I want spectator shoes

[Nick M]

anyone have pics of the RLPL specs? i plane on hitting the city in a couple of weeks and well if i like how they look i might just have to bring some extra cash (well alot of extra cash) thanks.

No photo (I need a new scanner) but they were in a recent Details in a spread on spectators. They were right next to a wingtip derby spec by Lobb Paris, and the RLPL shoe just blew the Lobb away in terms of finishing. The Lobb just looked plain cheap by comparison.

 

[arenn1]

Here's the pictures. I've never tried embedding images on this site, so keep your fingers crossed. If someone is really interested in purchasing these and wants to see the high res images, I can probably arrange to get you copies of those.

 

[AlanC]

Arenn1's pictures are a better representation of the white buc and color of the tan than the ones Steve Fazio emailed out and were posted above. (Aren't those golf shoes? What will you wear them with?

)

 

[Smooth Jazz]

Quote:

(A Harris @ April 08 2005,18:37) Here's my new spectators. Waddya think?
I would have done the throat in the dark leather (is that black or oxblood?), but they look very good. I know that it isn't very traditional, but I do like the combination.

And some pics of my new 3-eyelet derby's:

I think that you're fortunate that T4Phage isn't your size. Otherwise, he'd probably hop a plane to California and steal them from you. Beautiful, and a big improvement over JL Paris's Perrier. That's oxblood, too, isn't it? And when you have samples of the new round-toe last, I expect pictures.
JCusey: I agree with you that this design with the dark leather throat as you mentioned can look quite good. Kiton has just the kind of spectators you are talking about in their current line-up. People may balk at the ~$2k price tag (they are completely handmade though), but the shoes are worth seeing.

 

[jcusey]

Kiton has just the kind of spectators you are talking about in their current line-up.

At the Kiton store or at Bergdorf Goodman? It's probably academic since I'm unlikely to be back in New York before they're gone, but it would be nice to know.

(As an aside, does it seem to you that BG's lineup of Kiton shoes is very, very different from the Kiton store's? The Kiton store seems to me to have much more traditional-looking models, while BG seems to have more clunky, aggressively-welted and aggressively-antiqued shoes more in the Lattanzi mode.)

People may balk at the ~$2k price tag (they are completely handmade though), but the shoes are worth seeing.

But compared to Lattanzi, they're a bargain. At those prices, I'm unlikely to buy either Lattanzi or Kiton at retail, but that doesn't change the fact that both make some exquisite shoes.

 

[zjpj83]

If you really want style, there's always these.

 

[AlanC]

If you really want style, there's always these.

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Oh, sure. Link it after the bidding's over...

 

[arenn1]

I'm not a genius on the Mezlan brand, but I did just recently see a collection of them largely priced at well under $300/pair. Nothing in allilgator, but I also saw nothing that impressed at the $1100 level. Clearly inferior to most quality dress shoes I've seen. Could I be mistaken on the brand name?

 

[AlanC]

I'm not a genius on the Mezlan brand, but I did just recently see a collection of them largely priced at well under $300/pair.  Nothing in allilgator, but I also saw nothing that impressed at the $1100 level.  Clearly inferior to most quality dress shoes I've seen.  Could I be mistaken on the brand name?

No, I think you probably weren't mistaken.

 

[Teacher]

If you really want style, there's always these.

What...those bowling shoes?

 

[zjpj83]

Well, being the chap who started this thread, I think it apporpriate to say I now have spectators. Stuart's Choice Grenson masterpieces, linen and leather. Pics below.

 

[Duveen]

Cross-posting from the Paul Stuart Sale thread on what one (or at least I) would wear with specs:
Cream tropical-weight wool trousers
'Natural' linen trousers, poss also some 'Orangina' linen trousers from BB which I may pick up tomorrow with the 15% discount
Tan and white stripe seersucker pants
Very light grey summer flannels
Khaki poplin trousers (light khaki)
Mid-brown linen trousers from RL

The good news is that those pants constitute pretty much my whole summer pants wardrobe.

