The Bespoke Shoes Thread

[jerrybrowne]

I just received my first pair of Foster and Sons bespoke and am very pleased with the results. The fit is pretty good for a first pair, and their approach to fit is quite different than other London makers I've used as you can see below.









Very clean outsole. Probably the cleanest I've seen from the London makers.



I have a wide forefoot, and Fosters dealt with this issue, at my request, differently than Cleverley or Lobb. Fosters is on left and Lobb on right. Instead of a very broad outsole seen on the Lobb shoe, there is increased volume at the forefoot to accommodate the wide forefoot. The result is a pleasant shape that looks less wide than my other bespoke shoes. On the next pair, we'll need to widen the outsole just a tad, but for a first shoe this is really a pretty good fit.



They also dealt with my need for arch support fairly well as you can see.



Finish is quite good for a pair of casual shoes, and I would say that they arrived better polished than from any other London maker. Overall very happy with this first pair.

 

[Son Of Saphir]



meccariello just
finished work on
one of my
gator shoes
and sent me
tinypics..

toe to throat
side elastic

Mmmmm,
it look very very good,
me like it me like it.
aligator look very very good

 

[jerrybrowne]

I received some really useful insights into the loafer vs. laceup last from Nicholas Templeman who is now one of my primary shoemakers. I have permission from Nicholas to share them here;


"Dear Paul,

here's a couple of left-left last pictures as promised. The differences are pretty subtle but usually they add up - the casual last is a little shorter in the back and much more clipped in around the quarters to help keep the shoe on your foot in the absence of fastenings. I also find the a casual last typically needs to be a bit wider at the base than a lace up - you can narrow the width through the shoe to hold the foot in combination with the lacing, wrapping the shoe around the foot snugly. Without lacing, that narrowness will cause blowing of the quarters as the foot pushes the sides out - sort of like trying to put something into a cardboard box that's a bit too small. We'll see how it all shakes out with the trial casual in any case.

Best regards,

Nicholas"

 

[grc1]

X-post from the Bestetti projects thread

And the finished product - a work of art.

 

[bengal-stripe]



Without lacing, that narrowness will cause blowing of the quarters as the foot pushes the sides out - sort of like trying to put something into a cardboard box that's a bit too small. We'll see how it all shakes out with the trial casual in any case.

These pictures should demonstrate the "dreaded gaping":












Just a few screenshots I have harvested from a video about the good folks at Pitti.

 

[jerrybrowne]



I like these for some unknown reason. They are over the top and I would never wear them, but I like them.

 

[bengal-stripe]



I like these for some unknown reason. They are over the top and I would never wear them, but I like them.

I wonder whether they are genuine or fake python. - My bet (if I were a betting man) would go on fake.

 

[ntempleman]

They come in blue Python as well, apparently.

 

[Concordia]



I like these for some unknown reason. They are over the top and I would never wear them, but I like them.

Looks like a low-resolution LCD screen.

 

[chogall]



Looks like a low-resolution LCD screen.

The correct word is Minecraft.

 

[Ric Borella]

 

[jerrybrowne]

My crup "Lopez" by Cleverley.

 

[Concordia]

Hardly Alden LHS substitutes, but very nice nonetheless!

 

[venividivicibj]

Why is cordovan called crup by EG/Cleverly?

 

[jerrybrowne]



Hardly Alden LHS substitutes, but very nice nonetheless!

Funny that you should mention this- a whiskey cordovan "LHS" is up next for my loafer last at Cleverley, partly prompted by your post several months ago. Love the originals but my damn ankles make them impractical due to fit.