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Among the top Japanese makers of heritage workwear boots stands Brass, the company behind the revered Clinch brand. Founded by Minoru Matsuura, Brass has become synonymous with premium craftsmanship, doing handmade really high quality often vintage boots styles that are sought after by customers around the world.
I’ve done a few of these articles, highlighting three brands that are relatively unknown to the masses, either for being very new or for other reasons. This time it’s the Japanese MTO brand Lightbulb, the established Chinese brand Twinkima.G who now seem to start looking more internationally as well, and former Cleverley head lastmaker Adam Law’s own bespoke brand.
The British-based bespoke shoemaker William Efe Laborde now introduces a Made to Order service, with shoes made to exactly the same standard as his full bespoke, but on standard lasts available in two different toe shapes and in four widths. Initially an oxford and a derby are available as base models, and the leather options are spectacular, with among other things several vintage Freudenberg leathers.
One of the more established players that has emerged on the Chinese scene of men’s shoes in recent years is Oct. Tenth, the house brand of what’s known to many as the Xibao workshop. With the move to a new workshop location, a new website, and a new factory manager, they now enter the era of Oct. Tenth 2.0. Here’s a buyer’s guide to the brand, with a pair of Made to Measure derbies I have made as a base.
One of the oldest remaining shoe and bootmakers in the US are going for a renaissance under new ownership. Shoegazing has visited their store and workshop on central Manhattan, and got a glimpse into the high ambitions of the company to create a new American powerhouse for custom made shoes and boots.
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The next European bespoke shoemaker to launch a RTW collection is Mogada from Germany, the brand of Gaziano & Girling alumni Louis Lampertsdörfer. Premium hand welted very sleek classics that are just perfect on the eye.
The Chinese premium brand Acme Shoemaker has introduced a new range of more affordable shoes. The shoes are still hand lasted, hand welted with fully hand stitched sole seams – but some simpler make means they can be offered at €900. Looks like quite a lot of bang for the buck.
Calzoleria Carlino is an Italian maker who slowly but steadily started to make a name of itself domestically and internationally in recent years. An old-school, traditional Italian style enhanced by the extensive use of some amazing vintage leathers, combined with a good price tag, makes them highly interesting. Here’s a buyer’s guide to the brand, with a pair of remote bespoke lazyman oxfords in vintage pigskin they’ve made for me as a base.
The Norwegian menswear store Cavour expand their already great selection of shoes with a new private label range of hand welted shoes, made in collaboration with Chinese Xibao. Superbly sleek looking shoes available to get off the shelf.
The famous Japanese bespoke shoemaker Yohei Fukuda is about to seriously open up Europe as part of his business area. He will have trunk shows on July 1-2 in London, and on July 8-9 in Geneva, and the plan is to return there and likely also Paris every six months going forwards. He’ll take orders for RTW, MTO and full bespoke.
