Since it will take a while before I’m finished with the huge posts covering all the 30 contestant shoes of the shoemaking world champs, I always do a quick picture special showcasing the top three, to let folks mind at ease a bit. See the amazing craftsmanship of Wataru Shimamoto (1st), Ken Kataoka (2nd), and Kenjiro Kawashima (3rd).
This past weekend we finally could host the London Super Trunk Show again, and what a day it was with almost 1,200 visitors. There will be much more on that in a large report later this week, and as mentioned above, later on I will summarise all the 30 contest shoes for the World Championships in Shoemaking, a contest organised by Shoegazing and The Shoe Snob, in collaboration with Kirby Allison and the book Master Shoemakers. But since there is a lot of work putting those contest articles together and it will take a while, here is a look at the top trio. As I wrote ahead of the event, we had lots of makers registered, but there wasn’t more than 30 shoes that were sent in. For us organising, it was a bit of a blessing to be honest, since it made it much easier to administrate. The long wait obviously played one part in few of the registered sending in, likely many who know they wouldn’t compete for tops spots have realised it’s not worth sending in shoes (since overall level was highest ever), and we also know that many makers have become so busy with work this spring that they didn’t have time to finish the shoes (the fact that bespoke customers return for real now is just great).
As always, we expect comments on wearability, I want you to note that this is not a part of the criteria (read more in the Call for competition), we only state a size EU42/UK8 in length, and that width can’t be more than two width sizes up or down from an acceptable standard width (both since it’s not important in this case, and since it’s very difficult to judge what wearable would be. For example, what type of foot would have to work in the shoe to make it called wearable? Would it be enough to be able to put on the shoe, or would one have to be able to walk in it? If the latter, would ten steps be enough to call it wearable, or how many? Etc.). For this contest, the craftsmanship of the shoemaking (not lastmaking/fit since it’s extremely difficult to solve a contest judging fit) is in focus, along with design, and we see shoes that can be viewed more as concept cars, for example, where the maker creates a more artistic piece meant to showcase the craftsmanship achievable. We saw all types of shoes in this contest, and more artistic shoes ended up both high and low in the list, as well as more practical shoes ended up both high and low. This is the way contest was held hundred years ago, which has been inspiring this contest, and we know that all makers whichever shoe they make learn a lot from participating in tis contest, which is a great thing.
So, on to the top three.
Wataru Shimamoto, 1st place
Wataru Shimamoto is based in Kamakura, Japan, where he runs his own brand Orma Shoemaker, previously he worked with Il Micio / Hidetaka Fukaya in Florence. His entry is a shoe literally made to perfection. Basically flawless execution, which was where the shoe made the most points and built the foundation of the top position. Very fine sole stitching at 20 spi (stitches per inch), superb pattern and balanced design, great details like the assymetric heel and the intricate metal plates. All parts made by Wataru Shimamoto, except the metal plates which were done by Takafumi Mochizuki.
The winning shoe in all its glory. A seriously beautiful piece of footwear showcasing outstanding craftsmanship.
Sole with intricately made metal taps fitted into the leather, and with the horseshoe heel being an obvious eye-catcher.
Ken Kataoka, 2nd place
Ken Kataoka is a young Japanese maker based in Tokyo, who is one part of the duo behind the brand Siroeno Yosui. This shoe is his baby that he has spent an incredible amount of hours on. Hand braided upper stitching, lovely painted gold coloured decorations all over the shoe, the neatest of sole edges, and so on. And oh, yeah, the heel is quite spectacular, and superbly well-made. The entire shoe is made by Ken Kataoka.
A seriously spectacular shoe in all ways possible, with so many fine details that you can look at it for hours.
The sole has been wheeled and gold painted with the same type of pattern as used on other parts of the shoe.
