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I write a lot about all the great general properties that leather has, and why this makes it the ideal material for footwear. Then of course there’s loads of special characteristics for various types of leathers, where one such is the gorgeous sheen you have on smooth calf leather with it’s dense pores and then some wax enhancing it.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll likely say it again: few beat the Japanese bespoke shoemaker TYE when it comes to shoe design. They can do the craziest of things as well as really toned down stuff, but almost always in a unique way with a perfectly balanced design and pattern. This apron derby is no different.
A handmade bevelled waist can be strikingly elegant and make for a beautifully sleek shoe. But look at a fully handmade very well-executed square waist, like this one here by Akira Tani, which is strikingly good looking in a different way. A different kind of craftsmanship, but just as impressive.
One more year has passed, and we’re all older and wiser. As I’m in the middle of the celebrations with some friends here at home, I took a quick snap and sneaked off to the office to wish all of you Shoegazing readers a Happy New Year as well!
No Christmas without the annual picture post here on Shoegazing. This year with my burgundy bespoke seamless wholecuts from Yohei Fukuda in front of the Christmas tree. Contrary to last year, when we had lots of people gathered here in our house (we Swedes celebrate on Christmas Eve), this year has been calm with only closest family, a nice contrast.
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The penny loafer and the tassel loafer are certainly the most common loafers models around. But with small tweaks you can make versions that stands out, like Hiro Yanahimachi’s split toe version of the penny loafer here or the more striking wingtip version of the tassel loafer.
One of the best things of working with various shoemakers and order shoes in person with them, is the actual order process. Where you try on potential test shoes, maybe have your feet measured and decide model, leather, sole and other details. Together with the shoemaker you go through things to get it just right for you.
I’ve written before about the fact that we’ve see seen better polished shoes coming straight out of the factory to a larger degree in recent years. This has continued to be pushed, and nowadays you can get a properly mirror polished pair when you open the shoe box, as with these oxfords from the Chinese brand Twinkima G.
One of the absolute most popular type of men’s shoes at the moment are various kinds of soft loafers. Most brands offer some version of this nowadays, cemented ones are probably most common, but you’ll also find versions with constructions like Blake, Bologna, moccasin construction or more special ones as these here from Bridlen, which are reverse Goodyear.
Bespoke shoes for women are a bit of it’s own category. There’s some specialised makers who focus on women’s bespoke shoes, even if many who promote themselves as such make more of MTO shoes, and then many who mainly do men’s shoes also makes shoes for women. One such example is Catella Shoemaker, who’ve made the fitting shoes on the photo here.
