The Bespoke Shoes Thread

[shackletonian]

The customer didn't know it himself, it was brought upon his attention after he posted pics here. Don't know what happened afterwards.

There's so many stories and weird things around Cleverley, to be frank. I've been trying to get answers from them for years now, but they delete comments, block me from their insta account, etc. and George Glasgow Jr. state that he can explain it all and answer questions in a phone call, something I've been trying to get for six months now with mails back and forth with him and his secretary with no success, now he switched over to wanting me to come over to London instead to answer my questions, I've said yes and asked for a date, but no reply since...

The sad thing is that there are many good people working for the company, who does a great job, hate to see them get affected by it all. And there’s still also great things coming out with of there, both bespoke and RTW.



Well, they once again started marketing their RTW as being made in their Mayfair workshop, so maybe there's a good chance for mix-ups...

@dieworkwear, now, especially with all the comments about bespoke GYW and everything else (K.A. says quality was fine, just an end to the relationship), I’m kind of worried.

 

[Stefan88]

@dieworkwear, now, especially with all the comments about bespoke GYW and everything else (K.A. says quality was fine, just an end to the relationship), I’m kind of worried.

On a general basis, the use of the word bespoke when it's actually made to order isn't all that uncommon. A company working with both ought to know the difference.
I don't know much about GC, apart from the fact that I think their factory made shoes look very nice, and that the opinions of their bespoke differs.

 

[usctrojans31]

On a general basis, the use of the word bespoke when it's actually made to order isn't all that uncommon. A company working with both ought to know the difference.
I don't know much about GC, apart from the fact that I think their factory made shoes look very nice, and that the opinions of their bespoke differs.

Aren't Cleverly RTW just rebranded C&J?

 

[daizawaguy]

Aren't Cleverly RTW just rebranded C&J?

GC AC are made by EG (as confirmed by multiple sources - both Factory visits, and workshop visits where boxes have been seen lying around) - and the other normal GC by various other factories - C&J amongst a few.

 

[Stefan88]

Aren't Cleverly RTW just rebranded C&J?

They don't have an own factory, no.
As for the whereabouts of the production, I'll leave those speculations to others.

 

[ThinkDerm]

Unfortunately the relationship ran it's course, but it didn't have anything to do about the quality of their shoes, which I respect.

What happened to make the relationship end?

 

[DWFII]

GC AC are made by EG (as confirmed by multiple sources - both Factory visits, and workshop visits where boxes have been seen lying around) - and the other normal GC by various other factories - C&J amongst a few.

Shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone--the inexorable progression.

 

[Stefan88]

Shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone...the inexorable progression.

Oh my... The mentioned GC RTW has always been factory made.
As for giving out factory made bespoke, that's nothing but fraudulent if true.

 

[DWFII]

What's your point? That a highly skilled Traditional shoemaker, from a family of shoemakers, went from making shoes by hand for a very famous bespoke maker in London, to starting his own factory, to the company farming out the production to other factories? That's my point!

How can they avoid being all ticky-tacky clones of each other?

What's next? Moving production to some third-world country? It's a slippery slope.

And, FWIW, or those who can see the significance--there's nothing to prevent bespoke work from being GY. No 'shoe police'...just the curiosity, knowledge, and/or perspicacity of the buyer.

 

[Stefan88]

What's your point? That a highly skilled Traditional shoemaker, from a family of shoemakers, went from making shoes by hand for a very famous bespoke maker in London, to starting his own factory, to the company farming out the production to other factories? That's my point!

As far as I know, they have always outsourced the RTW production. I may be wrong, but I have not heard of a GC factory nor did I find anything online.
My point is: Chill out a little.

 

[DWFII]

Chill out a little.

Bah! This was, as @Manuel said, a pretty good thread about Bespoke Shoes--something I understand from a particularly intimate and singular perspective; something I care about.

Now it's about a particularly studied indifference and chock-a-block with false narratives about how imminently and inevitably disastrous bespoke is.

And that's fine--the conversation will go where it will, I just question whether the parvenu perspective is even a valid one, much less the most interesting.

 

[kirbya]

As far as I know, they have always outsourced the RTW production. I may be wrong, but I have not heard of a GC factory nor did I find anything online.
My point is: Chill out a little.

I'm pretty sure Edward Green does the AC's.

 

[kirbya]

Christmas today at The Hanger Project... just received two pairs of bespoke shoes ready for unboxing. A pair of Foster & Son's where Jon Spenser did the lastmaking (he's now with John Lobb) and Jim McCormack did the making!!

And my pair from Dominic Casey!

 

[Stefan88]

Bah! This was, as @Manuel said, a pretty good thread about Bespoke shoes--something I understand from a particularly intimate and singular perspective; something I care about.

Now it's about a particularly studied indifference and chock-a-block with false narratives about how imminently and inevitably disastrous bespoke is.

And that's fine--the conversation will go where it will, I just question whether the parvenu perspective is even a valid one, much less the most interesting.

The thread is still about how great bespoke is!
But bespoke can be pretty ****** too, and I think the customer who received everything he wasn't expecting was one good example of that.

Here's a picture of the fitting of my current project, being picked up in some months.
Shoji has better taste in shoes than I do, so this is an "omakase"-project.
Still curious to how they will turn out. Three eyelet derby with cap toe and medallion, maybe?

 

[kirbya]

The thread is still about how great bespoke is!
But bespoke can be pretty ****** too, and I think the customer who received everything he wasn't expecting was one good example of that.

Here's a picture of the fitting of my current project, being picked up in some months.
Shoji has better taste in shoes than I do, so this is an "omakase"-project.
Still curious to how they will turn out. Three eyelet derby with cap toe and medallion, maybe?

Why is the fitting barefoot with no socks? And in shorts!?!?