How she does it: Becky Grech
Artisan shoemaker Becky Grech had been working on her craft for about 10 years before she took the leap and launched BX Design about two years ago. The mother-of-three, who won the Malta Craft’s Foundation Person of the Year award last year in the textile category, walks us through her creative journey and talks about the importance of chasing dreams, while remaining true to yourself.
I was scrolling through Facebook one evening when I came across a post about a Maltese woman who makes shoes. Wow. I was so curious. The journalist in me wanted to know and tell her story. The woman and mother in me wanted to know how this woman with three young kids – then aged nine, seven and two – manages to make it happen. How she finds the drive and the time.
So I sent her a direct message there and then (because I’ve learnt that, if I don’t act on something immediately, it will float away). Within minutes she replied and agreed to an interview for Woman Unclouded.
A few weeks later I met Becky at her workshop. As two mothers it was difficult for us to find a slot when we could meet without the kids – so I took my seven-year-old daughter along for the interview and she played with Becky’s two daughters while we spoke. Her little son bounced between us and the girls. The conversation was peppered with little interruptions by little people – but we embraced the situation for what it was and we made it work. Here’s how the conversation went.
How did you get involved in the design world?
I joined design by chance. I joined an interior design course at MCAST. While there, I loved their teaching methods. Thanks to MCAST I moved from being an average student, to being one of the stronger students. I found my passion. I went into product design and loved it so much that, today, I’m a lecturer there.
When I graduated, I was not sure where I was heading. It felt a bit like a dead-end career at the time. But I kept believing: one day it’s going to happen. I believed that Research and Design would eventually pick up. It did. Now I’m living that time.
Initially, I worked on the one-off product design, and I did some interior design for hotels. I kept a portfolio going. I had no idea of shoes back then.
How did shoemaking get into the picture?
One day in 2013 I was sitting in the yard playing with paper and I made an origami shape and poured gypsum in it. I was left with the distorted shape of a shoe and the question: how are shoes made? I got curious and started researching how shoes are made. I searched online and spoke to cobblers.
I met a cobbler in Balzan whose father-in-law used to make sandals and, when he saw that I was interested, he gave me several tools to start off with.
I started practicing and experimenting. I went to the UK to do an intense course in shoemaking. Meanwhile, I was lecturing full-time and doing some industrial design which I love – apart from building a family.
I spent 10 years like this – learning, experimenting, and spending thousands of euro on shoemaking.
How did you take your passion to the next level?
As my passion and skills grew, I wanted to do more with them. I persevered. There were times when I wanted to sell everything. This would happen when a shoe would turn out really badly. Or when I did not take criticism the right way.
I believe in education. I kept learning - to get better. Then a colleague told me it was high time to launch. I could not wait for it to be perfect.
Back then I had a lot going on. I worked and I was reading for my Master’s degree in Industrial Design. I also had my two daughters.
I wanted to take shoemaking to the next level. I questioned if it was egoistic of me to have a dream and focus on it – because of my family.
But, at the same time, I did not want my girls to see that, if I am a mother, all dreams pack up.
I had to choose what to dedicate my limited time to. I asked myself: What do I really love? I hung on to the idea that – one day it’s going to happen.
How did it go in the beginning?
I started taking orders. At first, I took on what came my way. But then I started realising where my strengths lie. I like doing men’s shoes and flats.
I particularly love making hand-stitched moccasins and San Crispinos. It takes about three days full-time to make moccasins. I came up with a mathematical formula which I plan to patent. Basically, the formula allows me to extract a pattern for comfortable shoes just by having the shape of the person’s sole.
“I did not want my girls to see that, if I am a mother, all dreams pack up.”
With time I learnt to say ‘no’ to things and I focus on what I enjoy. Being selective is an important part of the process.
Mental health is really important. There was a time when I was overwhelmed and had to seek help to learn how to be grounded.
I work a lot at night when the kids are asleep. I come down here – to make a shoe. It will be done during stolen moments.
Throughout this I had to go against pre-conceived ideas, mostly from older women, about what women should be doing. I was told: When you are a mother you should not be so ambitious.
If we are defaulting to not following our dreams, why are we sending girls to school? If we want them to then give everything up. If they want to choose that let them. But it has to be a choice.
“I prefer slow and steady rather than going out there immediately. I’m choosing to be there to support the children and enjoy time with them.”
Having said that, I also found lots of support from women to grow.
I prefer slow and steady rather than going out there immediately. I’m choosing to be there to support the children and enjoy time with them. I do not want to be in a situation where I can’t take my children out because I took on more work than I can handle.
I don’t think I’m compromising because, while I might not leave a business legacy as yet, I am leaving a documented legacy since I am documenting my process. Now I plan on taking it to the next level.
What does your business mean to you?
BX Design isn't merely a business endeavor. It's a profound manifestation of passion, identity, and community—a vocation that resonates deeply within me. As a mother, wife, lecturer, shoe designer, and craftsman, I advocate for preserving the essence of craftsmanship, imparting not just skills but a philosophy—a way of being.
“I believe in remaining genuine and true to yourself. By all costs go get it – go follow your dreams. Sit down every so often and contemplate everything – stop and think what’s important to you. Don’t just exist, be conscious.”
If there's a path I encourage others to tread, it's not to replicate my endeavors but to embrace the authenticity, purpose, and kindness that define my journey. In pursuing dreams, there's no need to sacrifice family, joy, or personal growth. Reject the notion that familial roles are confined to provision. True fulfillment lies in fostering serenity within oneself and radiating it outward.
What does success look like to you?
Success, to me, isn't measured in monetary gains but in the harmony of my lifestyle—a balance I refuse to compromise, even if it means embracing frugality over financial abundance.
Observing societal discontent, I advocate for a shift from the pursuit of money to the cultivation of happiness and peace. It's a call to transcend the confines of people-pleasing and embrace self-fulfilment, not as an act of selfishness but as a means of authentic living.
This journey entails introspection, dialogue, and a refusal to conform to societal expectations, prioritizing personal fulfillment over societal norms. As an industrial designer, my need to create is innate, but I recognize the universal importance of nurturing hobbies and passions.
Any other advice?
What I tell my students is: You have to be passionate and persevering. You don’t have to be brilliant. It’s not the intelligent ones who always make it. You have to get knocked down and do it again, and again.
I believe in remaining genuine and true to yourself. By all costs go get it – go follow your dreams. Sit down every so often and contemplate everything – stop and think what’s important to you. Don’t just exist, be conscious.
In a world inundated with obligations and distractions, understanding and fulfilling our intrinsic needs is paramount. I urge everyone to embark on their journey of self-discovery, embracing their true desires, and finding solace in the pursuit of their passions.
Becky offers shoemaking classes. More information and contact details can be found on the BX Design Facebook and Instagram pages.
How she does it…
We often look on at other people in awe and ask ourselves: How does she do it? How does she find the time? How does she find the willpower?
Woman Unclouded believes that, by sharing our stories, women can inspire one another - to take the leap, make that call, book that class. A leap towards doing what you really want to do or being who you really want to be. It does not have to be something extraordinary. It just needs to be special for you.
Do you know someone who has an inspiring story to share? It could be yourself, of course! Drop us an email at hello@womanunclouded.com