Grenson Handgrade?

[bengal-stripe]



Coming soon.............

http://clarenceclifford.com/

Oops! Strange choice of name. - That sounds like Clarice Cliff:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarice_Cliff

 

[MalfordOfLondon]



Oops! Strange choice of name. - That sounds like Clarice Cliff:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarice_Cliff

I thought the same thing.

 

[kev777]

If you link to their Facebook page theres pictures of them setting up etc etc

http://www.facebook.com/#!/bespokeshoes

 

[fritzl]



also, not number one quality shoes from what i've seen

i do not agree...

 

[bengal-stripe]



......are these outworkers operating from their backyard sheds or r they based in factories in Northhampton or what? Some would prob do a roaring trade if they advertised on SF etc

As far as I know, all the outworkers are freelancing 'one-man-bands', who can be situated anywhere in the country. They work from their workshops, which are quite frequently garden sheds and all the work gets send to and fro by mail or couriers. In the old days (when London rents were presumably cheaper), all the outworkers were in or near London and used to deliver the work to the firms on Saturdays, got paid in cash and collected the new work.

An out-worker produces only a certain section of the shoemaking process, if they were to look for new clientèle outside the established shoemaking firms, how would they co-ordinate the work of the other craftsmen? Co-ordination and organisation is the job of the firms. The lastmaker is the equivalent of the cutter in a Savile Row house, the person that is ultimately responsible for quality and smooth running of the job. Lastmakers aren't self-employed outworkers, they are either employed or are the proprietor of the firm.

 

[rabiesinfrance]

http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/gallery/19/11089/1/grenson-x-barbour

Looks pretty awful. I could design better shoes than that.

Don't understand the ring thing hanging off the boot. I wouldn't want to go walking in those.

 

[freedom_fries]



http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/gallery/19/11089/1/grenson-x-barbour

Looks pretty awful. I could design better shoes than that.

Don't understand the ring thing hanging off the boot. I wouldn't want to go walking in those.

it's for bells, so bears know you're coming in the wilderness. don't you know anything about shoes?

 

[JohnnyLaw]

These look pretty nice to me.

 

[bengal-stripe]



If you link to their Facebook page theres pictures of them setting up etc etc

http://www.facebook.com/#!/bespokeshoes

I thought those premises of 'Clarence Clifford' looked somewhat familiar.

Earlier this week I was in Northampton, so I checked it out.
CC occupies (one half, I presume) the former Edward Green factory,
74-76 Cowper Street, Northampton.

 

[kev777]

Not a lot happening though, no updates or progress on either Facebook or their website.

No Grenson Handgrades on the Mr Porter website neither. This high end shoe business is a slow business !

 

[kev777]

Could this be the start of the Grenson Handgrades?? Channelled soles bevelled waists ??? All at £445 on Mr Porter. Subdued start especially a plain black captoe Oxford from a supposed fashion forward website

http://www.mrporter.com/product/177007

 

[blakewho]

Apart from the channeled soles they don't look at whole lot different to the Kent from the old Rose collection. Just double the old price, that's all.

 

[kev777]



Apart from the channeled soles they don't look at whole lot different to the Kent from the old Rose collection. Just double the old price, that's all.

I have to admit i was fairly underwhelmed when i saw the pictures but must say, at this stage, we havent "handled" the goods and felt the quality etc etc (Judgement being reserved for now)

 

[rabiesinfrance]

I'm not all that keen either. Grenson are obviously playing it safe.

I sometimes wonder if they have employed young (and relatively inexperienced) designers who know very little about the shoes they are being paid to design. I'd summarise this as 'take a traditional design and give it a twist'. I wonder if the word 'update' is used by the designers at Grenson?

I commented on the Grenson for Barbour boot (see earlier post). If the designer had a slightest idea of actual use there's no way that feature - the brass ring hanging off the side of the boot - would have been added. Imagine clambering over a fence and getting brambles caught up the brass ring. It doesn't bear thinking about. (They are clearly trying to match the boots to the style of the modern Barbour jackets, by the way).

Positive thing is that they are, at least, re-making boots from their archive e.g. "Frank" boot (it's a pity this is not made in better quality leather).

 

[chogall]

Do I not bother with shoes until I'm ready to stump up GBP 3,500? Treat my feet with vinegar?

DWFII; who do you consider to be the best lower middle RTW makers?

Cheers,
WIGS

Well, while I appreciate the compliment in asking my opinion, the truth is that I don't concern myself that much with comparisons of RTW shoes. I suspect that to a very real degree they are all similar in quality...from $200.00 to $2000.00. Design, finish and brand cachet are the real distinguishing characteristics and the real basis for price differences. I think you can probably get a handmade shoe of admirable, if not exceptional, quality for half the price you quoted in your post. Esp. if you are willing to look a little further afield.

Which of those shoe making artisans charging less than 3500GBP for bespoke?