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With a general move towards dressing more casual, it’s given that we can see more and more brands merging classic dress with more rugged styling. This here by Norman Vilalta is a good example.
This is a photo from the finishing department at the Crockett & Jones factory in Northampton, where the factory worker is going over the final details. One of the strengths, in general, of the British shoemaking factories is the very solid, even quality level, which certainly isn’t the easiest to achieve.
It’s not suitable for all shoes, neither practically or aesthetically, but a super slim waist is surely always impressive. This one above is on a new sample by the bespoke shoemaker Catella, alias Daniel Wegan, showcasing terrific craftsmanship.
Wearing down the heel lining is a common issue, especially if it’s loafers or other shoes where you tend to have a bit of heel slippage going and which you might wear barefoot as well, which increases friction. The simplest solution to this is attaching these self-adhesive shoe repair patches.
It’s summer, warm weather in many parts of the world, and one want to be as cool as possible. On ones feet, sandals or similar may not always be suitable, and unlined shoes may still feel a bit warm. So, this solution is not a bad one, unlined shoes with perforations all the way through.
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At the London Super Trunk Show back in May we had the second edition of the World Championships of Shoe Patina, where three contestants were to paint a pair of crust leather shoes during the day. These here are the winning shoes from then, painted by Toan Junie who is working for Corthay in France.
Suede is a material that is way more durable than what many still think. These boots are a good proof of this. A pair of very well used Red Wing boots that have been seen some heavy wear for a long time.
These very old Foster & Son bespoke shoes are not the classic black bleached ones the brand is known for, but the bleaching from the original colour is even more than those examples. It’s not much left of the original dark brown colour, mainly due to many decades in their shop window.
When I wear my Wellington boots made by the Swedish bespoke shoemaker Janne Melkersson, the point of high boots become so obvious: its protective properties. You can walk around in the forest or wherever like a bulldozer, nothing disturbs you.
How much finishing that is applied on leathers from the tannery varies vastly, some casein finished box calf can be really shiny and have a nice depth already from the start, but most leathers are actually more or less dull and lifeless when delivered. Especially unfinished (note, not the same as undyed) crust calf or similar, which are left for the maker to burnish in a desired direction. Above shows the huge difference between unfinished and burnished.