Kenjiro Kawashima, 3rd place
Kenjiro Kawashima is based in Seoul, South Korea, where he both makes shoes under his own name as well as doing bespoke shoes for Norman Vilalta, with whom he trained with and worked for during three years. His great shoe has some extra stunning parts that immediately catch your eye, like the reddish Norvegese stitching with storm welt creating a stair shaped sole edge, or the handmade split and lift-stitching (I think it’s the correct term here) on the uppers. The whole shoe is made by Kenjiro Kawashima.
A longwing brogue with pondus, which despite the fact that there’s a lot of things going on manage to feel incredibly balanced. Not least the upper making is masterfully done.
Clean sole with lovely brass detailing and a marked fiddle back ridge waist.
Thank you ever so much for the detailed information you give us every time…I find your articles detailed and honest ( as well as preciously informative: bargains☺️) every single time..
Dimitrious Chatzoudis: Big thanks for the kind comment, much appreciated!
Is there a list of all the participants and the places took by them in the competition?
Sergei: This will come later on, as I write two times above 🙂
I add my thanks for all your work in supporting the shoe community. It is never pleasant to be negative, but I have to say I felt the choice of a long wing brogue for a competition of this kind was misconceived. Basically, a long wing derby should look like an Alden. I popped in on Saturday to have a look at the entrants, and, perhaps not unexpectedly, they were all trying to look as much like a full brogue oxford as possible. (And in my view the winner hasn’t even got a long wing….) I appreciate the comparison of a “concept” car, but you don’t get concepts for SUVs that look like two-seater sports cars. (For an elegant derby, suggest a Lobb style V front….)
Mike Sweetmore: Thanks for that first sentence! 🙂 It’s interesting, cause to me it’s basically the opposite. In a competition like this, I do not want to see the obvious, but something new and different. I would have been devastated if we’d have 30 Alden lookalikes sent in, there’s already plenty of those all around the world. There were certainly chunky entries as well, luckily (to me) not Alden copies though.
And on that allegory with concept cars, since I’ve been working in the car industry and know it rather well, I’d say that a “SUVs that looks like a two-seater sports car” is exactly something that one can see as concept cars 😉 Here’s a few nice recent examples that certainly could match that criteria:
https://wordlesstech.com/lamborghini-agressivo-2022-concept/
https://www.genesis.com/worldwide/en/genesis/concept-car/mint.html
https://www.infiniti.com/vehicles/concept-vehicles/qs-inspiration.html
Well it’s your competition and you know what you like. Personally, I would like to see ten or a dozen Alden style long wings and see who does it best. (I have always been a believer in horses for courses since I had a pair of Lotus Veldtschoen when I was still at school.)
Mike Sweetmore: What one also have to think about is that one of the purposes also is to promote the craft to a wider audience. Would one have very strict guidelines and end up with very similar models from all makers, it would only be of interest for shoemakers and a small group of shoe nerds, for most it would be rather boring. These are shoes that are to be displayed for 1,200 people at the event, and then tour around the world to 10+ different locations to be shown to an as wide group of people as possible. If there would be three shoes looking like Alden longwings standing there (cause that’s what it would be to most people), it would be of zero interest to most. As it’s been now, everyone have their eyes catched by these shoes, one want to learn more, one lift them up and start looking, read the signs and maybe even go online to read more. It’s a very important aspect of it all.
You rock, Jesper. Your disciples are patient.
I can’t disagree. But if there are any of the few who haven’t seen them, I would just draw attention to the Keikari pages on Tuczek and the John Lobb Catalogue, and last but not least your own Report on Bespoke Shoe Works of 27/6/2021.
Peter Harrison: Thanks, haha 🙂
Mike Sweetmore: Oh I love those, and as one can see on my own collection of shoes, it’s rather uniform. Still think a contest like this need to be anything but that though.
Why then put forward the conditions of the competition? Tell me right away, the artwork. I disagree with the jury’s decision.
Ruslan Danielyan: Sorry, but I don’t follow what you mean with your comment?
I was overwhelm and inspired by the Masterpiece craft crafted by shoe maesters thank you all