Jessup’s practice explores the relationship between the body and the object, with a focus on the imperfection of handmade work and that of the skin, with its marks and singularities. Touch plays a key role in her creative process, where each gesture shapes the material, particularly leather, which reacts to contact and transforms. This interaction creates a dialogue between the artisan and the material.
By deconstructing traditional footwear codes, Jessup seeks to challenge conventions by blending artisanal leatherworking and shoemaking techniques with the use of modern technologies. With a focus on sustainability, she exclusively uses vegetable-tanned animal hides and transforms production waste to create new materials. Nature and people are her main sources of inspiration, guiding her exploration of contrasts between colors, techniques, and materials, urging her to rethink each gesture through the lens of sustainability.
With a Master’s degree in Footwear Design from Cordwainers, London College of Fashion (UAL) UK in 2016, Niki has participated in many group and solo exhibitions internationally, including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, UK, the Valade Gallery in Detroit, USA, FashionClash, in Maastricht, the Netherlands, as well as the Montreal Museum of Fine Art in Canada.
Since 2017 Jessup offers shoe making classes at the Centre des métiers du cuir de Montréal, both private courses for businesses and individuals and workshops for the general public.
© Niki Jessup.
