The Best Shoemaker You've Probably Never Heard Of

In light of recent events (emails) and the fact that it would appear that some people are confused as to what I am actually doing, I wish to explain a few things about my first experiences with high end shoes and shoemakers. When I first discovered that I wanted to start my own shoe line, as a business minded individual, I decided that I wanted to learn AS MUCH as I could about shoes, from the retail side, to the manufacturing (both hand and machine), and everything else I could possibly absorb, in order to become a shoe designer that had credibility in regards to truly understanding not only his product, but also his customers. That being, with a business degree in Entrepreneurship from a credible university, I consciously decided to remain in retail to start understanding why men bought shoes and to start understanding why large companies purchased this shoe brand over that one. While I would have much rather been doing other things than lacing up other peoples’ shoes for them, I knew that this would be a way to get one step closer to my goals. And it was because of this step that I actually managed to land the next one, which was undertaking an apprenticeship in bespoke shoemaking with legendary shoemaker , Stefano Bemer, of whom this post is in regards to. 

I therefore packed up my bags and set off for Italy to start learning the art of true handmade shoemaking.  While many of you might think that a lot of my inspiration comes from Corthay, Bestetti, Lobb or Edward Green, it was actually Stefano’s shoes that set the foundation for my taste in shoes, and has been thus progressed by Gaziano & Girling. You see, Stefano Bemer, was very famous in the 80’s and 90’s in Italy, to a point where he was even offered to be purchased by Gucci (of whom he was already consulting for) in order to expand his name and reach. As Stefano is probably one of the only true artists that I know who cares more about leather and shoes than money, he kindly declined the request. Was this a mistake? I don’t know. But I can tell you that because he decided to remain a small artist, many of you have probably never heard of him, or seen the amazing shoes that he actually creates. This is one thing that I actually feel sad about, as I truly believe that his RTW shoes (which are goodyear welted) have the capability to rival all of the greats and possibly even be better than most of them. I don’t say this because I learned under him and therefore feel loyal to him, I say this because it is true. Not only do I have first-hand knowledge of being around them for a long time and handling them but also have owned a pair for 3.5 years that I have worn into the ground without even needing to have a resole (only one re-heel).  

Because I truly believed in Stefano and his product, I set off on an adventure the following summer in order to try and get his shoes into the US market. A lofty goal this was, especially since it was summer 2009 which was right at the beginning of our most recent big recession. That being, I took it upon myself to go and sell luxury products to stores that were cutting back on their inventory. Crazy yes, but necessary nonetheless to learn shoe industry lessons and attempt at building the brand of Stefano Bemer. The problem is that he wanted to come in at John Lobb prices and wasn’t willing to budge on that.  At first I thought that he was being a bit stubborn, but looking back at it now I feel that he was justified, as his product was worth every penny. But needless to say, without strong brand recognition, selling +$1000 to stores during a recession was not happening. Many store buyers seemed impressed with the shoes, but could simply not justify those prices at that time. I can’t say that I blame them either, but it has led to the fact that Stefano’s shoes still do not sell in America and as sad as this is to say, might not ever.  And the downfall to all of this, is the fact that he is a brilliant shoemaker, who shoes are some of the most amazing that I have ever seen and the ones that inspired me and my upcoming collection.

And while the story of Stefano ends there, I will continue on with telling you a bit more about my aspirations and how they have led me up to this point….Upon coming to England, I was in desperate need of work. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue with bespoke shoemaking or to try to use my degree to get into a corporate job and start learning the design side of things with some large shoe company. Needless to say, none of those things happened, and when the going got tough, I managed to find this job at Gieves & Hawkes, shining shoes for others. You can imagine that this was a hard blow to my ego, as I was not sure how this was going to help me get closer to my goals, but let me tell you that this job was the ABSOLUTE BEST THING that could have happened to me, a diamond in the rough. Not only did it allow me to be positioned on the most famous street in the world for men’s tailoring (which no doubt correlates with footwear) to help me network and build my Shoe Snob brand, but also allowed me to cut the bullshit and get on with my number #1 priority: STARTING A RTW SHOE LINE! I could have just stuck with working for others and maybe took over someone else’s shoe line or started my own in 20 years, but I don’t have the patience for that. I would rather give it my all now and fail, then wait 20 years just to be ‘secure.’ So that’s what I did. I just started drawing shoes and had planned to go to MICAM in order to find a factory to make them. 

