Gaziano & Girling Appreciation & Shoe Appreciation Thread (including reviews, purchases, pictures)

[saurabh]

Is it a Horween leather?

Yes that Rioja hatch grain is Horween hatch grain. You can order the Horween hatch grain in different colors and G&G colors the hatch grain to tan, rioja, oak, blue, green, black, espresso etc. Ofcourse cordovan hatch grain will be different and not have the creases and instead the shell rolls.

 

[jischwar]

Yes that Rioja hatch grain is Horween hatch grain. You can order the Horween hatch grain in different colors and G&G colors the hatch grain to tan, rioja, oak, blue, green, black, espresso etc. Ofcourse cordovan hatch grain will be different and not have the creases and instead the shell rolls.

Thank you for the clarification, I think i was confused by the fact that G&G colors the hatch. I have a pair of Thorpes in tan hatchgrain and I just assumed that the color was done by Horween

 

[nishant]

That is honestly a much too simplified way of looking at it. A huge number of SF approved brands (one of which is discussed in this thread) would be nothing without their early adopting retailers. I have seen the development of this the last 10-12 years both as a consumer and as a retailer, and I know the huge role retailers have played for these small luxury brands. I would not myself be so into shoes if it weren't for Leffot and Leather Soul Hawaii. The content G&G, Alden, Carmina and Edward Green (to mention a few) put out a decade ago was completely meh and would not turn anyone into loving shoes. The hype was all created by retailers and a few bloggers (or what we now call influencers I guess).

Some of these "SF approved" brands have at some point gotten a bit too greedy for their own good and decided to "cut out " their retailers (aka middle men). Many of these brands have now stagnated or dwindled.

If you have ten retailers, you have ten Instagram accounts promoting your brand, you have local evangelists in a certain city/region very far from your own area of operation and you get loads of other brand building activities. And every retailer has 5-10 staff (style ambassadors in many cases) promoting your brand on many social media platforms. The brands would have to have a fully staffed marketing division to push all that content out if they'd do it themselves. Plus it's less engaging if content just goes out through the official social media accounts.

Many of these "cut out middle men" a.k.a. retailers have started up their own brands or switched to selling alternative brands, so it's not like, say Brand X cuts out Retailer Y and they get 100% of those revenues. The retailer won't just take it lying down, will he? No, he will fight finger and nails for his revenues. Brand X will be lucky to retain 15% of those revenues.

So it does make sense to have retailers. Even for small, specialized brands. Unless you are a marketing genius. Then forget all about what I just said.



In areas like Northamptonshire, Marche, Almansa and other "shoe regions" there's a lot of management level people and entrepreneurs who know how to make ready-to-wear Goodyear welted shoes. These sprout from the most ambitious artisans (G&G is a good example) or are born into it (like Loake, Jones and other dynasties). I would argue that the know-how of these people and the infrastructure that has developed in these regions is what makes them so competitive and hard to replicate, as it's a structure that has taken decades, if not centuries to develop. Having dozens of last makers, shoe tree manufacturers, shoe box makers, shoe lace suppliers, scores of freelance designers, specialized outworkers within an hours drive is quite handy when you set up a shoe business. Getting an "artisan" to stand at a machine doing a quite monotonous task eight hours a day is not the problem.

This counts as the argument of the year.
Well put.

 

[Easily Amused]

Yes that Rioja hatch grain is Horween hatch grain. You can order the Horween hatch grain in different colors and G&G colors the hatch grain to tan, rioja, oak, blue, green, black, espresso etc. Ofcourse cordovan hatch grain will be different and not have the creases and instead the shell rolls.

Thank you for the clarification, I think i was confused by the fact that G&G colors the hatch. I have a pair of Thorpes in tan hatchgrain and I just assumed that the color was done by Horween

Good information to know and thanks! I've learned something new about my beloved G&G Rioja Hatch Grain

 

[THN712]

Any thoughts on the Classics line compared to C&J hand grade? They said that the classics line is tuned down from the main line.

 

[Easily Amused]

The black shoes to end all black shoes...

Wore these Deco Wildes for the first time since last January. Yup, I'm still happy with them

 

[tim_horton]

The black shoes to end all black shoes...

Wore these Deco Wildes for the first time since last January. Yup, I'm still happy with them

I’m a big fan of black two- or three-eyelet plain toe bluchers on a sleek last. I wear them with both suits and jacket/trousers.

 

[soto_nw]

For those following my saga earlier....I pulled the trigger and got G&G Black Oxfords (bought online) on the GG06 last. I'm usually not a fan of round toes, but these are beautiful.

