Loafers by Corno Blu

November 5, 2014, 3:17 am

≫ Next: Shoes, Shoes and More Shoes!!

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Pictures courtesy of Coccinella

Saddle strap (not necessarily saddle per se, but strap going to welt) loafers –like the one above– seem to be making a big come back these days. Putting the strap just on top of the vamp –like the one below– for me just isn’t as appealing anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I like them still, but something about that extending strap makes it more intriguing for me (and I am starting to believe that this might be the case for others too). This suede pair by Corno Blu is simply an exquisite example of one and literally every detail on the shoe is perfect. But then again, they are bespoke and by a Japanese maker, so one could hardly expect anything less than a flawless product!

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Shoes, Shoes and More Shoes!!

November 19, 2014, 7:50 pm

≫ Next: The Best Longwing….Ever…by Hiro Yanagimachi

≪ Previous: Loafers by Corno Blu

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PIcture courtesy of Zimmermann & Kim

Kanpekina aka Perfetto

Landry Lacour patina

Imai Hiroki

Ivan Crivellaro

The Best Longwing….Ever…by Hiro Yanagimachi

November 23, 2014, 7:40 pm

≫ Next: Kanpekina at Pitti Uomo 87

≪ Previous: Shoes, Shoes and More Shoes!!

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So it’s my last day here in Singapore after having been gone for 2 weeks now. Luckily for me, I have a lovely midnight flight to put me into London at 5am, ouch! It’s been a great time here in Asia, but I am definitely ready to get home and start playing catch up! Both of my trunk shows went very well and it was a pleasure to have met all that came out. Singapore surprised me however, by tripling my expectations and becoming the best trunk show that I have ever had (commercially speaking; I have enjoyed them all on an emotional level). Thank you to all who came out and showed their support.

On  another note, I have been keeping a close eye on Japanese shoemaker, Hiro Yanagimachi as he is quickly becoming one of my all time favorites. Time and time again his Instagram leaves me jaw dropping in awe (@hiroyanagi1999). And when I came across this longwing I fell in love. I must say that I think that I anti-the-gunboat-longwing that just looks like a tanker ship on one’s foot. It’s really just my personal taste but I hate chunky shoes and most longwings are just that. This is the perfect example of how you can take the longwing design and make it sharp, elegant and refined. And that is how I like it. The only downfall is that most don’t make it like this for RTW. Let’s see who will change that!

 

Kanpekina at Pitti Uomo 87

January 20, 2015, 7:06 am

≫ Next: Old School Balmoral Boots by Fujiwara Shoes Studio

≪ Previous: The Best Longwing….Ever…by Hiro Yanagimachi

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I have been wanting to see the Kanpekina brand in the flesh for a long time now and I finally stumbled upon them while at Pitti. To be quite frank, I was quite pleased and disappointed at the same time. The shoes were well made and lovely, but I was not crazy about the direction of this year’s theme of camouflage and pony hair. I hope that it was simply a seasonal choice and not a “fashion” oriented direction for the company. Having that slight disappointment neither really being here nor there, it was good to see them nonetheless. The down side however, mainly for all of you, is that they are pretty much impossible to acquire outside of Japan. Their only stockist in EU is Upper Shoes in France, and forget about it if you live in North America.

I asked about private labeling (as they make the shoes in Japan), in case my factory simply can’t make the button boot for me, but the wholesale prices would make a pair of mine very expensive (circa £600-£650). But I have not ruled it out. Let’s see how my trip to Spain will be, coming in early Febraury. I hope successful!

Old School Balmoral Boots by Fujiwara Shoes Studio

March 12, 2015, 7:20 am

≫ Next: The Brown Wholecut by Masaru Okuyama

≪ Previous: Kanpekina at Pitti Uomo 87

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What I love about Instagram is that you have all of the pictures accessible with a quick click of your phone. No need to get on your laptop and search them all out. And with that, I have infinite access to the discovery of new makers through other people’s feed. One that I love is @BespokeMakers, who highlight many Japanese artisans in both shoes and clothing. One that they most recently highlighted was Fujiwara Shoes Studio (of whom I had never heard of) which appears to make quite classic and old school bespoke shoes. These balmoral boots reminded me of something out of the olden days which I found quite intriguing. And like always, thought that I would share them with all of you!

The Brown Wholecut by Masaru Okuyama

March 20, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Proper Derby’s by Hiro Yanagimachi

≪ Previous: Old School Balmoral Boots by Fujiwara Shoes Studio

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Pure perfection…. http://www.masaruokuyama.com/

That’s it!

Have a great weekend to all and for those of you trying to get in touch with me via email/blog comment etc. please bear with me as this period has been more busy than ever in my entire life, which makes me very behind in responding. But I WILL GET TO ALL emails that are not spam….sooner or later!

