Bespoke shoes

[matadorpoeta]

does anyone know of a true custom shoe maker? i'm not talking about custom fit/last, but one who will actually make a shoe from scratch according to your own design, the way a custom tailor might work from a picture in a magazine or a drawing of yours.

i'm not in the market for these now. i'm just curious as to who is out there. thanks.

 

[kirkland]

Perry Ercolino; Doylestown, PA

 

[matadorpoeta]

kirkland, thanks for the response.
anyone else? is there a website for perry ercolino? is he the only true bespoke shoemaker?

 

[jcusey]

kirkland, thanks for the response. anyone else? is there a website for perry ercolino? is he the only true bespoke shoemaker?

Nope, Ercolino is the only one. The rest just outsource to Crockett & Jones.

Seriously, Amesbury does, as evidenced by the truly hideous shoe here. I would imagine that some other makers would, as well, although I don't have any specific information. Not allowing clients to design the shoes does not mean that a maker isn't truly a bespoke one. Not using a custom-made last using the client's measurements does.

 

[rayk]

I was told that Vincent & Edgar in NYC made a true bespoke shoe.  Was I misinformed?

 

[kirkland]

When I was deciding between Perry Ercolino and Vincent & Edgar, I decided in Perry's favor based on two factors: The man who operates V&E is a most unpleasant individual, and the styles of his shoes are quite unattractive and eccentric, in my opinion--Might have something to do with his Russian backround. Perry has a contemporary perspective on shoes mixed with an appreciation for classical Englush and Italian designs.

 

[rayk]

Now that you mention it, I've heard something about the proprietor of V&E being a bit lacking in social skills.  I could see this creating a communication problem, which I most definitely would prefer to not have when spending $2000+ on a pair of bespoke shoes.

 

[kirkland]

The Guy who runs V&E is a crotchety old fart (no offense to the crotchety old farts in this group) and Perry Ercolino is a young (but not too young), congenial guy who's very easy to deal with.

 

[matadorpoeta]

jcusey, i looked at the amesbury site and this is exactly what i was looking for; "the client's design". everyone should have a look at the site. there are some interesting pages on it concerning the process of having your shoes made. as is stated by amesbury, "The word "bespoke" when applied to shoemaking implies that the footwear is made to a client's exact measurements and specifications." they will work from a drawing or a picture, and every aspect of the design is up to the client. anything less i would consider made-to-measure. to think that the only time i've been to london i was 18 yrs. old and did no shopping whatsoever.

 

[kirkland]

A friend of mine from NYC has been chasing after Amesbury for 2+ years now to get his shoes finished, with no end in sight. Amesbury is impossible to track down. I've tried several times to contact him, but without success. He also has failed to respond to e-mails or voicemails. Big red flag.

 

[Cpal]

Kirkland - how did your shoes from Perry Ercolino turn out? I hear his prices are $2k+ - do you feel you received service/end product equivilant to the expense? What style shoe did you select? What suggestions etc. did he make in your selection? Can you describe his process?

I'm considering stopping in his shop but wanted to have some background on him before scheduling an appointment.

Thanks.

 

[kirkland]

Perry is the real deal. He is formally trained in the art and craft, and design, of shoemaking. It runs in his blood, and he eats, drinks, and breathes shoes. You are immediately impressed with the thorough and extensive measuring process which follows that outlined in the Vass book. Perry goes so far as doing the gel/impact procedure to get a sense of how your foot hits against the pavement when walking. A friend of mine had shoes made by Lobb/London and was really taken aback when the measuring process with Lobb took all of 3 minutes. With Perry, it took about 45 minutes. Perry also does a fitting ( unlike Lobb). In my assessment, the overall quality of Perry's shoes, especially stitching, equals or even surpasses that of Lobb. Perry has access to the finest leather and can discuss in detail options regarding materials. I own 3 pair of shoes from Perry: two are classic English oxfords and one is sort of an Italian version of a Derby design. I believe Perry still works out of Len Logsdail's shop on 53rd St. in NYC, so if you're closer to NYC, you can meet him there. Good luck.

 

[Cpal]

I'm actually in the Philly area so his shop is just about 45 min away. I'm planning to stop in sometime in the next week or so. Thanks again.

 

[Cpal]

I've seen a few random threads about E. Vogel's shoes here and in Andy - I know their reputation is in boots but what do people think about their shoes - seems like a steal but I don't know enough about their quality/manufacturing process. Vogel Shoes Any more specific thoughts?

 

[Cpal]

Does anyone know of anyone other than Perry, Vincent & Edgar that they can recommend in the NY area?

Does Edward Green or Cleverley have visits to measure for bespoke that anyone knows about in the next few months?

Thanks.