The All-Inclusive Shoe & Boot Thread

[fxh]

Zegna Shoes for The Shooman

 

[aristoi bcn]

Pictures of a Santoni Limited Edition with norvegese stitching around the toe and heel taken in the Rome shop. 1.500€ or so.

 

[The Shooman]

Zegna Shoes for The Shooman
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Thanks for posting those. They are just a machine made blake stitched model. Fatte a mano, pthh.

Pictures of a Santoni Limited Edition with norvegese stitching around the toe and heel taken in the Rome shop. 1.500€ or so.

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Wow, it is a real treat seeing those. I have a real soft spot for limited edition norevegese and bentivegna constructed Santoni. They even do a close cut bevelled waist with a notched heal typical of some English/French/Japanese makers. They must be looking at lots of bespoke pictures on the internet, very interesting! Better than Vass, nicer leathers.

 

[Journeyman]

Zegna Shoes for The Shooman

I've got a very, very similar pair - identical except that mine don't have the rubber patch on the sole.

I think that they were made by "Zefer", or whatever the shoe manufacturing collaboration between Zegna and Ferragamo is/was called.

 

[aristoi bcn]

Thanks for posting those. They are just a machine made blake stitched model. Fatte a mano, pthh.





Wow, it is a real treat seeing those. I have a real soft spot for limited edition norevegese and bentivegna constructed Santoni. They even do a close cut bevelled waist with a notched heal typical of some English/French/Japanese makers. They must be looking at lots of bespoke pictures on the internet, very interesting! Better than Vass, nicer leathers.

Best RTW available out there imo, Ferragamo Tramezza norvegese/bentivegna are up there, too. I've handled both in my last trip to Rome and the construction, leather and patinas are impressive, better than Bontoni. I've yet to see Scafora but the bevelled waits in the Santonis are unique, not to be seen anywhere else.

 

[FriendCustomer]

Zegna shoos such an Olololo concept. It would be like getting big Johnny Lobb cloth for a bespoke suit.

 

[The Shooman]

Best RTW available out there imo, Ferragamo Tramezza norvegese/bentivegna are up there, too. I've handled both in my last trip to Rome and the construction, leather and patinas are impressive, better than Bontoni. I've yet to see Scafora but the bevelled waits in the Santonis are unique, not to be seen anywhere else.

Yes, Santoni can be amazing when they are done right. So many look off, but when they are done right they are absolutely perfect. Some have the more English look while others have that great classic Italian flavour. I love the quality of the Santoni limited editions, and if l could score more classic styles they would be my most desired rtw shoe. I love all types of shoes, but Santoni offer something special, and they are close to my heart.

Classic English style limited edition santoni. An advanced version of an Edward Green dover far far FARRR superior to E.G's version. I have this model. I once worn these to the Edward Green trunk show and compared them next to the Dover and it was almost embarrassing the light and day difference between the two. The Santoni looked handmade and oozed warmth where-as the Dover was just a factory product made well. Something about handmade that gives it a warmth that a factory shoe can't approach.



Here is a stunning santoni with classic ltalian flavour at it's best.


Santoni limited edition also do hand welted non reverse welted shoes that are so stunning that they blow the rtw Lobbs and EG's out of the water in looks IMO (no available pics).

They also do more quirky looks for people who desire a certain type of look. Even if l don't love all the designs, l still love what they do.



I love all the shoes the companies offer for lots of different reasons.

 

[The Shooman]

The shoo collection of the man who runs Gentlemen's Gazette. He is lucky enough to get many of them for free from companies. He doesn't buy many of the higher end brands because he considers the mid end good enough for his needs (he said something similar to that in another video).

 

[The Shooman]

A good article:

Made-to-measure shoes
Top-class shoemakers are responding to the growing appetite for customisation with new high-spec made-to-order footwear that’s a few steps closer to bespoke. Nick Foulkes reports
https://howtospendit.ft.com/mens-style/95173-made-to-measure-shoes

Interesting when TonY Gaziano says there are up to 5,000 different shoe options, and only 80 pairs of G&G made in the factory each week, and he gives interesting reasons why he prefers Bakers leather soles over Rendenbach.

 

[The Shooman]

Master cordwainer and last maker for Gaziano & Girling Daniel Wegan shoes off his masterpiece shoe with an incredible 21 spi on the soles. The usual spi for the top English shoes is about 10 or 11 on the soles.

 

[The Shooman]

Master cordwainer and last maker for Gaziano & Girling Daniel Wegan shoes off his masterpiece shoe with an incredible 21 spi on the soles. The usual spi for the top English shoes is about 10 or 11 on the soles.