Sincerely,

Justin, “The Shoe Snob

Proper Derby’s by Hiro Yanagimachi

July 9, 2015, 6:50 am

≫ Next: Medallions by Hiro Yanagimachi

≪ Previous: The Brown Wholecut by Masaru Okuyama

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When it came to derby shoes with apron stitching, I was always a fan of the Italian way of making them: sharp-nose, slick lines and dressy all around. Santoni used to make an immaculate one in their old ‘fatte a mano’ range that used to be blake-rapid construction and quality wise was on par with your best English made shoe. Gone are those days now and the new apron toe derby’s of the world that are creating cult like followings, i.e. the Dover by Edward Green, just don’t cut it for me. It’s too in the middle, where I tend to like things on the semi-extreme e.g. either really dressy or quite casual (at least when it comes to an apron toe derby).

This is where I have never seen the Dover and all derby’s like it, as that appealing in reality. I feel like if it is not Italian in style, then it should be more on the casual side to be worn with chinos and jeans. And this is where the Hiro Yanagimachi derby in question hits the nail on the head for me. You see, I see an apron toe derby as a casual shoe in reality, not something that should really be worn with a suit. So pairing it with a Norwegian welt and using a grained leather only seems natural for me. Or maybe suede. And then it becomes the perfect shoe to wear with denim (as I like doing so….or cotton trousers), on your days off or casual Fridays.

Well done as usual Hiro!!

Medallions by Hiro Yanagimachi

July 30, 2015, 5:48 am

≫ Next: Koji Endo Bottier

≪ Previous: Proper Derby’s by Hiro Yanagimachi

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It’s not so common for a maker to have a lot of medallions. I think for two reasons really, 1. Because they are not easy to design, be good and also something different than what everyone else has and 2. Because imagine if you had 9, like Hiro Yanagimachi here, how hard it would be to come up with a new model and then decide which of your 9 medallions would best suit the model. I think it would be quite hard to be honest, like picking your favorite jelly bean color! Nevertheless, I was quite impressed with this photo as not only did Mr. Yanagimachi have 9 but also had many that do not look like anyone else’s, including the very cool asymmetrical one on the bottom middle picture. I have never actually been a fan of asymmetrical ones before, until I saw this that has both symmetry and asymmetry to it. Very tastefully done. Always a hat off to Mr. Yanagimachi who seems to go above and beyond in the footwear world.

On another note, for those of you into bespoke trousers, Salvatore Ambrosi will be here in London (in conjunction with The Armoury) from this Friday/Saturday, hosting a trunk show at the Drake’s shop at 3 Haberdasher St, London N1 6ED. Contact zacharyjobe@thearmoury.com  for more details or to make an appt.

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Koji Endo Bottier

August 14, 2015, 4:40 am

≫ Next: Masaru Okuyama To Visit Singapore

≪ Previous: Medallions by Hiro Yanagimachi

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I have never seen a boot exactly like this but I certainly do love it (the Anthony Delos one coming closest in terms of construction). I have always been fascinated with things can be made with the intention of something being “heavy” or “sturdy” but be made in such a way that it doesn’t look “heavy” or “bulky.” This boot, for me, by Koji Endo does just that. It’s lines and shape are super sleek but then paired with the Norwegian stitch and eyelets tones it’s “dressiness” down making it something that would look amazing worn smart casually (as indicated below). That is the beauty of bespoke and while many people can’t afford it (I being one of them!), it sure is nice to appreciate what can be done as the limitations of RTW are many in the grand scheme of things. Bespoke done well is pure art in my book. This boot is proof of that!

Masaru Okuyama To Visit Singapore

August 31, 2015, 7:33 am

≫ Next: Hiro Yanagimachi NYC Trunk Show

≪ Previous: Koji Endo Bottier

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For those of you in Singapore who have never had the opportunity to see bespoke shoes by a Japanese shoemaker, now is your chance to do so as Masaru Okuyama will host a trunk show at Kevin Seah this Fri/Sat. Masaru’s shoemaking technique is quite unique for a Japanese shoemaker, in my humble opinion, and this is what I like about him. Although having learned from a Japanese maker, his style of making seems to have a massive influence from French technique in fact that he seems to use thinner soles, cut long waists, shapes small heels and pretty much the overall slenderness of the shoes. For me there is something that feels similar to the likes of Dimitri Gomez and Anthony Delos. Naturally as I like French makers, I am quite bias towards Masaru’s style and quite enjoyed seeing them myself in the flesh back when he was displaying at Aubercy.

While, obviously everyone cannot afford to get bespoke shoes, if you do happen to be in Singapore, I would recommend at least checking them out and meeting the man himself. For other trunk shows hosted by Masaru, please visit his website.

Hiro Yanagimachi NYC Trunk Show

September 28, 2015, 7:30 am

≫ Next: Blue Stunners by Main D’or

≪ Previous: Masaru Okuyama To Visit Singapore

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I don’t have a lot of time today to write but for those of you lucky enough to be in or around the NYC area, come this Oct. 2nd/3rd, don’t miss out a chance to see Hiro Yanagimachi’s shoes in the flesh as he is hosted by Leffot for a debut trunk show in NYC. His shoes are simply on another planet and I think that the pictures speak for themselves.

