The famous Hungarian maker Vass, one of the main players in the world when it comes to hand welted RTW shoes, are currently running a sale on everything in their own online shop. Discounts are from 10% all the way up to 50%, which means you can get them as low as €280 (€220 excl. VAT).
I don’t think that Vass needs that much of an introduction, the brand which was started by Lazslo Vass in 1978 in Budapest, Hungary. When he wrote the book Handmade Shoes for Men together with Magda Molnar in the late 1990’s, the brand became famous around the world. They have contnued to grow slowly but steadily during the digital era, not least since they opened up their own online shop. However, as most in this business the coronavirus situation has been tough, which is likely the reason for the now expanded sale in their own online shop.
A full brogue on the R last, now at 50% off.
Over 170 different models are on sale (if one count in the single size samples category), at between 10-50% discount. Varies how many sizes that are left in stock, but should be a bunch of models available for most people. To be able to snag a pair of their hand welted shoes with handmade sole stitch, JR oak barn tanned soles and lasted shoe trees at €280 (€220 excl. VAT) is quite amazing (even if they apparently use leather board heel stacks nowadays, instead of real leather stacks, which is a shame). Go browse the sale and see if you can find some goodies for you.
Semi brogue in Walnut museum calf, on the chiseled U last. One of more than 170 models currently on sale from Vass. All pictures: Vass Shoes
Hi Jesper,
just to clarify: €280 is their prise excluding VAT (for instance, the Budapest Oxford * R that you show in your post costs so much). There are no shoes in their online shop that are lower that €280 (excl. VAT). By the way, to buy such shoes from Ukraine one has to pay 0.3(280-100) = 60€ to the state (the customs fee and tax), €40 to Vass for the delivery and at least €20 to FedEx custom brokers for the “custom clearance”. Thus, altogether, this amounts €400. That is the “real” price of the shoes.
Alexander: Nah, I can see why you think so, but that is just some bug on the site, where the actual ex VAT price doesn’t show for the 50% off models so it looks like it says the price is ex VAT. But all black bold prices are incl VAT (at least when I browse the site from Sweden), and when I go to checkout with shipping to Sweden it’s the €280 price, while becomes €220 if choose shipping to the US for example (and know several who have ordered at that price from outside EU).
Regarding costs for shipping and potential customs etc, that’s always dependant on where you live and other conditions, I rarely go into that when I write articles, most are fully aware.