Basically, I don't see spectators as all that different from the lighter tan shoes that I normally would wear in summer. Particularly if they are linen and leather, the contrast of bright white to non-white pants is less of an issue. While I admit that they are a bit 'costumey', I think that brown and white specs blend in a lot more than black and white specs. I do plan to wear them to my biz cas office at least occasionally (tho' you don't want to overdo it with shoes that distinctive).

 

[Smooth Jazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smooth Jazz,April 10 2005,20:35
Kiton has just the kind of spectators you are talking about in their current line-up. Â
At the Kiton store or at Bergdorf Goodman? It's probably academic since I'm unlikely to be back in New York before they're gone, but it would be nice to know. (As an aside, does it seem to you that BG's lineup of Kiton shoes is very, very different from the Kiton store's? The Kiton store seems to me to have much more traditional-looking models, while BG seems to have more clunky, aggressively-welted and aggressively-antiqued shoes more in the Lattanzi mode.)

People may balk at the ~$2k price tag (they are completely handmade though), but the shoes are worth seeing.

But compared to Lattanzi, they're a bargain. At those prices, I'm unlikely to buy either Lattanzi or Kiton at retail, but that doesn't change the fact that both make some exquisite shoes.
The Kiton's at BG don't sell very fast -- so they may still be there when you visit. Â Although I agree with you that the Kiton shoes that BG carries are much more aggressively antiqued, I am not sure if they are any more clunky or more aggressively welted a la Lattanzi than the store models. Â At BG you have 3-4 different lasts at least one of which is relatively "clunkier" but shoes using that last are more casual in nature. Â Many of the Kiton shoes at BG are made from Cordovan -- there are a few calf shoes as well. Â For eg., they are presently carrying a black calf cap-toe with no frills. Â Also, at the Kiton store, the shoes on the ground level are very conservative (mainly calf) as you have mentioned, but upstairs on the third floor they have all the models at BG plus some. Â They also do "bespoke" shoes on the third floor -- honestly, I was not quite sure about these because the guy "trained" to measure the foot was the store manager himself. Â Luigi is a great guy and everyting but he could never take the place of a Tony Gaziano. Â The "bespoke" shoes were $2.7k when the regular line was priced at $1.8k (they are now $1.95k). Â On a related note, Louis Boston carries many of the same models as BG and is 10% or so cheaper. Â The Lattanzi's are cheaper too at Louis (the price inflation on Lattanzi's during the last three years makes the last point quite irrelevant).

 

[jcusey]

Also, at the Kiton store, the shoes on the ground level are very conservative (mainly calf) as you have mentioned, but upstairs on the third floor they have all the models at BG plus some. They also do "bespoke" shoes on the third floor -- honestly, I was not quite sure about these because the guy "trained" to measure the foot was the store manager himself. Luigi is a great guy and everyting but he could never take the place of a Tony Gaziano. The "bespoke" shoes were $2.7k when the regular line was priced at $1.8k (they are now $1.95k).

Thanks. You learn something new every day. I didn't know that they had the bespoke shoes on the third floor, and the salesman didn't volunteer that information. I guess that it was obvious that I wasn't going to buy anything.

I wonder how bespoke the "bespoke" offerings really are. As you point out, measurement is problematic; but do you have a virtually unfettered choice of what you want, or are you presented with a number of possible models and a number of different detail options?

 

[Smooth Jazz]

I wonder how bespoke the "bespoke" offerings really are.

My understanding of Kiton's "bespoke" shoe program is that you could choose any of the leathers -- off the top of my head, they had ~30 different ones -- calf, antiqued cordovans and exotics (which cost extra) -- and start with one of their shoe designs (there were a number of designs on offer) as a base and make changes.  They are in no way as "bespoke" as EG or Cleverley.  Additionally, there is no trial shoe -- you order the shoe and if it does not fit as you had wanted, they will refund your deposit or make another pair.