Today's Favorites - Saint Crispin's

Saint Crispin's shoes never cease to amaze me! And while their shoes are not off-the-wall or anything, they have this feel and look about them that just sets them completely apart from the rest. Also the little details, like the saddle type of leather piece on the monk strap right above and the lacing on the loafer (in the background) of picture 3 of 6, from the top. Like I have said before, in a saturated world, it's hard to really create something completely new that has not already been done before so what you find is the little minute details that will start to set you apart but also really bring out your creativity and look. Probably my favorite thing though that Saint Crispin's does is add quite a thick, yet sleek sole to their dress shoes. It's funny because I hate clunky things, but because they cut the sides of the sole very close to the shape of the last, it takes away that heavy feeling and gives you a pretty sturdy dress shoe. I just wish that they were more easily accessible!!

Photos Courtesy Of: Style Forum

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"

The Next Big Trend: Colored Chukka Boots

Picture Courtesy of Septieme Largeur

Year after year, there are new trends in the shoe industry, some of which are great and some of which are crap. I believe that the next big one that you will start to see popping up from brand after brand, is colored chukka boots. Some companies have already started leading the way by bringing them out in their current collections, and others I know will soon follow. I happen to be quite excited about it, as I think that there aren't many better shoes options than a nice chukka boot, and colored suede just makes it all that more appealing in my opinion. I mean, even though I love my cigar suede ones, it gets a bit tiresome only being able to choose from the 57 shades of browns that you usually see them in. And who is to say that the dark green suede that you see done by Carmina (shown below) would not be just as versatile as it's brown alternative? If you are going to wear them with jeans or even khakis, that forest green is going to complement them beautifully!

Carmina, Picture Courtesy of Rugged Old Salt

Carmina, Picture Courtesy of The Armoury Blog

The more that I spend time in the shoe industry, and being constantly exposed to shoes and all of the different models, the more that I internally battle myself in deciding what my favorites are. One day it's a saddle shoe, next day it's a penny loafer, then a brogue etc. But the more that I do this, the more that I find myself truly liking chukka boots. Granted, I have always been a fan ever since Stefano Bemer gave me a pair and I wore it all over Italy (and everywhere else for that matter). That boot alone has given me such an appreciation for them, as I have experienced first hand the never-ending versatility of them. But I feel that I need to graduate from those, and jump into the next arena, possibly with a navy suede version, like the Septieme Largeur one pictured at the top. Coupled with a natural sole, that blue suede and any of them for that matter, would be the ideal knock around shoe, something that would be great for day to day wear but even have the ability to be smartened up when necessary.You simply can't beat that and I feel that it will be something that more and more people will start to recognize, which in turn will mean that more and more companies will start making them. Watch!

John Lobb

Saion

Corthay, Courtesy of Leffot

Corthay

While these shades only represent a small fraction of the possibilities that could be realized, its a nice step in the right direction. But what about a burgundy suede? A sea blue? Florence Purple? The possibilities are endless and there are so many opportunities to make something that is cool, eye-catching and more importantly unique... Can't say that it will be me, at least not in my first collection, but you can bet that I will aspire to come out with some burgundy or some crazy shade of blue, or maybe even gray. Gosh, I get excited just thinking about it! But in all seriousness, watch out, because I bet that this starts to grow like the plague, and by this upcoming fall and next spring/summer, you will see them everywhere! I don't know about you, but I look forward to it....

All by Septieme Largeur

On another note, things are progressing again after a small hiccup with my shoe line. After wearing my first set of trial fits I realized that my last was a bit on the wide side, not being as proportional as I had liked it to be, fitting more like a EX (or EE). I pretty much shaved off one of those E's and have been testing the results, of which I think look and feel better. Now that I have this out of the way, I simply need to work out the small details, make the entire collection and be on my way to getting them in the stores and on your feet! I appreciate all those who are still awaiting the release of them, and promise that you won't be let down!

Today's Favorites - Carmina

There is a sleeping giant in the shoe industry that not many people realize yet is soon going to be a major player, and that giant is Spain. For many years, Spain has been a producer of high quality shoes coming from several factories such as Carmina (which is shown here) and Magnanni, not to mention others that are less known. But only until recently, I believe, have people started to catch on, as the moniker "Made In Italy" starts to slowly fade. As I have said before, a good shoe can be made anywhere. Sure, that country has to have the right ingredients, such as the proper machinery, but mainly there just has to be passion, patience and attention to detail. And Carmina, has done an amazing job of doing just that, as you can very well see in these pictures. These chukka, just might be among the coolest boots that I have ever seen. Not only do they have a crepe sole, that is amazing for walking, but with that, they have managed to maintain their dressiness and shape. And to top it all off, what a great color for suede: olive green! I continue to be amazed with where the shoe industry is going (in terms of styling), and for me it brings great pleasure to see shoes like this, that are classic, but have that little bit of edge...

