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"

When a Shoe Looks Like a Piece of Art

The problem with bespoke shoes, is that sometimes they look so damn good that they don't even look like footwear, more just look like art for the sake of showcasing. For me, Riccardo Bestetti's shoes resemble this idea, probably more so than any other maker that I know. The reason that I say this, even though I may believe other makers make shoes more directed to my particular taste, is the fact that when I look at his shoes, they look like they were done by hand, without a second guess, just like a piece of art would be. The lines (and/or curvature) in his footwear from heel to sole, from toe to vamp, to the shaping of the last and the coloring of the leather are all things that you could never really see on a RTW shoe (a shoe done by machine). These are all things that he has done himself, with his passion for footwear, and trying to make the best final product possible. And he does a damn good job at doing so, because I must say that even if I don't like a shoe that he does, say because of the style or shape of the toe, you can be sure that I will at least respect and admire it and still find it beautiful. There is no denying that each shoe that I have posted here is an absolute work of art. You can't help but like them, even if you would never wear them. That's inspirational, and I commend Mr. Bestetti for his talent!

On a side note, I wanted to say that I appreciate everyone that either left a comment or emailed me directly in regards to the email that I received from that reader. I truly appreciate all of the support, the kind words, and vote of confidence that many of you have for me. And while I would never let something like this ever stop me from doing what I feel that I need and want to do, I must say that it is all of you (no corniness here) that help to keep me going, especially when the end of that tunnel looks miles away. I therefore truly thank each and every one of you that continue to read my blog, make comments and support my dreams. And I hope that with my growth, I can continue to repay you all with something entertaining yet knowledgeable to read, as well as great footwear and the complementary products!

-Justin, "The Shoe Snob"

Today's Favorites - Scarpe di Bianco Saddle Shoes

When you think about all of the different leather options/materials that are available when making a shoe, you begin to realize that it is really quite mind boggling how many millions of combinations could take place. Take a saddle shoe for example, like the one above by Scarpe di Bianco. For a traditional saddle, you generally have either 3 or 4 pieces of leather whereby the saddle and heel counter (in this case there isn't one) match in leather/color and the vamp and quarter match in another leather/color. So looking at the shoe presented, imagine how many different variations could take place, just on the saddle, let alone the vamp and quarter areas. And I really feel that it is an absolute art being able to pick out the best possible options to not only make the best looking shoe, but also one that many people will like and want to buy. This has probably been my biggest challenge in regards to my line, trying to create color combinations that I feel separate me from every other designer, yet not going too extreme so that I don't become considered 'trendy' or 'fashiony.' It's a fine line, I tell you.... But I do quite like this model here as I feel that pebble grain leather often goes overlooked, yet can produce such a beautiful shoe that can stand the test of time..... 

Shoe Photography - Capturing The Right Light

Picture Courtesy of The Style Buff

There is no light like natural light when it comes to shoe photography. But then again, even with that you will need the right camera. Time and time again, pictures will misrepresent the true beauty of a shoe. I know this better than anyone as I take pictures with my cell phone all of the time and due to that, nice shoes end up looking like junk. But this also can work the other way, where the photographer was so brilliant that they were able to make a crap shoe look good. This shoe, by Bocache e Salvucci, managed to get that brilliant photography treatment. It would appear that this shoe was given a mirror like glass shine, but I think that instead, it was just given a really good overall shine, but managed to capitalize on the amazing light that was out that day. Nevertheless, it was already a good looking shoe, just made to look even better. Time again, I give a mirror like glass shine to a shoe, snap a picture of it, and it looks dull. Go figure....but then again, photography has NEVER been my strong suit....unfortunate as that is considering that I write a blog that requires some use of it.....

Shoes Of The Week - Ivan Crivellaro Loafers

While the quality of the photo (and high flash) might make it difficult to appreciate this loafer, by Ivan Crivellaro, in its entirety, I must say that it has probably fallen within the ranks of my all-time 3 favorite shoes. Everything about it is spot on to me. It literally possesses everything that I would want to see if were shopping for a passion shoe: blue leather, herringbone tweed fabric, tassels with the leather wrapping around the side and brogueing extending to the heel. Simply amazing....not practical for most, but amazing nonetheless. I feel that I must salute Mr. Crivellaro because it would appear that he is constantly making things that he would wear, as opposed to what the majority would like. It's very dangerous to do this, as it is hard to appeal to the masses this way, and stay afloat, but nevertheless it's very admirable. I am just happy to see that he continues to do this and makes shoes that others may not, but that to me, stand out above all of the rest! This shoe, I would wear proudly, and daily!

What I Am Wearing

The thing about me, is that I love blue, as you might know from previous posts, or as you might be able to tell by looking at this outfit. I mean, with the exception of the shoes, there is some form of blue in every other piece of my outfit. Some might find this excessive, but as I love it, it doesn't matter. Now what I am getting at, is that I think that a dark brown suede loafer, is just about one of the nicest pairings that you can conjure up with blue attire (just outside of burgundy shoes!). And while I don't wear these loafers as often as I should (maybe due to not wanting to ruin them), I do find myself always drawn to suede loafers when looking into shoe stores. We actually have a pair at G&H, in the Cleverley butterly loafer design, that I absolutely love, but thankfully (as I don't need more shoes or to spend any money) they don't stock my size. Nevertheless, if you are like me and love the color blue in your wardrobe, then a dark brown suede loafer is something that you should also look to own, because it will take you a long way.