Therefore while many of you think that I should stop shining shoes and go back to ‘shoemaking’ I have to tell you that bespoke shoemaking was never my priority, only a means to an end. It was a way for me to become a shoe company owner who truly understood why his shoes were worth the price. So, I will actually stick with the shoe shining (as I need to pay bills), use that to build my brand awareness (and believe me it does), all while I get this shoe line off of the ground. Obviously, this has been something that I have been talking about for a long time, and because of that some of you may think that I am just putting about and might be ‘lost.’ But in reality the realization of my goals has almost come to fruition, shoe buyers are interested, and like any other start-up company, I have to go make it happen. Nothing comes quick and easy, especially when you are dealing with factories and first collections. So to all of you who doubt me, please continue doing so, because for me it will feel all the better to prove you all wrong. And for those who support me and believe in my goals, I truly thank you. I promise that I will give it my all to not let you down!

And just in case you are tired of the John Lobbs, the Edward Greens or the Berlutis and are looking for a new shoemaker to try out, do me a favor and go to Florence and pick up a pair of Stefano Bemers. I promise that you won’t be disappointed…

To all of those that get direct emails from my blog and therefore do not go to the actual URL, please do check out this link below for my new shoe polishing contest, where you can win prizes.

http://the-shoe-snob.blogspot.com/p/shoe-polishing-monthly-contest.html 

 

-Justin, "The Shoe Snob"

Today's Favorites - Bottega Veneta - Denim Dress Shoes

Picture Courtesy Of: The Shoe Buff

One of the coolest shoes that I have ever seen (believe it or not) was a pair of Hugo Boss shoes that were a mix between brown leather and bright blue jean denim, in the pattern of a spectator (co-respondent). Now, I can't say if I would feel the same way about them today, as this was about 6 years ago and my tastes have changed since then, but I still remember the vivid feeling of 'wow,' those are cool! And ever since that day, I have been curious about the mixture of denim and leather, particularly on a pair of shoes. That being, when I saw this denim model, by Bottega Veneta, I was quite intrigued, even though it was lacking the leather bit of that memorable combination. But in actuality, I quite like it being solely in denim, as even though it is in a dress cut (pattern), it still has a casual feel to them. And this look makes me think that it would be the perfect shoe to wear with chinos, or any kind of casually smart trouser.

Even though I may not be the biggest fan of designer/fashion labels, I can say that what I do like about them is that they are not afraid to try anything, and sometimes that 'anything' turns out to be something quite cool and exciting, such this model here is for me. I don't think that Crockett & Jones or any other reputable high-end shoemaker would have ever considered releasing this to the world....

The Armoury, Carmina, The Shoe Snob, London Trunk Show

For those that may not be aware, The Armoury, is a clothier in Hong Kong that specializes in artisanal offerings for men. One of these brands is Carmina, a recognized Spanish shoemaker, of whom I have just recently become very fond of. Now I had always know about them (Carmina), as well as heard good things, but it wasn't until the owner of The Armoury (Mr. Mark Cho) asked me to shine the samples for this upcoming event, that I truly became aware of just how amazing Carmina's shoes actually are. After I picked them up and took each one out of its box, my mouth kept dropping one notch further and further for how simply amazing they were. Not only for the array of models, but for how incredibly well constructed they were. Everything about them was spot on, and I was ashamed to know that I had not been privy to this knowledge prior to this point. Nevertheless, I now know and will definitely be recommending them more on this blog. That being, here is my first recommendation. On April 20th-21st (Fri.-Sat.), The Armoury is holding a trunk show (of which I will be attending as well as offering my services - on the Sat.), showcasing their Carmina models. If you are in London at this time and looking for some new shoes, then I highly recommend coming to at least have a look. I promise that you won't be disappointed.

For more info on the trunk show, READ HERE

Pictures Courtesy Of: The Armoury & Photographer Harry Watts

What I Am Wearing - Black & Blue

I used to be the black & blue hater #1, and even to this day, I would prefer to never pair them together. But as I get older, the climate changes, my culture becomes something else (in my ever-moving journey), I really just can't be asked to rebel any further. Most of the time, I put them together due to the fear of ruining any of my nice non-black colored shoes, like my red's or suedes or whatever goes best with navy trousers. But the more and more that I spend in Europe, where I find myself outside 1000 more than I ever used to be (as cars don't make sense in city center here and thus commuting by foot takes over), the more and more that I find myself pairing these two colors and the more and more I find myself warming to the idea of black & blue. Strange how life is always playing tricks on you, how you hate something one day and then love it the next and vice-versa. It makes us all a bunch of hypocrites....or maybe just me. And even while I feel that it does create a classier look, I do believe that I will always prefer brown paired with navy, as something that just flows better.