Pictures Courtesy Of: Rugged Old Salt
Shoes: All MTO, available through The Armoury

Some More J. FitzPatrick Prototypes....!

Dear Readers,

I have finally received the rest of my prototypes, adjusted up to this point, and am feeling a whole lot better about the way that my line is taking shape. At this moment, the shoes are finally done with all of the pattern adjustments, which takes up the majority of the prototype work. Now, I just have to finalize the minute details like lining & sole colors, perfecting the medallion (placing on shoe and style), making sure that the shoes (patterns) are consistent with one another (when using the same pattern on two different lasts) and have them wear tested by a trusted expert who can give me constructive feedback on fit and comfort. I assume that I will need to take one more trip to my factory, sort out the rest of the work and have them re-made one more time for the final prototypes to become complete. I am thinking (best case scenario) that this will be sometime in May/June that I will receive them back. At that point, I can't say whether or not my shoes will be ready for A/W 2012 release. I guess that it will depend on who takes them and how fast we can sort the business stuff out. Nevertheless, please know that I am doing everything that I can to make sure that the shoes come out quickly, but that the shoes are also going to look good and hold the integrity of the price that they will be selling at.

(Toe shape more accurate looking to picture on right)

When looking at the pictures, try to bear in mind that I took these very fast (just to show all of you) and right after they came out of the shipping box. So, if they look a little rough around the edges, that's because they are, as I did not do anything to enhance their look, especially as they are all just prototypes that will not be apart of my true finalized samples. At this point, I have shown you just a little over half of the collection, and mostly all of the straight forward stuff. There are still about 6 styles that I am going to leave until the prototypes are completely finalized. I do this first and foremost, because I would like to leave a bit of excitement and anticipation in the air and partly because I do not wish to release all of my ideas to some of the people that read this blog (i.e. other shoe brands, designers etc.) before they are ready to be released to the world. Just so that you know, allow me to go over what I have showed you and what will be left for later.

What I have shown you: Cap toe oxford, saddle oxford brogue, penny loafer, chukka boot (in pointy last), plain toe quarter brogue with medallion (in black leather on pointy last and suede version on round last), Prince Albert wholecut loafer and derby with piping.

What I haven't shown you: Balmoral boot, double monk strap, chukka boot (in round last with heavy sole), derby without piping, oxford saddle shoe, oxford wholecut with brogueing, and jodhpur boot.

What I am hoping from all of you, as I want to involve you in this whole process, is to start thinking about the models that I have showed you and to give me your thoughts on what colors you would love to see them in. When the prototypes are all finalized, I will put them up for a week or so, in order to let all of you give your top picks for color options. But, as a way to get that process going now, in order to speed things up, I would be more than happy to have you list them in the comments section below. Bare in mind that I will have to look at all of the comments and make a decision based on what is most feasible, sellable and popular.

For the derby shoe below, I am still very unsure about the piping that I originally thought would look good. I know that it is not for the common individual, but thought that it would pose as something fun for the shoe lover that wants something a bit different. Obviously, this derby will also come without the piping, but when making prototypes, I believe that you should make the craziest things first to know what they look like. It's easy to imagine it without the piping but would be difficult to understand how it looks with it, without having seen it. So please, tell me what you all think. If I keep it in the collection, it will most likely be a one-off anyway.

I hope that all of you are enjoying watching the progress of my shoe line, as it unfolds and are also enjoying the product that I have created thus far. Do know that there is still more to come, some fun stuff too, the stuff that you would expect to see from me, after all this time of talking about colors, details etc... But I want to save it until later so you will just have to trust that it is there...

Thanks to everyone who has supported me and who eagerly awaits the release of my shoe line...

Best,

Justin, "The Shoe Snob"

What I Am Wearing

The weather in London has been a bit bonkers lately, going from 80F (27ish C) to about 55F (15ish C) in one day, the other week. Therefore, I had my first round of proper layering. I have always loved dressing for the autumn/winter rather than the spring/summer, as I believe that it takes much more imagination to coordinate multiple garments, rather than just your shirt/tie combo in the warmer weather. And the absolute best is when it's quite cold out but the sun is still shining. That way, you can still wear your suede shoes and not have to worry about ruining them. It turns out that while the weather dropped significantly in these days, the sun stayed in the sky, so I managed to incorporate them (my suedes) into this outfit, as they best suit my sport coat.

Here's to the layering!!!

Shoes: Model 702 by Stefano Bemer
Sport Coat: Zara
V-neck sweater (jumper): Primark
Dress Shirt: Primark
Tie: Gieves & Hawkes
Trousers: H&M

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

As you many very well know, boots come in all shapes, sizes and styles. And even today they are ever-evolving, as I shall share an example (of something new and unique) with you either tomorrow or for my shoes of the week post that I usually do on Fridays. I was never a huge boot fan until I saw my first spat boot. After that, it was pure love. Now, I want every kind of style of boot in every colorway. I even had 3 of them made up for my first collection. Quite a bit for an introduction to the world. But as the days go on, I feel that boots are becoming increasing sought after, as the homogeneity of low-cut shoes (aka normal shoes) begins to bore many individuals. They therefore look to something else. And that something else is very likely to be a boot. 

