Bonora and g. marini

I just saw a pair of Bonora's (in person) for the first time last week. They were quite nice. They were a pair of loafers - I'd put the quality of that pair a notch above comparable Mantellassi's and Barrett's I've seen. Judging from that pair and from the pictures I've seen on Japanese websites they are a top-level shoe. As for Marini - I've heard the name (probably on the aforementioned Japanese website) but I've never seen a pair.

G. Marini in Rome and Bonora in Florence are both makers of bespoke hand made shoes: http://cobblers.hp.infoseek.co.jp/count017.htm http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/welt-...1/marini01.htm http://www.geocities.co.jp/Milano-...._01.htm As far as I know, Marini produces nothing but this type of shoe. Bonora produces also a ready-to-wear range, which gets (limited) international distribution. I know a men's outfitter in London who stocks 3 or 4 models. G. Harris has seen them in the States, so I believe they are available in a few choice shops worldwide. The shoes are beautifully made, but I presume it's fair to say they do not come from the same workshop as the hand made shoes. They are factory made shoes to the highest possible standards. They sell in London for about £ 300 ($ 450) but in Japan for yen 73 000 ($  600).

The pair I saw were consigned by a gentleman who obviously loved to buy top end shoes. There was a huge assortment - Lobb, Barrett, Andrea Santoni, Weston etc. Unfortunately he was not as passionate about maintaining them. They weren't ruined but would have been had he kept them longer. I don't think he got them on the West Coast though. I haven't seen them for sale in any of the top-end stores. Maybe he got them on a trip to Rome? And Bengal Stripe is right as usual. It's great having him around. Those loafers were from the ready-to-wear line. They were very well made for ready-to-wear but certainly not bespoke.