Japanese Shoes: Bespoke & RTW Super Thread

[gusvs]



Both Central Shoes and Miyagi Kogyo shoes are available in the World Footwear Gallery in Ginza, Harajuku, and the Kioi-cho store.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

from the WFG's brochure

Thanks!

 

[ThinkDerm]



Ryota Hayafuji

Scanned this from a magazine. Blind welted, full brogue. Love the toe shape

looks like st C

 

[ThinkDerm]



"ISETAN JAPAN SENSES "MEN'S FESTIVAL OF JAPANESE CRAFTSMEN", Saturday April 6th, 2013

REPORT Part4

YOHEI FUKUDA

Chisel toes galore. Works of Art? you bet.

The shapes are very assertive. Sorry, no pictures of the soles, but the fiddlebacks were absolute killers.

Hand painted. Amazing colors...all of them

bordeau...

green...possibly my favorite color

more!

Test fitting shoes are apparently made as real functional shoes. Even the leather used are the same (with the final Bespoke piece). I think they are better made than almost every shoes I own! Hurts to see them being cut open..

Fukuda-san. From the short conversaion we had, this man seemed like a consumate professional. He showed me a clear file folder stuffed with information on a single order, with pages of life-size photos of the client's foot, from various angles. He also pulled out a 100yrs+ old English made last and explained to me the virtues of their design vs contemporary examples. Whenever he carves out a last, he has this (or these) by his side as a model, and possibly as a physical reminder or linkage to the English shoemaking heritage which he is very much a part of.

He is currently the undisputed king of the hill in the world of Japanese bespoke. Very much deserves so. Translate that to 14 months lead time

Marquess (Kawaguchi) and Fukuda
2 masters, competitors, working besides each other.

my thanks to the 3 shoemakers for the time and also for the permission (to post the pictures online)

love all of these. reminds me of top line santoni

 

[nutcracker]



love all of these. reminds me of top line santoni

I think Fukuda uses Italian calfskin. His antique finished leathers do have the Italian type of expressiveness to them, yeah.

You know what, those full brogues that looked greenish to me at the show and pic, may be his Black Antique finish. Heavily burnished, faded, greyish...looked a bit green to me but I could be wrong. quite distinctive colouring, nonetheless

 

[sstomcat]



YOHEI FUKUDA

He is currently the undisputed king of the hill in the world of Japanese bespoke. Very much deserves so. Translate that to 14 months lead time

First great post and pictures. Unfortunately Japanese Bespoke is little unheard of atleast in SF.
I always heard Koji to be the undisputed king but it seems there in one better...

 

[sstomcat]

All the pictures I see are oxfords, is derby not in vogue in Japan?

 

[Makoto Chan]

Derbies are infinitely more popular for most businessmen, as they're easier to slip on and off. That's an interesting observation, though! I imagine that because it's unusual, a nice oxford shoe is all the more luxurious and special.

This is a great thread. Just catching up. Maybe this show will come down to Kansai.

 

[nutcracker]



First great post and pictures. Unfortunately Japanese Bespoke is little unheard of atleast in SF.
I always heard Koji to be the undisputed king but it seems there in one better...

Koji Suzuki has been active for 12 yrs or so, and I remember way back, he had so much backorders, he stopped taking new orders for 2 yrs or so?
More recently, I've read that he became a director of footwear design in a big name Fashion brand (they will soon launch the collection designed by Suzuki)

All the pictures I see are oxfords, is derby not in vogue in Japan?

I talked with a bespoke maker about this. Clients often choose a perceived staple design for their first order (usually a classic pair of oxfords), and go for more casual shoes like derbies/loafers etc... for their 2nd and 3rd
At least this seems to be the case in Japan.

Here is a pic of a nice derby that I happened to snap at a trunk show.

Il Quadrifoglio, 'German' derby

 

[nutcracker]



Derbies are infinitely more popular for most businessmen, as they're easier to slip on and off. That's an interesting observation, though! I imagine that because it's unusual, a nice oxford shoe is all the more luxurious and special.

This is a great thread. Just catching up. Maybe this show will come down to Kansai.

Makoto chan, nice observation. Black straight tip oxfords are often portrayed as the de-facto shoes for Japanese white collared workers. I know some companies do enforce wearing black straight tips. While I do see lots of handsome and well polished shoes in the streets, the vast majority of commuting white collared folks wear regular off the shelf shoes of all kinds....derbies or loafers, and oxfords. and yes, derbies (and loafers) are easier to take off. my dad never wears an oxford for the exact reason. I don't even know if he owns one.

 

[ThinkDerm]



All the pictures I see are oxfords, is derby not in vogue in Japan?

Oxfords look so much better than derbies in my opinion

 

[ThinkDerm]

what fashion brand is Koji working for now?

 

[Coburn]

Wonderful thread, Nutcracker. Thank you

 

[nutcracker]



what fashion brand is Koji working for now?

name undisclosed...guess we have to wait 'til the launch....the article just says 'world renowned fashion brand', though I assume its' a Japanese brand...

Wonderful thread, Nutcracker. Thank you

 

[BespokeMakers]

Koji Suzuki aka Spigola apron front derby and whole cut derby
These shoes are simple design but distinctive style.
Standard design often represents the workmanship.

 

[Verniza]



I talked with a bespoke maker about this. Clients often choose a perceived staple design for their first order (usually a classic pair of oxfords), and go for more casual shoes like derbies/loafers etc... for their 2nd and 3rd
At least this seems to be the case in Japan.

I would think that's the most logical way to go.

It's easy to make a non staple interesting but not so the other way round. It is a good test of a makers skill to create something simple yet beautiful.