Japanese Shoes: Bespoke & RTW Super Thread



bboysdontcryy said:

Your post was invaluable. Did you see the austerity brogue/ghillie there? Objectively speaking, how does it look in real life?

What I'm curious about is: what are specific areas they'll be able to customise? Building more support for a low instep? What about width of foot?

Click to expand...

Here are some pictures of Hiro's ghillie austerity oxfords.. These have a different last from the one you ordered, but the design should be the same. It's Hiro's signature design.
A while ago, I wasn't so sure about the design from the pictures. but in person, they looked very good. The extra ghillie details really grows on you.






Here's an actual sample from the MTO order fair.



You can choose between 2 widths. Can't really expand the width any more though.
For low insteps, the last itself has a pretty low instep, but he can adjust it with custom leather insoles. I tried it (I have a really thin instep), it worked like magic.
Other than that...you can also choose between leather or dainite soles. The last and the design are not customizable.

ps: The leather soles on these MTO shoes are not bevel edged.

Nutcracker, you are just that. Fab job. As for the thread becoming lost, nobody who has laid eyes on it will not search for it and come upon it easily.
Perhaps I will have to track you down and enslave you as a shoe shop tour guide when I expect to be there in a few months.
That is a joke.
Sort of.

Tokyo seems never ending in its finds and shops even for locals. Infinite for visitors.
I never even came across some of those interesting shops in Roppongi main structures because I was always going to other neighborhoods to explore.
My mate/host lived a few blocks from Roppongi Hills and he knew less about Tokyo than I did because he literally would not travel more than 1km from his flat
except to go to his office in Otemachi. I am not exaggerating about his scope. Sad but he is quite tasteless though has a nice flat. And now an upgraded one though
also a wife and probably a child so who knows where I might stay.

Anyway, get your walking gaijin shoe tour ready.



nutcracker said:

Here are some pictures of Hiro's ghillie austerity oxfords.. These have a different last from the one you ordered, but the design should be the same. It's Hiro's signature design.
A while ago, I wasn't so sure about the design from the pictures. but in person, they looked very good. The extra ghillie details really grows on you.

Here's an actual sample from the MTO order fair.

You can choose between 2 widths. Can't really expand the width any more though.
For low insteps, the last itself has a pretty low instep, but he can adjust it with custom leather insoles. I tried it (I have a really thin instep), it worked like magic.
Other than that...you can also choose between leather or dainite soles. The last and the design are not customizable.

Click to expand...

love the full brogue wingtip. size 10.5E or 11 available US?



gambit50 said:

Nutcracker, you are just that. Fab job. As for the thread becoming lost, nobody who has laid eyes on it will not search for it and come upon it easily.
Perhaps I will have to track you down and enslave you as a shoe shop tour guide when I expect to be there in a few months.
That is a joke.
Sort of.

Tokyo seems never ending in its finds and shops even for locals. Infinite for visitors.
I never even came across some of those interesting shops in Roppongi main structures because I was always going to other neighborhoods to explore.
My mate/host lived a few blocks from Roppongi Hills and he knew less about Tokyo than I did because he literally would not travel more than 1km from his flat
except to go to his office in Otemachi. I am not exaggerating about his scope. Sad but he is quite tasteless though has a nice flat. And now an upgraded one though
also a wife and probably a child so who knows where I might stay.

Anyway, get your walking gaijin shoe tour ready.

Click to expand...

The area around the Roppong Hills is quite nice (Azabu Juban to Hiroo area etc..), with a big international community. A lot of expatriates I know live there....you don't really have to venture out the area



ThinkDerm said:

love the full brogue wingtip. size 10.5E or 11 available US?

Click to expand...

They do have a size 28cm (size 10 US) for this MTO last. They are expanding their sizes each year (used to be up to 27cm last year)
For size above that, you need to go for their bespoke

Shoe Shopping in Marunouchi, Tokyo Part 1

Marunouchi aka Downtown Tokyo, is located between the gates of the Imperial Palace and the historic Tokyo Station. It is Tokyo's premier business central (mainly for banking), as well as being an upscale shopping area.


The Imperial Palace. About half of the palace grounds is open to the public as a park. Great for jogging


The Palace Gate and the Imperial Guards. Sorry, can't go in.


The avenue facing the palace gates used to be called 'Little London' for its resemblance to the Lombard Street.


Ahhh, an urban oasis.


Marunouchi Naka-dori Avenue, the main shopping strip, is a 'sister street' to London's Bond Street and NYC's Madison Ave.


The Peninsula Tokyo offers a birds eye-view of the palace grounds. Gaziano & Girling Bespoke shows are held here biannually.


Right next to Peninsula: Shetland Fox. It's the high end diffusion line of Regal Shoes.


JL Paris. Bespoke orders are also taken here.


