J.P. Myhre bespoke shoes (pics)

[amlai]

Those are fantastic. I actually like the toes myself. I have an appointment with Mr. Myhre later today. I haven't decided on whether to pull the trigger on a bespoke pair. Originally I was just going to see him about his RTW collection and he was going to help measure me properly. But, a bespoke pair keeps getting more and more tempting.

 

[odoreater]

Damn dude, those are smokin'.

 

[zjpj83]

Looks like there might be more room in the right shoe than the left - more creasing.

 

[sho'nuff]

Mr Myhre makes really swell shoes. those are so sweet, the last is reminicient of the 888 , no?
i like any well-done semibrogue in blucher or bal, these are way sweet.
i would have gotten a thicker sole though.

 

[designprofessor]

Originally Posted by odoreater

Damn dude, those are smokin'.

+1

I really like the proportion / shape of the heel. Great profile.

 

[TimelessRider]

Thanks for all the comments guys.

Originally Posted by whnay.

Great shoes TR, really frantastic. Better than what I've seen from him in the past and that is saying something. How much input did you provide on details?

Very little actually. He happened to have half-brogue sample, and I simply pointed to those and said, "One pair, please." I requested a very minor change in the medallion, but otherwise I thought all the other specifications were just right in the sample. However, like any bespoke shoemaker worth his salt, you're welcome to specify as much detail as you care to. In addition to the general style, you could specify the sole thickness, heel height, sole edge color, sole decorations, brogueing size and design, seam stitching details, the distance the sole extends from the uppers, and I'm sure much more. If you're unsure of what a particular design or decorative detail will end up looking like, Mr. Myhre will make a small sample or two of the detail in question using leftover pieces of leather to aid you in your decision.

Originally Posted by zjpj83

Looks like there might be more room in the right shoe than the left - more creasing.
Possibly the toe-box is a bit high. The width feels right, however.

 

[amlai]

I just got back from my appointment with Mr. Myhre and I think he is a wonderful man to work with. I ended up going with a bespoke shoe. He did not pressure or rush me in any way and took his time explaining everything. I had no idea that there were so many different aspects one needed to look at with respect to foot shape and the fit of a pair of shoes. I forget how he put it, but apparently my foot isn't particularly standard and is umm... quite unique. (Then again, this is may be true of a lot of people.)

Originally Posted by TimelessRider

Very little actually. He happened to have half-brogue sample, and I simply pointed to those and said, "One pair, please."
I too was interested in a pair of shoes that he had on display (a wholecut derby), which he posted in this forum before: http://www.styleforum.net/showpost.p...88&postcount=4 I also asked if he could work with shell cordovan and he said yes, so maybe that will be something else to do down the road. Now that I know that it is likely that I've never had a properly fitting shoe, I can't wait to see what I get back. Oh... and if anyone is interested in his RTW collection, he said that the target price is around $750. He also mentioned that his RTW shoes could be done on the same lasts, but handmade. (I think I got that right.) I don't recall the price point though.

 

[amlai]

After approximately 9 months of waiting, my shoes from J. P. Myhre are finally here! First impressions: (1) This is the first pair of shoes that I've ever owned where the gap between the facings at around the first eyelets isn't appreciably smaller than the last eyelet. Usually I have no space between the facings at the first eyelet and the shoe is still loose in that area. (2) The shoe has an extremely orthotic fit. I have flat feet and he told me that he would make the shoes with a lot of support. I have not worn my orthotics in years since they prevented me from wearing shoes of finer quality and better style. A shoe with this kind of support seems to be a perfect compromise between wearing orthotics and having a shoe that looks good. It seems like he shaped the insoles to act as a shelf to support my arch, and it seems to extend inside the uppers beyond the outsole. (3) The workmanship appears to be extremely good. I have not owned many "high end" shoes, and this is my first foray into bespoke shoes so I'm not really a good judge of this. However, even I can appreciate that there is no question it is better than Alden and seems to be at least as nice what is on my EG Shannon boots (and probably better). (4) The shoe is snug all the way around. I know that most people here seem to prefer a tight fit and have the shoe stretch to their foot. I usually purchase shoes that have a looser fit. One thing that I have not experienced before is that I feel some light pressure on the top (dorsal) of my big toe nail. It is certainly not uncomfortable, but just different than I have ever had a shoe fit. Perhaps the way this shoe fits is how a shoe should fit. Again, I believe that I've never truly found a shoe / last that really fits well before. I have not had the chance to discuss the fit with Mr. Myhre yet, but hopefully I will soon. Again, the shoe I had made was essentially identical to the one he had on display. I did not want to go crazy "designing" a shoe for my first foray into bespoke shoes. I also wanted a fairly conservative style. J. P. Myhre's picture was better, but here are some pictures anyways:

 

[mishon]

amlai, I really like these. Very original design and the craftsmanship looks top notch! Congrats on your purchase.

 

[Concordia]

I really like those semi-brogues. Quite elegant, and a nice color, too.

 

[satorstyle]

That subtle antiquing with that dark a brown is simply gorgeous.

 

[the.chikor]

Nice shoes. Enjoy them!

 

[fritzl]

Originally Posted by amlai

(2) The shoe has an extremely orthotic fit. I have flat feet and he told me that he would make the shoes with a lot of support. I have not worn my orthotics in years since they prevented me from wearing shoes of finer quality and better style. A shoe with this kind of support seems to be a perfect compromise between wearing orthotics and having a shoe that looks good. It seems like he shaped the insoles to act as a shelf to support my arch, and it seems to extend inside the uppers beyond the outsole.

Ooops, you are telling that you have a 1K+ boot, EG Shannon, which is not "fitted" to your flat feet, no?

 

[amlai]

Originally Posted by fritzl

Ooops, you are telling that you have a 1K+ boot, EG Shannon, which is not "fitted" to your flat feet, no?
Yes. Even worse in some ways is that around the instep and ankles they are barely tight enough. Most would probably say they are loose. Not being able to actually try on the Shannon was a bit nerve wracking as you might imagine since I had no idea how they would fit around the ankles, but they ended up being workable. This is just something I've gotten used to in just about any shoe I wear. I have to say that it is a rather interesting experience to not have to deal with that.

 

[dopey]

Originally Posted by amlai

Yes. Even worse in some ways is that around the instep and ankles they are barely tight enough. Most would probably say they are loose. Not being able to actually try on the Shannon was a bit nerve wracking as you might imagine since I had no idea how they would fit around the ankles, but they ended up being workable. This is just something I've gotten used to in just about any shoe I wear. I have to say that it is a rather interesting experience to not have to deal with that.

+1 This has been a continual problem for me. No shoe ever felt right with my orthotics. I found two solutions short of bespoke. The first is Hapad. This company makes wool felt pads in a variety of shapes designed to provide support or correction for a varitey of foot problems. If you know what you are doing and it works for you (you will need to try), you can buy properly fitting shoes and then place the individual supports permanently in the right spot. In my case I use a scaphoid arch and a metatarsal pad in each shoe. Unlike an orthotic, the pads take up no room, so you can use the proper width shoe for your foot. the second solution is to fine the right last from Alden's Orthopedic line. In my case, the Modified last is a near perfect fit and has the right arch support - all I need is the metatarsal pad. Because of the shape of the last and the built in support, this is an even better solution then the first.

I have no idea, however, if any of this will work for you, but it is probably worth a try. Orthotics solve the mechanical problem but they are terrible solution from a fit perspective.