The Ultimate Vass (Footwear) Thread (Pictures, reviews, sizing, etc...)

[bertie]



Biggish then...

Large foot bones okay

 

[Fiddler]

Vass Shell

Simple derbie in saddle cordovan, F last




Loafer in brown cordovan, F last

Excellent....I particularly like the loafers.

 

[Swede66]



Excellent....I particularly like the loafers.

Nice. Is the stitching on the vamp hand sewn?

 

[Swede66]



Excellent....I particularly like the loafers.

Nice. Is the stitching on the vamp hand sewn?

 

[Ilovelobbs]

Nice. Is the stitching on the vamp hand sewn?

99% sure - for stitches around that awkward part of the leather no machine can handle.

The upper stitches on my EG Dover takes a skilled craftsman 3 hours to complete 1 pair, using pigs bristle and fine needles.

I asked Vass if they can attempt something similar to resemble the Dover stitches - I am still waiting for feedback.

 

[Ilovelobbs]

An alternative to Vass?

http://www.styleforum.net/t/335162/buday-shoes-hungarian-shoemaker#post_6212230

These guys opened up about 2 years in Budapest - literally 2 doors down from Vass old shop, and now sits strategically in between Vass old & new shop.
Don't think Mr Vass was impressed with the timing....

If you do get a chance to try on and feel the shoes first hand - you'll be disappointed to know the finishing and quality just isn't on par with Vass (yet).
Although their retail prices is about 10-15% lower, than Vass I still couldn't justify parting with my money given the leather grade and quality.
They have large contracts with a couple of German retailers and produce on a bigger RTW scale than Vass - guess the success in Germany allowed
them to open their own shop and promote their own brand name....

Their high end models did have potential to compete with Vass, but you can tell by the finishing it's more geared towards their high earning RTW operation....
Still lots of potential for this firm....but still I put them in Barker high end target market for comparison.
Feel free to challenge my opinion if you have owned a pair of Budag...

There another shoe maker next door to Vass called K Roznei (spelling needs correction) - some of their model are also flamboyant and geared towards the German market, but finishing is "nearly" on par to Vass - so I pulled the trigger and parted €400 for my boots.

Pictures to come..

 

[arglist]

Guys, I have a question for the Vass cracks. I have ordered and quite promply received a pair of beautiful of Old English Oxfords on F-last in size 41.

They came together with a pair of standard trees that were clearly too small although being marked 41. I stupidly did not follow my gut feeling and used them anyway after wearing the shoes which caused quite some creasing on the foreshoe (vamp, I think it's called).

Anyway I wrote Mr. Kuti and asked about it. He promply sent me a pair of trees in 42 which filled my shoes quite nicely.

But, and here's my question: unlike all other trees I own the wood does not touch the vamp leather from inside. Instead it just stretches the leather by spring force. Is that normal and if so is it effective in preventing creasing?

Thanks for your opinions.

Florian
Originally Posted by add911_11


As long as the tree is forcing the shoe to straighten up, thats good enough. You don't want the tree to be touching the vamp area, it is actually not good for the shoe

Thank you so much for your answer. I did not know that. That means my other trees do not work the way they should.

I wonder though, I was under the impression that the lasted trees Vass offers (sometimes only, sadly) fill the shoes completely thus touching the vamp as well. Am I mistaken?

Florian

 

[Concordia]



There another shoe maker next door to Vass called K Roznei (spelling needs correction) - some of their model are also flamboyant and geared towards the German market, but finishing is "nearly" on par to Vass - so I pulled the trigger and parted €400 for my boots. 

Pictures to come.. 

http://rozsnyaishoes.com/uj/flashxml/imagescrollinggalleryfxe/index.html ? Their Budapest/04 model is lovely-- much the same character as the Vass, but a longer and more graceful toe.

 

[Swede66]



99% sure - for stitches around that awkward part of the leather no machine can handle. The upper stitches on my EG Dover takes a skilled craftsman 3 hours to complete 1 pair, using pigs bristle and fine needles. I asked Vass if they can attempt something similar to resemble the Dover stitches - I am still waiting for feedback.

Please keep us posted on this! I was thinking about the same thing

 

[rikod]



Both of them look lovely!

 Love this.

Excellent....I particularly like the loafers.

Nice. Is the stitching on the vamp hand sewn?

Thank you, saddle cordovan is really amazing

 

[dddrees]

I think that's a fair point too.

What might be helpful would be a "sticky" thread of shoe references that's always at the top, containing links to brochures, price lists, last shape comparisons, etc. No pics, just attached files for each maker in alphabetical order. In fact, I will post this in the suggestions thread right now.

In the mean time, I'll try to be helpful - this is the last stuff I had:


Website: www.vass-cipo.hu

How to order: email Mr Rezso Kuti, Sales Manager - [email protected]

This is an extremely helpful post.

Thanks for sharing.

Sure would be nice if we could have stickies with items such as this.

Thanks again.

Dan

 

[SHS]

Ilovelobbs, thank you for your reply and insight on this maker. Very helpful. I will guote it in the Buday thread. Concordia, thank you for the link. Looks interesting.

 

[greverif]

I made an order yesterday and it seems like they have increased their price for cordovan. I wanted my shoes in antic cognac shell cordovan and got this answer:

"Thank you for your email!
Yes, the Cordovan shoes are for 230.- Euro more. The requested model can be made ready for you with the double sole. It is for 420.- Euro available. "

I choose to buy my shoes in regular leather for 420 Euro.

 

[bertie]



Thank you, saddle cordovan is really amazing

Rikod - are your loafer and derby above the same size in the F last? If yes, how does the loafer fit relative to the derby. My Vass derby and double monk fit looser than my oxfords by a noticeable margin in size 45.

 

[rikod]



Rikod - are your loafer and derby above the same size in the F last? If yes, how does the loafer fit relative to the derby. My Vass derby and double monk fit looser than my oxfords by a noticeable margin in size 45.

They both fit perfect but I guess this is because they have my foot prints with measures and they adjust things to fit my foot so all my Vass fit mostly the same in every style.

If you order by sizes, I would definitely recommend, without any doubts, to downsize at least half a size for loafers. That is my experience not only with loafers from Vass, but other makers as well like GG, C&J and Alden.