Strasburgo: Classic Menswear shop. Edward Green and more
Church's
Edward Green
Massaro RTW (only place outside France)
Max Verre
Peron & Peron


The Sovereign House: Classic menswear store at its finest. There is also an Liverano boutique located inside.
Alden
Carmina
Crockett & Jones
Church's
John Lobb
Paraboot
Renato Pagnanini
Walker & Gunn


Beams Plus: Classic Americana
Alden
Atlantic Works
Beams Plus (house brand made in England)
Thorogood


SHIPS: Another major select store.
Crockett & Jones
Church's
Gianlucca
Santoni
Tsubouchi Hiroshi


Wild Life Tailors: Devoted to classic English and American style
Alden
Heschung
Pegman
Tsubouchi Hiroshi
Yukaten


How about a haircut or a good ol' shave?


Tomorrowland: Classic Menswear, with a strong selection of shoes
Alden
Aubercy
Casanova
Crockett & Jones
Church's
F.lli Rosetti
Gaziano & Girling
Hender Scheme
Hidetaka Fukaya RTW
JM Weston

Other stores with shoes (not including fashion house boutiques)

Papas
Ludwig Reiter
Loake
Paraboot
Lendway Schwatcz

Martinique
Alden
Church's

Continued to Part 2...

Shoe Shopping in Marunouchi, Tokyo Part 2


The other end of Marunouchi is anchored by the Tokyo Station (1914), the gateway to the city.


Plebians use the entrances from either ends of the station. The main entrance is reserved for the Imperial family.


Back in the 1920's, the area in front of the station was called 'Little New York' for all the large office buildings being built. Today, it still got a lil' of that busy NYC vibe.


Le Dome EDIFICE: Another strong classic menswear selection.
Alden
Crockett & Jones
Cheaney
Edward Green
Edifice (house brand)
Ferrante


The souped up Marunouchi Building (originally from 1923) houses a new shopping mall.


Inside the Maru building: BEAMS HOUSE, Beam's flagship store. Has a strong tailoring division.
Alden
Crockett & Jones
Church's
Corno Blu (RTW, MTO)
Doucals
Enzo Bonafe
George Cleverley
Paraboot
O'Keefe


The 'New' Maru Building right across has a larger mall with an entire floor of menswear stores.


United Arrows: Classic/casual selection.
Alden
Carmina
Crockett & Jones
Paraboot
United Arrows (house brand)


Dressterior: Classic menswear shop
Alden
Crockett & Jones
Church's
Denzi


Queen Classico: Dress shoes mega store:
Barker
Crockett & Jones
Francesco Benigno
Magnanni
Reinos by Meermin
Queen Classico (house brand: huge selection)
Santoni
Silvano Sassetti
Trickers
Union Imperial



British Made: A rather large selection of Cheaney and Church's
Cheaney
Church's

Regency if Mine / Abahouse
Church's
Jalan Sriwijaya

B Shop
Aldens

Many of the stores I mentioned are also great places to shop for Classic Menswear in general. Maybe in some other thread, but this is it for now.

Hi. Nutcracker
It is overwhelming info. Can we "pin" your big post? I do not know if SF has that function or not.



nutcracker said:

They do have a size 28cm (size 10 US) for this MTO last. They are expanding their sizes each year (used to be up to 27cm last year)
For size above that, you need to go for their bespoke

Click to expand...

they need more king sized. perhaps do a post on which artisans do rtw king size?



bamboo said:

Hi. Nutcracker
It is overwhelming info. Can we "pin" your big post? I do not know if SF has that function or not.

Click to expand...

yeah, sorry about that. not sure how we can pin, but I can do post with just the links

ThinkDerm said:

they need more king sized. perhaps do a post on which artisans do rtw king size?

Click to expand...

I did that for someone before (maybe thru PM), but I can try to fix that up for you.



nutcracker said:

yeah, sorry about that. not sure how we can pin, but I can do post with just the links
I did that for someone before (maybe thru PM), but I can try to fix that up for you.

Click to expand...

post it here. we all need to know

Massaro RTW photos?

My shoe shopping area guide for Tokyo is finished for now, so here are the links to the pages with the following posts

Aoyama
Ginza
Isetan, Shinjuku
Nihonbashi
Harajuku
Roppongi
Marunouchi

nutcracker said:

My shoe shopping area guide for Tokyo is finished for now, so here are the links to the pages with the following posts

Aoyama
Ginza
Isetan, Shinjuku
Nihonbashi
Harajuku
Roppongi
Marunouchi

Click to expand...

You should edit the first post in this thread as a 'contents' page of sorts for all the great articles you've made.



TehBunny said:

You should edit the first post in this thread as a 'contents' page of sorts for all the great articles you've made.

Click to expand...

Would be nice, but now you can't edit your post after 2 weeks. I asked the admin if I they would allow me to, but nope. Apparently some members abuse the edit function, so it's understandable.