Shoes: Allen Edmonds
Sweater (Jumper): Some brand from Naples, Italy
Shirt - Primark 
Tie - Gieves & Hawkes
Trousers - H&M

Riccardo Bestetti Ready To Wear Collection

It's been a long time coming, but the day has finally arrived: Bestetti introduces his Ready-To-Wear collection at none other than the infamous Pitti Uomo. These pictures are obviously not from there, but are a few models to wet your beaks nonetheless and see what he is up to and what you can expect from his line. As you can see he very much keeps in tune with his bespoke footwear, offering models that have the mouth-quenching curves and lines that give resemblance to a handmade shoe. I assume (but am not sure) that he used lasts that were either identical (or very darn close) to his bespoke footwear. The only difference is that these beauties are going to be made with a Blake construction. But fret not, the Goodyear welted counterparts will be arriving in the near future... While I still believe these are in the production stages, having not quite yet been finalized nor sold to any stores, they will be coming out in the price range of around 400 Euros. While still not cheap (as they shouldn't be), it now allows some of you dreamers (such as myself) to be able to finally get a piece of footwear that has been made/designed/influenced by none other than Mr. Bestetti himself... Will update when I receive more information...Enjoy!

 

My First Prototype

As 'The Shoe Snob,' you can imagine that for my first prototypes, and collection for that matter, I am going to have some very high expectations. Well, 8 out of 13 of those prototypes came in the mail today. Some of them were 'bang on,' but sadly to say, some of them also left me quite disappointed to say the least. Now, I know that this is only the first round of prototypes (so I can't expect magic) and many of them will inevitably be adjusted, but as this dream has been 5 years in the making, you can imagine the type of anxiety that I am going through, especially when I have been telling the whole world about it. Needless to say, as my loyal blog readers, I am presenting to you (before anyone else!) one of my first prototypes.

Sadly for all of you, I am only going to show this one (for now), as some of the other ones are unique. And even though I don't intend to insult anyone of their integrity, I must be cautious as I know that there are other shoe companies who read my blog and would not want to see a design of mine released before my own shoes are. But as this may look like a classic shoe that you could find anywhere, you may have noticed that I have emphasized the stitching, providing 3 rows instead of the common 2. For me, it just accentuates the different pieces of the pattern and allows for one to wear it more casually, i.e. with a nice pair of fitted jeans. This model is nothing too unique, but then again, it's a classic with a slight twist and that is something that can't go wrong.

When all of the prototypes are finished, I promise that I will release them to all of you, as I know that like me, you too have been patiently waiting. Just know that I am working hard to get them out there and that I am being the biggest snob that I can, in order to bring you something unique, good looking, of good quality and of good price! So, please continue to bear with me as I finalize all of my prototypes into becoming a first collection that can wow the world....

By the way, please feel free to comment. The logo is not finalized, but I would appreciate some feedback on it.

Shoes Of The Year - Bespoke Gaziano & Girling

The beauty about bespoke shoes is that the options to what you want to have made are only limited by your own amount of creativity. And while this shoe might not be the most creative bespoke shoe ever made up, it will certainly, at least in my mind, go down as one of the most beautiful bespoke shoes ever made. Everything about this shoe is lovely from the leather, to the patina, to the medallion design, and finally to the pattern. And what's even better, for me, is that it represents just how far along my friend Daniel is coming along as a maker in such a short amount of time.

As always, it never ceases to amaze me the quality of shoes that Gaziano & Girling pump out, from their RTW to their bespoke pieces. To have achieved this level of success and brilliant reputation since their introduction in 2006, is a reason that, so long as they continue to do what they are doing, I believe that they will be a firm that will soon be as recognized as John Lobb, if not more so. And even though this is a bold statement on my part, I believe that the pictures presented, as well as all of the others that I have displayed, pretty much speak for themselves.

Enjoy your weekend,

-Justin, "The Shoe Snob"

Today's Favorites - Red Suede Edward Greens

It's not very often that you see red suede shoes, particularly coming from a company rooted in England. It's even far less common that you would see someone wearing these down the street. Yet that would be very cool. Apparently these were an MTO order, for a customer at Leffot (of which the pictures are courtesy of). When you think about it this way, there existence under the name Edward Green makes more sense, as I don't believe that they would ever produce something for their ready-to-wear lines. But then this brings up the age old question: with all of the beautiful shoes being sold each day in the world, why is it that I never see anyone wearing them? Do people only keep their cool shoes for special events? For parties? What? I just don't get it. It's not like I wear my red shoes with white piping everyday, but they definitely get a some wears throughout the year. But rarely do I see something exciting, such as these, gracing the feet of some well-dressed gentleman. It's never too late.....wear your exciting shoes proudly!

