In John Lobb Paris’ flagship store, in Paris, there’s now a smaller exhibition held with black bespoke samples, different models from different decades. Here is a photo gallery showing some of the shoes, including a double monk with a sole covered in 24K gold.
The gold shoes are pictured above, but since it was difficult to capture on picture (overall it was difficult to take photos because of the light in the shop), it is maybe best seen in the film below:
Even the chest on the heel is gold-plated. On top of the layer of 24K gold leaf, the shoes are covered in a kind of Chinese furniture laqceur, which keeps the gold well protected.
Here is how the shoes with the gold soles look from above, a double monk shoe, where the buckles are also in 24K gold.
Close-up of the top of the welt.
Another of the slightly newer models in the exhibition, balmoral with textile top part.
Very narrow waist on the shoe.
This older model with an inverted balmoral part was perhaps my favorite in the exhibition. Very beautiful shoes.
The sole on this one.
Pretty nice and neat work. John Lobb Paris, both historically and today, holds a high lowest level of everything coming out of their bespoke workshop. One of the benefits of having the entire production in-house, combined with careful quality control.
The heel, built with thin straight layers.
Austerity brogue on a low profile last.
Single monk.
An old, slightly special wholecut, where the toe has a pronounced tip in the middle.
From this angle it may show more clearly.