Here is the winner of the world championships of shoemaking. A man unknown to me by the name of Patrick Frei of Germany. His shoes are impeccable and matches it with the best l have seen.
https://www.instagram.com/patrick.frei.bespoke/?hl=en

As can be seen, his work is tidier than Daniels from G&G, so naturally he was going to win. Here is proof!
Daniel's:

Patrick's:




Clean shoemaking
You don't always seen really cleanly made bespoke shoes. I recall seeing various Japanese and English makers not being so tidy in the making, but often the French makers are perfection. Cleverley made sure they did their best work for me and made them as clean as above to match it with the best of the best. I was just looking at my Cleverley the other day, it is such a uniquely made shoe that is classic Cleverley style. ...looks like no other shoo.



A big gun who is really highly respected is Philippe Atienza, formerly of french bespoke houses John Lobb Paris and Massaro came third.
http://shoegazing.se/english/2018/04/09/picture-special-world-champion-shoe/

Btw this:


I hope Kirby does an interview with Philippe Atienza,now that would be amazing!

 

[aristoi bcn]

Hidetaka Fukaya, Il Micio.

 

[aristoi bcn]

Koji Suzuki, Spigola.

 

[The Shooman]

Those Japanese bespokes are all good, but lets not forget that 5 years ago many of these makers were still learning the ropes and they did make errors such as with this Japanese bespoke shoe below when the maker didn't hand welt the shoe properly. See the exposed welt stitching? This is not just over exposure of camera flash, there is certainly a gap between the welt and the upper. These Japanese and English makers probably had time restraints and were relatively new to the shoemaking game and did have rough patches in the shoes. The thing is, there are old hands and there are still young blokes climbing the ladder to shoe greatness. The Japanese climbed the ladder quickly, but they were still learning as they went, and it is obvious in some of the older pics.




See, an old hand like Patrick Rock and Anthony Delos is not going to have rough patches like this above.

I like to look at lots of pics and see how clean the makers can make the shoes, so l notice these really small details.

 

[Kingstonian]

The shoo collection of the man who runs Gentlemen's Gazette. He is lucky enough to get many of them for free from companies. He doesn't buy many of the higher end brands because he considers the mid end good enough for his needs (he said something similar to that in another video).

Well he was given most of them. No need otherwise for so many duplicates. Too many tan and light brown shoes as well.

You could really pare it down and not miss anything.

 

[The Shooman]

World shoe championships 2018 - top 30 contestants.

This is very interesting, actually it is completely fascinating! The winner took 3 times longer to make his shoe than normal, and it shoes pics of him doing the close cut waist.

Close cut waist:


"to achieve the narrow waist the two sides of the welt are both stitched together with the same stitches". Notice the single feather in middle at waist (left pic) v's the double feather in the usual waist (right pic). Wow!


Narrow fiddle back waist, probably most narrow ever.


Stacked heel of 20 pieces of leather. Very difficult to do because it has to be done evenly. Very time consuming and easy to muck up.

Mind blowing perfection!!!

Top 10
http://shoegazing.se/english/2018/0...ips-in-shoemaking-all-competition-shoes-pt-1/

Top 11 - 30
http://shoegazing.se/english/2018/0...oemaking-all-competition-shoes-pt-2/#number22

Vass got 22nd place, and rightly so. That's why you've got to pay the big bucks, it's all about the craftsmanship!!! You could probably buy 35 pairs of Vass for one Berluti bespoke, but it's about the craftsmanship, the exciting adventures,and the stories in the shoo world that really matter.

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

Some Alden oiled leather sole action:

 

[sirloin]

Got a pair of vass loafers yesterday. One of the nails has tiny bit of travel, so there is a squaky sound against the leather when I walk.

I’m sure it will fix itself or that I can hammer the mail down, so no problem. But it do sound a bit, like I’m walking in a clown shoo

 

[The Shooman]

Who is that major politician who has an addiction to highend besp0ke shoes, french president or someone??

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

Who is that major politician who has an addiction to highend besp0ke shoes, french president or someone??

Ken Clarke was alleged to have a penchant for modern jazz and Hush Puppies. Turns out he only liked jazz, the Hush Puppies was a throwaway comment meant to highlight his louche contempt for the Establishment.

I think you will find that Macron cares more about the latest Estee Lauder foundation than his shoes.

 

[FriendCustomer]

Who is that major politician who has an addiction to highend besp0ke shoes, french president or someone??

Mitterrand but there are others too.

 

[robertito]

Did Sarkozy wore if not bespoke shoes with hidden heels lifts?

 

[Thruth]

After 5 years of abuse, my working cowboy boots are off to the maker for refurbishing/resoling

In the meantime, I ordered a new pair, which showed up early (4 weeks) instead of the usual 8 weeks.

Oiled saddle leather vamps. 12 inch Burgundy kangaroo tops. Roper heel. Built on a modified last to my measurements using the RCMP ceremonial riding boot last.