Shoes -- Part 2: Style Names & Terminology -- Brogues

The term, brogue, is a word that can describe many many styles of shoe within the shoe realm. It is because of this that it is commonly misused and due to this misconception, I wanted to dedicate an entire post on brogues and what they really are. First off, let me start by saying that a brogue can be used to describe any shoe that has perforations in it (little holes). Because it ranges in such depth, you might find that the term can sometimes be confusing and attributed incorrectly. Therefore, let us begin the brogue education. The word brogue was first heard and used by the Scottish and the Irish in the late 16th century. But it was not until later that it became something that was used to describe shoes. As you may think of it now, a brogue in it's original use, also had holes in it, but they were actually functional, being that they used to drain the water that would get in a person's shoes, from walking across a wet terrain. Up until the early 1900's they were still considered a very casual shoe. It was not until later that they became what they are today: a super-hip dress shoe!

Full Brogues:

Full brogues, as shown above and directly below, are categorized by several things. First and foremost, they must have a wing-cap toe. Without this, it is not a full brogue, it will be called something else, of which I will get to below. The second thing is that you will find that full brogues will have each of the 5 pieces to the upper: cap, vamp, facing, quarter and counter (in case this is your first time reading, I described all of these here). It will always be the shoe with the most amount of perforations. Now, there are several shoes that may look like a full-brogue but will not be, because they won't have these 5 pieces, such as the Brummell shoe by Edward Green. While I find this shoe much more appealing than a full-brogue, it sadly is not considered one, as it does not consist of all of the necessary components to make it so. Full brogues, however, are in my opinion the most well rounded shoes in dress shoe history, as they can look good with everything, from suits to jeans. This is obviously subjective, but can easily be proven by putting together the proper outfits. Now this can be up for debate, but I was always under the impression that a full brogue needed to be an oxford and not a derby, which would therefore categorize the picture below the 2 directly under this writing to be a semi brogue. However, this I am not 100% sure about.

Semi Brogues (AKA Half Brogues):

Semi brogues are the full brogues cousin. They can look exactly like a full brogue except that they will have a cap toe (as opposed to a wing cap) and also have a medallion (decorative perforations) on the toe. This is a very common shoe in the business industry as a cap toe generally denotes a business setting. Obviously though, you won't find too many spectators, such as the one above, in the corporate environment. On that note, you will notice that a spectator, which is a style of shoe, can also fall under the brogue category as well as something else, like just calling it a cap-toe or a wingtip. All of these style names, as you can see, can sometimes be interrelated.

Quarter Brogues:

As you can somewhat see, the lesser down we go, the less perforations you will find in the shoe, and the more dressier the shoe will be. Quarter brogues seem to be far less common, at least from what I notice, especially in comparison to the full-brogue, which are among the most common of shoe styles. Quarter brogues are certainly not among the most stylish, when it comes to design, and maybe therefore this is the reason why I don't notice them as much. They dwell in appreciation of being simplistic and are therefore used as a conservative shoe for conservative occasions, such as working in the financial district. You will find that the majority of quarter brogues are going to have a cap toe. It will be uncommon for you to find a wing tip quarter brogue, as most designers seemed to be inclined to add all of the other pieces to the vamp when designing a wing cap shoe. But this is just my theory, let me grab my pen and paper and see how it actually looks! You will also notice that it must have not have a medallion on the toe, or else it becomes a semi brogue.

Longwing Brogue:

Ahh, the longwing brogue. This is the shoe most loved by Americans and American shoe companies. I was actually going to try and fill this entire post up with Edward Green's but just realized that of course, they don't a make a longwing brogue, at least not that I have ever seen. That being, I must give it up to the longwing master, Alden, as pictured below. The longwing derives it's name from the fact that the wing cap, instead of ending at the joints of the foot, extend all the way back to the heel, creating a long-wing-cap AKA longwing. You really don't see this shoe made too much outside of American shoe companies, with the exception of maybe trickers. I don't know why really? Maybe because they are generally made in a bulky fashion, but I must say that they can look good with a nice pair of jeans.

Top Two Pictures (directly above): Alden, Bottom Picture: Tricker's

All Other Pictures: Edward Green

Some Pictures Provided By: Leffot & Leather Soul

While there are many other shoes that have perforations on them, such as a monk brogue, it is pretty easy to understand what they might be labeled, or in actuality the fact that they might simply just fall under the casual title of 'brogue,' and truly not have a proper style name. Well, it's been a long one and I need to go and enjoy what's left of the sun, so until next time, enjoy the post!

Sincerely,

-Justin, "The Shoe Snob"