Shoes: Ferragamo Tremezza line
Jacket: Burberry
Scarf: Vintage
Waistcoat: Vintage
Shirt: Some Neapolitan brand
Tie: Robert Talbott Best of Class line

Feast Your Eyes! - Roberto Ugolini

Shoes by: Roberto Ugoini, Photo Courtesy of: Gentleman's Gazette

Dear All,

I am feeling a bit under the weather today, and therefore do not have the capacity to write anything longer than a sentence or two. That being, I want you to study this amazing picture, taken by the author of Gentleman's Gazette, of some of the collection of Roberto Ugolini (Florentine bespoke shoemaker) and ask yourself, "what if this was my shoe wardrobe?" Imagine that....

Best,

Justin, "The Shoe Snob"

Today's Favorites - Ivan Crivellaro Tassel Loafers

This is a fun pair of shoes. And even though I can't say that I am the biggest fan of the pattern and colors of that fabric used (if it was on its own), I think that it is great on this pair of shoes, especially with those green tassels. I absolutely love the idea of this whole shoe and am very pleased that Mr. Ivan Crivellaro, not only designed them, but made them too! It takes courage to offer shoes like this, because they are not for everyone...in reality they are not for many, mainly just the shoe freaks like me! But what's great about it, is that it represents the depth of which design can be taken, yet still be fun and relatively practical. Not that you would wear these to the office, but with a pair of chinos or jeans, they would go just perfectly! This is exactly the type of thing that I would love to design and make but know that if I did just this, it would be hard to stay afloat. But do expect to see this type of flair every now and then released in my collection, because hey, what would a shoe line be without a little fun?!

Cool Shoes, Cool Clothes, Cool Ties....Cool Blog

These days, I unfortunately don't have a lot of time to peruse through blogs as much as I would like to, let alone read them, which is a shame really, as I believe that blogs these days are among the leaders in providing useful information, particularly within the men's style industry. But, every now and then (while searching for photos of shoes), I stumble across a diamond in the rough. It's not actually how I found the blog, Monsiuer Bespoke, of which you can credit all of the photos shown in this post, but am glad that I found it nonetheless. While the blog appears to be new (having only one page of 'older posts') and is in Italian, I can assure you that I don't think I have ever seen such an array of amazing outfits and shoes all in one spot. Granted, it would appear the writer is an acquaintance of Mr. Bestetti and therefore favors his footwear at the current moment (hence all of the photos) but also seemed to have the inside scoop on all of the coolest outfits at the most recent Pitti Uomo.

Shoes by: Riccardo Bestetti

Aside from writing a nice blog with cool pictures, Mr. Cerruti (the author) is apparently also the proprietor of bespoke tie firm in Milan, called Passagio Cravatte. Most of you don't know this about me, but apart from shoes, ties are another one of my sicknesses (back up to around 60 now, before I gave away 40 prior to coming to Europe). That being, when I looked at the site and the ties that have been made, I was incredibly impressed! What's cool about the company is that each tie is unique to the individual, where you go to the shop, pick a cloth that you fancy (as well as a bunch of other important things) and then have the tie made to your liking. I can tell you when I make my first bit of real money, I am going to visit this shop and have a heyday! Well, I thought that you all might enjoy something new to look at, something that provides a bit more ideas in the suit department and something can help you learn a little bit of the Italian language!

http://monsieurbespoke.blogspot.com/


http://www.passaggiocravatte.com/

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!

 

A Return To Italy (and Stefano Bemer)

Over my quick holiday visit to the in-laws in Perugia, Italy, I managed to pop over to my old town of Firenze (where I once lived for circa 1 year). I had the intention of going back to Stefano Bemer's shop (where I learned to make bespoke shoes) and saying hi to all of my old colleagues, as well as hopefully snapping some pictures of any new models made. Being that plans don't always happen they way that you want them to (and that fact that my wife was waiting for me at a nearby cafe) I was unable to take any pictures, as my time was rushed having to explain to my friends what I am currently up to while trying my best to speak in rusty, broken Italian. It was quite unfortunate, though, as Stefano was not around and I was unable to tell him of my progress, of which I hope that he would have been proud to say that it all started at his shop, my entrance into the bespoke shoe realm.... Nevertheless, I remembered that while living there, I had taken many pictures of the shop that I don't believe I ever posted on the blog, and thought that now would be the perfect time to do so.

If you look at the picture at the very top, you can see that two of the bespoke shoes that I made (#2 & #5) came from the patterns of the shoes second from the left and third from the right, only that I slightly altered minute details such as coloring, piping thickness and last shape. Looking back at these pictures (which only make up a small amount of the entire collection), I must say that Stefano Bemer, while relatively unknown by the majority of people, makes some of the most beautiful shoes that I have ever seen! He is excellent, in my opinion, at pairing certain patterns (designs) with certain last shapes as well as putting together wonderful color combinations. With that in mind, I still wonder why you don't find his shoes selling at more outlets around the world....

While I had a great time in Italy (living there and learning) and would not have traded that experience for anything in the world, I realized that during my short and nostalgic visit back, that I have truly found myself in probably the absolute best place that I could be for making my goals come into fruition (that being London). It makes one realize how funny and coincidental life can be. And if you would have asked me 6-7 years ago, whether I could see myself being and living in London, I would have said, "no way!"  But now I am here, and I feel like I have found my second home, a place that I enjoy and can feel comfortable and secure in. It's a great a feeling and am glad to have had this trip back to Italy to be able to experience it......Anyway enough of the sentimental babble, I hope that all of you had a wonderful holiday season and are getting ready for a great New Year's celebration. 2012 is going to be a great one!!

Best,

Justin, "The Shoe Snob"