^^^
Yes, it is amazing. I've been thinking of organising a trunk show for a fancy maker to come to Australia. Can't price the shoes too high because the average aussie shooman wouldn't stomach it, but if they were priced in the low $$$$ then l might be able to pull it off. I've been at the `Double Monk' owners for years to do try the Chinese makers, but they have never been keen, they like their heritage English gyw makers, and l love their loyalty to the brands like E.G, big Johnny Lobb and C&J. I need to be careful though, we don't know how these Chinese shoes fit, so we need to invite them to Australia. I also tried Harrolds to stock the Chinese makers and do Corthay, but no go.
Time to go out on my own and organise a few shows. Even want to organise a highend bespoke spectacle maker for something really special.
TYE shoemaker is on the list, as is ACME, and Graziat Taipei with their very affordable stunning masterpieces that are hand welted with machine stitched soles. A Yohie Fukuda trunk show would also be good for special orders, but l think aussies would still balk at the 5K plus price tags for those masterpieces. Aussies don't have the sophistication to support many of the finer things in life, so l need to be sensible.
Look at this beauty, Fukuda MTO.
There is the affordable maker Graziat Taipei for the Cindarella shoes we can wear with cream and white trousers in the warmer months in Oz.
for the Cindarella. He'd be a good option, but he doesn't hand stitch the soles sadly.
https://www.instagram.com/graziat_taipei/?hl=en#
His specialty is loafers, and that would be ideal for summer wear. For no more than 2K we could probably seal the deal.
Then there is ACME who i'd like to get for bespoke and MTO shows. Would mainly use this maker for flashy summer shoes like these:
would definitel;y get a 2 eyelet arca style derby
img_index=1
would get one of these
Would also get these colours. Have eyed them off for ages.