Pictured Above & Below, Left: My own Gaziano & Girling 'Wigmore'

Balmoral Boots

Gaziano & Girling

Alfred Sargent

Crockett & Jones

Septieme Largeur

Balmoral boots are are definitely among my top favorites of all the boot options. Let's call them my adopted favorite. Adopted because the spat boot is my true favorite but considering the fact that they are very very hard to come by and will most likely run you a minimum of $1000, I have to say that for practical sake, the balmoral boot is what I prefer. What's nice about them is the fact that they are simply a dress boot. A boot that you can wear as if it was a shoe, i.e. with your suits. Not too many other boots can do that, because at first site you can easily tell that they are a boot. But with a balmoral boot, it looks like a shoe when your trousers are covering it. I feel that for this very reason, they have become increasingly popular in recent times, as people may be bored of wearing traditional shoes and are therefore opting for something a little different, and this being the perfect example.

Derby Boots

I can't say that this is the exact proper name for them, but this is what I like to call them. They are really just like a balmoral except the fact that they have open lacing. Just as beautiful too, as they allow for a more casual look. This pair above, by Edward Green is probably the nicest derby boot I have ever seen and I could definitely see myself in this everyday, paired with my jeans. Then again, I could easily see myself in all of the boots that I am putting here, especially since I come to think about it, I really don't own a pair of derby boots. Boots, in general, have definitely been something that I did not put much effort into getting, in the past. But now that I have amassed a huge collection of laced shoes, I think that I need build up my loafer and boot game.

Helm

Gaziano & Girling

Spat Boots

Jan Kielman

As I have mentioned a million times before, I believe that men dressed at their best during the Edwardian and Victorian eras. Clothing seemed to be appreciated so much more and elegance was something to uphold. And during those times, many men wore high cut boots, particularly spat and balmoral boots. I don't know why makers were inclined to make them then, but nowadays they are virtually unheard of in a ready-to-wear option. Maybe its because, today, men walk harder and are more aggressive in their nature, which makers feel that the buttons will therefore break too easily. This will then cause headaches for the customer with the broken buttons and in turn will lead to the manufacturers having to deal with those broken buttons. Whatever the case, it sure is sad that they are not more readily available.

Anthony Delos - Spat cover + shoe

Perfetto

Chukka Boots

Corthay; Picture via Leffot

Chukka boots are among the most versatile shoes in the shoe industry. If done right a chukka boot, such as the one picture above, can transition between jeans and suits within the same wear. The cleanliness of them, being that they tend to be stitch free on the vamp and toe area, allows for them to dressed up. But at the same time, the fact that they still are a boot gives it that automatic jean and casual appeal. Out of all of the shoes that I own, I am almost without a doubt that aside from my commuter shoe (which does not count), I have worn my chukkas more than anything. You just can't beat their versatility!


Whole Cut Boots

Septieme Largeur

This is the second time that I have seen this done before. The first time was by Japanese bespoke shoemaker, Imai Hiroki (pictured below). It's like an oxford version of a chukka boot. It's quite strange to see in picture, but they look really nice in person, as I was able to check out the last time that I was in Paris at the SL shop. My only concern with them is the ankle area and how it will feel with that whole piece of leather. But then again, it would most likely not be designed and selling if it was not comfortably wearable. They are pretty cool nonetheless. Being a whole cut fan weather it a laced shoe, loafer or boot, means that I have to like this one too! I just need to get my hands on a pair!

Septieme Largeur

Imai Hiroki

Septieme Largeur

Chelsea Boots

Ahh, the chelsea boot. Probably my least favorite boot, up until recently, which as I stated above will share with you on Friday. I don't know why I have never really been the biggest fan of them. I guess it's because I really see that gore as being too casual to be "nice." Don't get me wrong, a good chelsea boot is an amazing casual shoe, but it's tough to make them dressy. This Koji Suzuki model above is probably the nicest that I have ever seen. He seemed to make all of the proportions in just the right way, allowing for a sleek and dressy look. It may seem trivial, but I believe that for a chelsea boot, getting these proportions down right is much harder than it seems, at least to make the boot on the dressy side. Beatle boots are another form of chelsea boots except that they are cut much more lower. It became a style that was popularized by the rock group, The Beatles in the 1960's. They can also have a zipped side, but they are usually regarded to be a descendant of the chelsea boot. Beatle boot picture below by Corthay.

Jodhpur Boots

Rider Boot Co.

Originally used as a riding boot, the jodhpur boot has now been transformed to be one the coolest jeans boots ever. Not really that dressy due to the straps, I find them to be perfect as a great jean boot. There is something that is rugged and manly about them, even though they look nice and elegant. Another boot that I do not own, but will definitely be adding to the collection!

Barker Black

John Lobb via Leather Soul