 

Blue Stunners by Main D’or

November 2, 2015, 6:39 am

≫ Next: Next Level Japanese Shoes – Yohei Fukada

≪ Previous: Hiro Yanagimachi NYC Trunk Show

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                                                                                   Pic courtesy of Style Forum

I caught a glimpse of these incredible bespoke blue shoes by Main D’or (Eiji Murata) and I was blown away. I mean, I am not going to lie and say that they are the most practical of shoe nor that the cap is nothing shy of wild, but I see them and they immediately capture my attention and admiration. And that blue, it is about as vivid as blue gets, especially on leather. Let us not forget the brogueing detail too, which consists of only larger holes very close together and with what looks to be the tiniest gimping ever. All the details together simply make this shoe one of the most intriguing that I have seen in a long while. Yet another maker to visit whenever I get to Japan, one day or another!!

Next Level Japanese Shoes – Yohei Fukada

November 11, 2015, 5:57 am

≫ Next: Kanpekina Button Boots

≪ Previous: Blue Stunners by Main D’or

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Yohei Fukada Picture courtesy of Isetan Men’s Net

I saw this picture the other day of Yohei Fukada’s shoes on Bespoke Makers’s IG account and was completely blown away. Not only have the Japanese mastered shoemaking, but also shoe shining, patina and to top it off, shoe photography! Everything about this shoe and the photo is perfect. The lighting hits the shine in just the right way to make it look immaculately flawless and without a doubt the shoe is made to a level of expertise unnecessary of description. The only downfall is that the shoes being so beautiful when brand new will inevitably lose that once you start to wear them. Of course, they will still be lovely, but not to the level where you just want to appreciate them as a work of art!

Kanpekina Button Boots

February 12, 2016, 7:46 am

≫ Next: Yohei Fukuda Perfection

≪ Previous: Next Level Japanese Shoes – Yohei Fukada

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I always look forward to seeing what Japanese brand, Kanpekina, is up to at each Pitti event. This year I saw heavy tweeds as usual but with grained leather bottoms, which is not so common but very intriguing.

Continue reading Kanpekina Button Boots at The Shoe Snob Blog →

Yohei Fukuda Perfection

April 6, 2016, 7:25 am

≫ Next: New Japanese Brand Set to Stun! – Floriwonne by FG Trente

≪ Previous: Kanpekina Button Boots

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There are handmade bespoke shoes and then there are Handmade Bespoke Shoes. Guess which one Yohei Fukuda makes? You see, anyone can learn to make shoes, but few can learn to make them to the level that this master shoemaker does.

Continue reading Yohei Fukuda Perfection at The Shoe Snob Blog →

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New Japanese Brand Set to Stun! – Floriwonne by FG Trente

June 3, 2016, 7:19 am

≫ Next: Things To Know About Shoes Part 5: 41-50

≪ Previous: Yohei Fukuda Perfection

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Floriwonne by FG Trente is yet another brand that I have found on Instragram courtesy of Bespoke-Makers account. I can’t say that I am quite sure if it is a collaboration between a patina artist (what I presume to be Floriwonne) and a shoemaker (FG Trente) but all that I do know is that the shoes are beautiful and have shape like a laser cut diamond!

Continue reading New Japanese Brand Set to Stun! – Floriwonne by FG Trente at The Shoe Snob Blog →

Things To Know About Shoes Part 5: 41-50

June 27, 2016, 7:18 am

≫ Next: Classics Beyond Classics – Main D’Or

≪ Previous: New Japanese Brand Set to Stun! – Floriwonne by FG Trente

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41. Many well known European shoe brands (clothing too) claim their products are made in their country, but outsource about 80% of their production to China/India only to finish the shoes in their country and slap on “Made in Europe”….lots of lies out there

42.

Continue reading Things To Know About Shoes Part 5: 41-50 at The Shoe Snob Blog →

Classics Beyond Classics – Main D’Or

July 18, 2016, 9:12 am

≫ Next: What Makes A Shoe Attractive?

≪ Previous: Things To Know About Shoes Part 5: 41-50

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Today has been so manic that I really don’t even have time to write much but I saw these bespoke shoes by Main D’or on Claymoor’s List and fell in love. They make classic shoes look better than I have ever seen before and that is no lie.

Continue reading Classics Beyond Classics – Main D’Or at The Shoe Snob Blog →

What Makes A Shoe Attractive?

August 9, 2016, 5:00 am

≫ Next: 42 Royal Highland – Doing Things Different

≪ Previous: Classics Beyond Classics – Main D’Or

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I have seen cheap shoes look good and expensive shoes look terrible. More often than not, it is not so much about the components of the shoe as much as it is the execution of the design. But the design is made up of much more than one may think.

Continue reading What Makes A Shoe Attractive? at The Shoe Snob Blog →

42 Royal Highland – Doing Things Different

December 19, 2016, 6:58 am

≫ Next: London Super Trunk Show — Brand Showcase #4 – Hiro Yanagimachi

≪ Previous: What Makes A Shoe Attractive?

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Japanese brand, 42nd Royal Highland, has really been impressing me as of lately. Firstly they appear to really love the saddle style, as I do, so I am quite biased for that reason. But most importantly, you can see that they are all about being different, going against the grain and mixing it up between classic and fun.

Continue reading 42 Royal Highland – Doing Things Different at The Shoe Snob Blog →