 

[The Shooman]

Mitterrand but there are others too.

Aha, it was none of these guys. The big daddy shooman was an adviser to the president called Aquilino Morelle. He had 30 pairs of bespoke shoes, and they could have been corthay bespoke if the pics in the third link are accurate.
http://www.gulf-times.com/story/388889/Bespoke-shoes-scandal-claims-scalp-of-Hollande-adv
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wo...ide-quits-over-conflict-of-interest-case.html
http://pasidupes.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/nouveau-chef-de-la-com-de-lelysee.html

 

[Kingstonian]

Ken Clarke was alleged to have a penchant for modern jazz and Hush Puppies. Turns out he only liked jazz, the Hush Puppies was a throwaway comment meant to highlight his louche contempt for the Establishment.

I think you will find that Macron cares more about the latest Estee Lauder foundation than his shoes.

Clarke is a big cheese in the legal world. Portrait in Grays Inn etc. So he is the Establishment. Admittedly the liberal Establishment but that is the direction things are going these days.

He has perfected that way of sounding authoritative and talking down to others in a friendly but patronising fashion. William Hague can do the same with a more Northern twinge.

Clarke also seems very fond of the vino and the high life. He always looks slightly askew these days. Collar not properly fastened etc. He probably still wears suede shoes though Hush Puppies are not really ‘high end’

 

[fxh]

WIWT
'lastic Sided Squatters Boots

 

[The Shooman]

I wore my Vass P2 last black captoe oxfords today for the first time in a very long time (maybe a couple of years), and it reminds me of why it is probably my favourite most pleasurable shoe I have ever worn. I have bespokes and fancy shoes, but l probably love this shoe the best! It is pure pleasure to the feet - comfortable and solid!

See, that's the thing....I love solid shoes, and Vass does it best!

Wish Johnny Lobb had the solidness of Vass while retaining the sleek look of Lobb, that would be perfect.

Of course l like the really fancy shoes, but Vass always feel the best....makes me feel like the King!

If l had one brand to choose from, i'd choose Vass. Why? Because that is too good an experience for one to miss out on. Walking in those shoos is an incredible experience!

And having them hand stitched and hand made in a workshop is right up my alley....it warms my heart so much. When l wear Lobb l feel like a cheat because l am getting cheap thrills, but when l wear Vass l am wearing the real thing. These things matter to me.

 

[Kingstonian]

Black Oxfords are an English shoe type though.

Vass Budapester and other Mitteleuropa clodhoppers would be a more interesting comparison.

 

[sirloin]

I'm in Budapest next week. Going to stop by the store and look into a pair of boots for winter. Atm thinking oxblood captoe.

 

[FriendCustomer]

Black Oxfords are an English shoe type though.

Vass Budapester and other Mitteleuropa clodhoppers would be a more interesting comparison.

Sorry I find it quite a bit more interesting that Mitteleuropa potato shoo makers make an English shoo type better than the English. And shoo man has tried pretty much all the English big boys if I’m not mistaken.

 

[sirloin]

Sorry I find it quite a bit more interesting that Mitteleuropa potato shoo makers make an English shoo type better than the English. And shoo man has tried pretty much all the English big boys if I’m not mistaken.

What is you preferred option? Meccariello iirc?

 

[FriendCustomer]

What is you preferred option? Meccariello iirc?

I pretty much only wear Edward Green, C&J and Alden and perfectly happy. Never tried Meccariello, that’s the other jokers.

 

[The Shooman]

Black Oxfords are an English shoe type though.

Vass Budapester and other Mitteleuropa clodhoppers would be a more interesting comparison.

Yes, my Budapesters and alt wiens are amazing too, but the captoe oxfords do look great on the P2 last.

Sorry I find it quite a bit more interesting that Mitteleuropa potato shoo makers make an English shoo type better than the English. And shoo man has tried pretty much all the English big boys if I’m not mistaken.

Yeah, definitely better. Super solid and manly. It has real presence and is not a pretty boy like some of the higher end English captoe oxfords. It is not ugly either. It is superb.

I pretty much only wear Edward Green, C&J and Alden and perfectly happy. Never tried Meccariello, that’s the other jokers.

Yeah, l have never felt the urge to want to try Meccariello despite the reasonable price. No doubt he is really really good, it is obvious, but he doesn't have the X factor that some of the Japanese, English and many of the French makers have that makes one say WOW!!!!! If l am going to pay $$$$ l want to fork out extra for the X factor and take it all the way. I don't want it 95% of the way, l want it ALL the way.

