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Bespoke shoes

johnnynorman3

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How much better in terms of comfort are bespoke shoes? And, how much do Vass bespoke cost if you go to Budapest?
 

johnapril

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How much better in terms of comfort are bespoke shoes?  And, how much do Vass bespoke cost if you go to Budapest?
I don't know. But what the hell? You will have a great time in Budapest no matter.
 

Manton

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My bespoke shoes are significantly more comfortable. They are also lighter, so that you feel them less on your feet.
 

globetrotter

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last time I asked, about $500-$700, depending on the leather. they said that they wouldn't send me my first pair, though, they wanted me to come back to pick up the first pair, and then later pairs they would ship. A Harris has said that this might be flexible.

and like JA said, you will have a blast in Budapest.
 

Will

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Edward Green RTW on the 202 or 606 last are already so comfortable that I see no improvement in my bespoke shoes. In fact, since we all seek that elusive narrow look with a squarish chiseled toe, the bespoke shoes actually are slightly less comfortable in the tow box.

Bespoke is slimmer, more elegant and can suit more esoteric tasts. Though EG stock specials don't leave much to ask for other than the rarer materials. They'll use white buck and pigskin in bespoke, for example, but not for a stock special.

Will
 

Roy

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last time I asked, about $500-$700, depending on the leather. they said that they wouldn't send me my first pair, though, they wanted me to come back to pick up the first pair, and then later pairs they would ship. A Harris has said that this might be flexible.

and like JA said, you will have a blast in Budapest.
Just 500 to 700 dollars? For Bespoke shoes? How does Vass rank up against Lattanzi/John Lobb of London?
 

globetrotter

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Originally Posted by globetrotter,Jan. 25 2005,19:04
last time I asked, about $500-$700, depending on the leather. they said that they wouldn't send me my first pair, though, they wanted me to come back to pick up the first pair, and then later pairs they would ship. A Harris has said that this might be flexible. and like JA said, you will have a blast in Budapest.
Just 500 to 700 dollars? For Bespoke shoes? How does Vass rank up against Lattanzi/John Lobb of London?
actually, seeing that in print prompted me to go back to my notes. bespoke shoes started at 450 Euros to about 600 Euros, depending on the material. in todays money that is a little more. I can't compare quality, although people on the board have compared them to Lobb favorably.
 

jester

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I thought the Vass RTW was more than that. That's an incredible price, if true.
 

Roy

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(Roy @ Jan. 25 2005,12:11)
Originally Posted by globetrotter,Jan. 25 2005,19:04
last time I asked, about $500-$700, depending on the leather. they said that they wouldn't send me my first pair, though, they wanted me to come back to pick up the first pair, and then later pairs they would ship. A Harris has said that this might be flexible. and like JA said, you will have a blast in Budapest.
Just 500 to 700 dollars? For Bespoke shoes? How does Vass rank up against Lattanzi/John Lobb of London?
actually, seeing that in print prompted me to go back to my notes. bespoke shoes started at 450 Euros to about 600 Euros, depending on the material. in todays money that is a little more. I can't compare quality, although people on the board have compared them to Lobb favorably.
I paid 420 euros today for a pair of RTW Santoni's, so still I consider them a bargain at that price for bespoke. RTW Lattanzi/Berluti is around 1000 euros as a starting price.
 

globetrotter

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(globetrotter @ Jan. 25 2005,21:25)
Originally Posted by Roy,Jan. 25 2005,12:11
Originally Posted by globetrotter,Jan. 25 2005,19:04
last time I asked, about $500-$700, depending on the leather. they said that they wouldn't send me my first pair, though, they wanted me to come back to pick up the first pair, and then later pairs they would ship. A Harris has said that this might be flexible. and like JA said, you will have a blast in Budapest.
Just 500 to 700 dollars? For Bespoke shoes? How does Vass rank up against Lattanzi/John Lobb of London?

actually, seeing that in print prompted me to go back to my notes. bespoke shoes started at 450 Euros to about 600 Euros, depending on the material. in todays money that is a little more. I can't compare quality, although people on the board have compared them to Lobb favorably.
I paid 420 euros today for a pair of RTW Santoni's, so still I consider them a bargain at that price for bespoke. RTW Lattanzi/Berluti is around 1000 euros as a starting price.
it's a huge bargain, you just have to get there. I am hoping to get back in late feb, and I have somebody to pick up the finished product for me, if they don't want to send it.
 

Roy

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(Roy @ Jan. 25 2005,14:01)
Originally Posted by globetrotter,Jan. 25 2005,21:25
Originally Posted by Roy,Jan. 25 2005,12:11
Originally Posted by globetrotter,Jan. 25 2005,19:04
last time I asked, about $500-$700, depending on the leather. they said that they wouldn't send me my first pair, though, they wanted me to come back to pick up the first pair, and then later pairs they would ship. A Harris has said that this might be flexible. and like JA said, you will have a blast in Budapest.
Just 500 to 700 dollars? For Bespoke shoes? How does Vass rank up against Lattanzi/John Lobb of London?

actually, seeing that in print prompted me to go back to my notes. bespoke shoes started at 450 Euros to about 600 Euros, depending on the material. in todays money that is a little more. I can't compare quality, although people on the board have compared them to Lobb favorably.

I paid 420 euros today for a pair of RTW Santoni's, so still I consider them a bargain at that price for bespoke. RTW Lattanzi/Berluti is around 1000 euros as a starting price.
it's a huge bargain, you just have to get there. I am hoping to get back in late feb, and I have somebody to pick up the finished product for me, if they don't want to send it.
Then I have picked a destination for my september city trip.
 

Smooth Jazz

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Two points

1. Bespoke shoes are way more comfortable than any RTW shoe for all the reasons Manton has already enumerated (I have had good experiences with Kiton RTW - but that is probably a function of their lasts being quite close to my foot - i.e., Kiton shoes will not be that well fitting for everyone)

2. Vass is not true bespoke but rather a MTM - they take stock lasts and modify them - given their general quality, I am sure the end product is very good indeed but just wanted to highlight the difference - also I don't think they do a try-on but rather make the final product after measuring you (I believe Lobb St. James doesn't either)
 

Smooth Jazz

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Also, Budapest has some of the prettiest women on the planet - which may be enough reason to go there for a trip
 

jcusey

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2. Vass is not true bespoke but rather a MTM - they take stock lasts and modify them - given their general quality, I am sure the end product is very good indeed but just wanted to highlight the difference - also I don't think they do a try-on but rather make the final product after measuring you (I believe Lobb St. James doesn't either)
I believe that Vass prefers to do the fitting but will dispense with it for clients not convenient to Budapest.

As for a trial shoe, I don't think that any West End shoemaker does that. I've only ever heard of it for some of the Paris bespoke houses (namely, JL Paris and Berluti) and for some of the Japanese (Guild of Crafts and I think Koji Suzuki).
 

tiger02

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2. Vass is not true bespoke but rather a MTM - they take stock lasts and modify them
Well, yes; but, as I understand it, the difference is that a more run-of-the-mill bespoke shoemaker (is there such a thing?) carves your foot out of a block of wood, while Vass carves your foot out of, say, a U-last. As long as you like the look of one of the Vass lasts--and there is something for everybody--you'll get your perfect shoe. Needless to say, I've got my trip scheduled as well, for June. If it looks like the dollar is going to fall off the shelf (or at this point, roll down the stairs into the basement) then I might try to pop off for a weekend in April. Tom
 

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