Sarah Guerin

As Saboteuse, I strive to create beautiful, exquisitely crafted pieces of functional art. Ideally, with wear, these pieces will continue to evolve into another tale as the one who loves them leaves the indelible marks of time and use. Boots have always been a visual symbol of strength in the history of footwear, as well as a functional piece with real purpose. I am drawn to the beauty of the boot-making tradition, the sturdiness of construction, the honesty of the process, and the story each pair of boots tells: that of the maker, the inspiration, the long history of tradition, and the owner for whom they are made. Growing up in the Greater Boston area as a dual French-American citizen, my work has always been imbued with a strong European influence executed with a hearty American work ethic. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design with Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Architecture degrees and spending an independent year in Rome in the European Honors Program sponsored by RISD, I attended the London College of Fashion’s intensive Footwear Summer School run by the esteemed Cordwainer’s College. There I was trained in footwear pattern cutting, foot anatomy, size fitting systems, last measurements for bespoke work, and traditional shoe-making construction techniques. I then had the privilege and honor to study at length under the boot-maker Jim Covington’s guidance in traditional hand-made custom western boot fabrication.