I went with the 8.5 UK (E width) instead of the 9 UK Sinatra I previously tried on (inadvertently) from Wilkes Bashford. They fit extraordinarily well. The width is just a smidge narrower (I'd say about the same as my Carmina in the Simpson last, maybe a 1-1.5mm wider if I were to compare).

Though these may rival my Carmina (Simpson Last) in terms of how well they seem to fit my foot. I'll likely have some flexing on the captoe (about 3/8 of an inch forward from the stitching), but that's unavoidable to some degree (can't make that whole part rigid).

May also be the most comfortable over my instep right off the bat. Most shoes I buy start to give me some pain over the instep at first (usually 3/4 of the way up the lacing), however the leather on these G&G feels like soft enough to avoid that problem (time will tell).

 

[tim_horton]

I went to the NYC showroom today. You need to set up an appointment. It’s in a building on 57th street between 6th and 7th avenues, which apparently was built by Charlie Chaplin.

G&G shares a space with a tailor. They have a bunch of trial shoes to try on. My favorite color was the vintage rioja and the espresso. G&G’s antique oak is a little lighter than Edward Green’s dark oak antique, and I prefer EG’s version. The G&G espresso is a nice, dark brown. Similar to Saint Crispin’s CRU 609, I think.

I went with the Crompton in hatchgrain rioja. I’m a 9.5 UK in EG’s 184 last, and I took the same size in G&G on their KN-14 last. The G&G fits better because it’s a bit more narrow in the heel and midfoot.

Obviously, they have a nice selection of their other models, as well as sample swatches. The Deco last is very stylized, I’d definitely see it in person before buying. The other model I liked a lot was the St. James I (an Adelaide oxford) in the vintage rioja (non-hatchgrain) on their soft square last, the MH-71.

They’re having a 20% off sale right now, and if you order in person they’ll throw in lasted show trees for free.

 

[sforum1]

I went to the NYC showroom today. You need to set up an appointment. It’s in a building on 57th street between 6th and 7th avenues, which apparently was built by Charlie Chaplin.

G&G shares a space with a tailor. They have a bunch of trial shoes to try on. My favorite color was the vintage rioja and the espresso. G&G’s antique oak is a little lighter than Edward Green’s dark oak antique, and I prefer EG’s version. The G&G espresso is a nice, dark brown. Similar to Saint Crispin’s CRU 609, I think.

I went with the Crompton in hatchgrain rioja. I’m a 9.5 UK in EG’s 184 last, and I took the same size in G&G on their KN-14 last. The G&G fits better because it’s a bit more narrow in the heel and midfoot.

Obviously, they have a nice selection of their other models, as well as sample swatches. The Deco last is very stylized, I’d definitely see it in person before buying. The other model I liked a lot was the St. James I (an Adelaide oxford) in the vintage rioja (non-hatchgrain) on their soft square last, the MH-71.

They’re having a 20% off sale right now, and if you order in person they’ll throw in lasted show trees for free.

Just to clarify, did you mean to say St. James II or are you really referring to the older model St. James I? If the latter, they do have that one in stock? I would be interested.

 

[tim_horton]

Just to clarify, did you mean to say St. James II or are you really referring to the older model St. James I? If the latter, they do have that one in stock? I would be interested.

I’m referring to the St. James I. The only difference I know of is the brogue pattern on the heel and I prefer the older one to the St. James II, but it’s a minor preference. It is not in stock, it has to be made MTO. I didn’t see an actual St. James I today, just the St. James II.

There is a stock St. James II in vintage cherry but it’s too light for me. The rioja is a really nice burgundy.

 

[sforum1]

I’m referring to the St. James I. The only difference I know of is the brogue pattern on the heel and I prefer the older one to the St. James II, but it’s a minor preference. It is not in stock, it has to be made MTO. I didn’t see an actual St. James I today, just the St. James II.

There is a stock St. James II in vintage cherry but it’s too light for me. The rioja is a really nice burgundy.

OK, thank you. St James I is MUCH better IMO than the II. I did not know that they can make it MTO since I did not see on the website.

I have no idea quite frankly who decided and why to change the style. The peak heel counter is another change but that's not what ruined the shoe.

 

[CLTesquire]

This has to be the first time I’ve seen someone disparage the St. James II.

 

[laufer]

This has to be the first time I’ve seen someone disparage the St. James II.

I have both St. James I looks good on round GG06 last while St. James II looksgood on soft square MH71 last.

 

[CLTesquire]

I have both St. James I looks good on round GG06 last while St. James II looksgood on soft square MH71 last.

I have an SJII in the queue in dark vintage rioja on the MH71 and am very much looking forward to it. A shoe I’ve been wanting for a long time.