Usually exotics aren’t really my thing, but this exquisite vintage lizard leather in a subtle dark brown really spoke to me. The pair is made by the Italian shoemaker Calzoleria Carlino, who currently runs a campaign with no upcharge on orders of lizard leather for their MTO, MTM or bespoke.
I’ve written a Buyer’s guide to Calzoleria Carlino earlier, following the making of my first remote bespoke pair made by them, a lazyman in vintage pigskin. Read that article here. Calzoleria Carlino is based in Sassuolo, and has grown steadily in recent years. The workshop is run by Riccardo Cianci who is the grandson of Carlino who founded the workshop in 1958. They have hired several new craftsmen the past years, and has also taken over the bespoke department of the classic Italian bespoke shoemaker Stivaleria Savoia in Milan.
Stivaleria Savoia was sold recently to one of the bigger men’s shoe stores in Milan, but gladly they want to keep the bespoke section alive and have decided to do so together with Carlino. This means that Carlino have access to all Savoia’s old classic models and lasts as well as a bunch of lovely vintage leathers. The latter is already one of the specialties of Carlino, who has collected vintage leathers for many years and have their channels to get a hold of lovely old stuff.
Recently they acquired a big batch of nice vintage lizard skins in a wide variety of colours, and they decided to run a campaign where one could order lizard shoes at the same price as regular calf leather, which continues until the end of March. A rare chance if you are into this type of leather. They offered to make me a free pair, and although I’m rather conservative in my shoe taste, when Ricardo showed me the beautiful dark brown lizard you see on the shoes here, I was all in. It looks almost like a heavily embossed grain leather, with its small relatively even scales. So lovely.
These shoes were made by the maker Joseph Boykin, who’s been with Carlino for two years now. The make and finishing is really nice, and very classic Italian. I opted for a square outside waist and bevelled inside, suitable for a casual derby like these, with a single leather sole. The lasts were modified slightly from my previous pair, and fit is really good.
The price of Carlino is really excellent for what you get. MTO starts at €1,750 (prices incl. VAT), they are made in the bespoke workshop to the same standard as their bespoke, fully handmade. MTM with modified lasts cost from €2,100. And full bespoke starts at €2,600, here always one fitting is done, and this can be ordered remotely (that’s what I’ve done, successfully so). And then as mentioned, through March you can get lizard shoes at these prices, no upcharge.
Below a bunch of photos my lizard derbies.
Wow! Very beautiful. Almost looks like hatch grain from afar. I admit, I do like them a lot.
Best
Tony
Anthony: Thank you! Yeah exactly, it’s really wearable also with toned down outfits which isn’t always the case with lizard.
amazing log ! thanks for sharing informative blog. slipper