Would l want to pay extra $$$$ to have a shoo look 5% better? YES!!! For me it is mainly about the craftsmanship and the extra refined look. It is the extra small features that really count for me. If l pay the big bucks it needs to be perfect...I won't settle for paying reasonably big bucks and having it not quite perfect. Some people are prepared to pay up to $10,000 for a calfskin shoe from Berluti or Lobb Paris for a reason, they want the perfection in the finest of details. If l am going to pay massive bucks, l am going to go all the way and enjoy those extra fine details on my shoos for the rest of my life. I don't want to live my life having made a compromise on my shoo and wishing it had this or that...i'd rather plonk down the big bucks and have it done perfect in the first place and enjoy my shoo to the maximum that is humanly possible.


Meccariello bespoke v's Berluti bespoke refinement. See the difference?

BERLUTI
- neater welt stitching
- closer cut waist
- closer cut heel
- heel with great detailed wheeling marks etc
- more shapely artistic last
(more time has been taken to make the Berluti, hence the extra detail, skill and price)


I settle for Vass imperfection because they are a delight to wear. They have an extra manly presence and beauty that is unique and feel amazing to wear.

 

[The Shooman]

I tell everyone a secret. The first person Meccariello ever contacted and showed pics to online was me. I eventually had his pics sent to S.F members and a thread was then set up for him. I have never told anyone until now.

At the time when he joined S.F there were a bunch of ordinary ltalian cordwainers posting their work, so when Meccariello said he also made shoes no-one took any notice of him except for me. He wasn't allowed to post pics because he was a new member, so l asked him to email pics to me. I posted a few pics of his under cover, but no-one took any notice. Later l emailed pics to another bloke at S.F, and the moment he posted them on S.F Meccariello became a hero.

I remember initially expecting not to see much from Meccariello, but when he sent those pics to me my eyes popped out of my head and nearly fell on the floor. His site was very basic at that time. This was the beginning of the world knowing about Meccariello the legend!

 

[Jupiter]

I tell everyone a secret. The first person Meccariello ever contacted and showed pics to online was me. I eventually had his pics sent to S.F members and a thread was then set up for him. I have never told anyone until now.

At the time when he joined S.F there were a bunch of ordinary ltalian cordwainers posting their work, so when Meccariello said he also made shoes no-one took any notice of him except for me. He wasn't allowed to post pics because he was a new member, so l asked him to email pics to me. I posted a few pics of his under cover, but no-one took any notice. Later l emailed pics to another bloke at S.F, and the moment he posted them on S.F Meccariello became a hero.

I remember initially expecting not to see much from Meccariello, but when he sent those pics to me my eyes popped out of my head and nearly fell on the floor. His site was very basic at that time. This was the beginning of the world knowing about Meccariello the legend!

It's been a long time I'm tempted. Sadly I had no time to pay him a visit when I was in Napoli and I'm reluctant to order shoes online without reference. Some lasts are very seducing indeed and some of his patinas signature are so subtle...

 

[The Shooman]

John Lobb London bespoke (about size 16)

Nice to see how they make them...how close the waist and heels are cut etc. Always fascinating to see. Always very intriguing shoos to look at.

John Lobb `Marshall' on the 8695 last. Would be nice to get a pair in burgundy-red.

 

[Journeyman]

Shooey,

Not that I want to encourage you to spend money on yet more shoes, as I'm sure you've got plenty more than you need, but did you see that Double Monk in Melbourne is holding a JL Paris trunk show?

https://mailchi.mp/94aab992c4c1/john-lobb-trunk-show-2018?e=e859c44817

10 - 14 July in Melbourne, with the MTO fee being waived on orders.

 

[The Shooman]

Shooey,

Not that I want to encourage you to spend money on yet more shoes, as I'm sure you've got plenty more than you need, but did you see that Double Monk in Melbourne is holding a JL Paris trunk show?

https://mailchi.mp/94aab992c4c1/john-lobb-trunk-show-2018?e=e859c44817

10 - 14 July in Melbourne, with the MTO fee being waived on orders.

Yes I did, and that is what inspired me to think about a pair. I have always wanted a burgundy/red pair of wingtips, and the John Lobb Marshall would be ideal. Why? Because the 8695 last fits me the best of all lasts (snug, yet enough room), and the last and pattern of the double brogue is spectacular in a way that only John Lobb can pull off. It would be a nice shoe to have.

I have waited 14 years to order a pair. Will first posted me a pair of his burgundy EG Malvern at AAAC in 2004, and since then l have wanted a pair of reddish/burgundy wingtips. Now is the perfect opportunity. Building a shoo collection locally is a game of patience, one needs to wait his time and strike when the iron is hot.

John Lobb can deliver perfection in colour, shape and design. That's why l love them.

 

[The Shooman]

btw, a bespoke Edward Green shoo.
image sharing sites

And no, it is not G&G bespoke like so many igents claim. Look at the shoo trees.

 

[Grand Potentate]

Thruth these might be up your alley