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.
For those who aren’t ing Singapore and can visit today’s super trunk in person, we will livestream here from the final of the first Asian Championships of Shoe Shining, which startst 3pm SGT. If possible we will als do a tour of the venue with all the exhibitors after the shine contest is finished.
This Saturday it’s time for the inaugural edition of the Singapore Super Trunk Show. In a venue on 5 Jiak Kim Street we gather almost 20 shoe and menswear brands, host the first Asian Championships of Shoe Shining, a bunch of other stage happenings, shoe shine masterclasses, and more. Below some practical info ahead of the even for both visitors and those who will follow the livestream of the contest.
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.
Time to start the qualification phase for the World Championships of Shoe Shining and the World Championships of Shoe Patina 2026. The contests are organised together with the shoe care company Saphir and the shoe brand Bridlen, with the finals held at the London Super Trunk Show on Saturday May 9. In the prize pool are medals, shoes and shoe care products and £600 / $800 in each contest, sponsored by Saphir.
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For some, this headline doesn’t mean much. For those in the know, this headline is massive. Most likely no other factory in the world has made Goodyear welted shoes for more men’s shoe brands the past years, making for everything from big players to small MTO-based brands. After new owners last year took over the Sendra factory in Almansa, Spain, they now will stop making shoes for external brands.
The Indonesian shoemaker Winson and the Japanese men’s shoe store Tanakajakkuten has collaborated on small fully handmade RTW range that combines dress and rugged in a really lovely way. Unique designs, superb craftsmanship, and really wearable and interesting shoes is the result.
Proper educational books about shoemaking has been a rare sight in recent decades, and books specifically about shoe upper making even more rare. Hartmut and Dustin Seidich, father and son who runs a specialised uppermaking workshop in Germany, set out to change this with an extremely ambitious book project. Shoegazing have read the English version of volume 1.
The winter sales have started to pop-up for this season, which also goes for the footwear world. Here’s some good quality shoes and boots sales that currently run, where you can find proper shoes at extra good prices.
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!
