Gaziano Girling (G&G) modified Hughes

[teddieriley]

those are sweet. they gave you a curved adelaide!? when I asked for that with my modified hughes, they said they couldn't do it, and could only do their standard adelaide, otherwise, the EG-style adelaide is only offered through bespoke. Looks very nice.

 

[jjl5000]

Those are very handsome indeed. Congrats J.

 

[Eustace Tilley]

Very cool

 

[dpw]

wearable art!!

worth the wait, i am sure.

 

[designprofessor]

Solid!!

 

[jamaican]

Gents, thanks for the compliments.

Teddy - This is a "modified" Hughes. There was a time that G&G were more flexible in mofifications of their designs. For this they essentially used the original Hughes pattern as a template for a new pattern for this shoe. they don't do that anymore. They can still make shoes that are a composite of existing pattern elements. However, it is not simply a matter of swapping caps here and counters there; the patterns' composite parts are large sections like the whole of the quarters or something like that... Dean Girling said that G&G is building up the different composite parts so that customers can use those to put together different shoes. This will take some time. Cutting individual patterns like mine is too time cnsuming and slows G&G production. I asked for these back in January o fthis year when such modifications were still done... You will have seen JJL5000's modified Hughes sans heel counter. A product of a similar request.

To be honest I would have liked the facing a little lower and the cap shorter (as discussed in JJL5000's earlier post on his modified Hughes) and I was NOT blown away when I first opened the box and looked at them. However when I put them on - yes with some blue suit trousers - it was different. The shoe - last, colour and style - just works when its on the foot... as Al Green might say, "simply beautiful".

I note someone once posted that G&G are redesigning their Adelaides so something like this (with shorter caps and lower facing I guess) will soon become a standard shoe. I was a little sad to see that I will have to wait till August 2009 to see the new range of shoes, altough I have a list of shoes I want befoe then anyway.

One poster said the heel counter brouging seems a bit off: I am happy with it. The punching on the outside counter is perfect as far as I can see. On the inside counter the punching is just off perfect. The one" of the "two plus one" punching should hit the apex of the peak o fthe couter... its doesn't. However, I consider this a minor point that I don't really care about.

I do like the MH71 last. I am thinking about a few more shoes on this last for my "suit wear" collection.

With regard to the wait, I spoke to Dean Girling who was accomodating and compensating (by repolishing my Hove shoes from vintage whatever light colour it was to vintage cedar... pics will follow). J

 

[mrphrog]

beautiful shoes!

 

[ThinkDerm]

I wasn't trying to be hard on the shoe about the counter, but I just notice those little things, love the color, etc. I usually am for counters on shoes, but I think yours would have been improved sans counter.

 

[jamaican]

Originally Posted by ThinkDerm

I wasn't trying to be hard on the shoe about the counter, but I just notice those little things, love the color, etc. I usually am for counters on shoes, but I think yours would have been improved sans counter.

I take your point and JJL5000s were just like mine but without the heel counter (and in vintage rioja). They are quite something to behold. To be honest, if G&G offer those as a standard shoe next year they will be on my hit list.

That said; I wanted a shoe that was not as sleek as JJL's. I wanted a "classic"; "ornate" - if you will - shoe that I could wear with navy suits for a ueber classic retro feel. I think I have achieved that. J

 

[jamaican]

QUESTION: While I have the G&G Cannes already: http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=67009 (post #41) I am G&G St. Tropez for a summer shoe maybe in vintage cognac or vintage cedar. Gentlemen, what are your thoughts? J

 

[Chips]

Beautiful shoe! I really like the detail on the heel. And the brogueing is top notch. I want to learn more about the process that fine shoe companies use when they choose to do brogueing. Of course all my Aldens that have it, look slightly off center, and the punch thru isnt sharp and crisp as yours or others I've seen that go for much more $$$. I always assumed that it was done on a machine prior to the individual pieces being stitched together.

 

[sartort]

Originally Posted by jamaican

QUESTION: While I have the G&G Cannes already: http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=67009 (post #41) I am G&G St. Tropez for a summer shoe maybe in vintage cognac or vintage cedar. Gentlemen, what are your thoughts? J

Just my opinion, but I prefer the more traditional penny strap on the Monaco to the one on the St. Tropez. The blind seam split toe is nice though on the St. Tropez.

As far as color goes, I think the lighter the better for summer, so between your two choices, I would go with Vintage Cedar but would prefer Vintage Pine as it is even lighter.

Keep us updated on your choice.

 

[Michael Ay329]

Jamaican...I loved your latest shoe....especially the awesome heel counter design...it brings to mind the beautiful heel counter design of EG's Southwold

Personally I love wing tip designs and opted for the Astaire (G&G's wing tip adelaide oxford)...naturally in the only color a legitimate trial lawyer should wear...BLACK

As to Vintage Cognac...Dean told me personally back in April of 2008, that they were fazing out this color since it was too similar to Cedar. I didn't think so but contributed to me not using it.

Given the depth of adjustments allowed by EG...have you considered them to fill some of your future shoe orders...or do you feel the shape of their lasts are not to your liking?

 

[stickonatree]

i am drooling!

 

[jamaican]

Originally Posted by Michael Ay329

Jamaican...I loved your latest shoe....especially the awesome heel counter design...it brings to mind the beautiful heel counter design of EG's Southwold

Personally I love wing tip designs and opted for the Astaire (G&G's wing tip adelaide oxford)...naturally in the only color a legitimate trial lawyer should wear...BLACK

As to Vintage Cognac...Dean told me personally back in April of 2008, that they were fazing out this color since it was too similar to Cedar. I didn't think so but contributed to me not using it.

Given the depth of adjustments allowed by EG...have you considered them to fill some of your future shoe orders...or do you feel the shape of their lasts are not to your liking?

Thanks Mike.

I am thinking about some EGs. Truth is I tried to get an EG Ecton as my first foray into the world of top dollar MTOs. I was less than impressed with the lack lustre customer relations - or should I say as Will might "customer repulsions" service so I decided to give G&G a try. G&G's customer relations are far superior. A different world in fact. I do like the EG product though. Great shoes and I might try to give them a try one day. However, generally speaking, I think G&G make better than EG and I would only go to EG for something I am desperate for that G&G wont do as MTO. I have such a long list of shoes to get that, that might not happen before I make the jump to bespoke hyperspace.

Speaking of lists of shoes, I should be grateful for a further steer for my next G&G loafer project: what about pig skin... same colour as Luk-cha's recent G&G bespoke wingtip brogue derby's? Or is that too outlandish? J