Jan Kielman shoes - internet bespoke service

[nohit]

Amazing.. This is going on my list.

 

[j ingevaldsson]

Those look awesome! Really like the last shape. I don't understand why Kielman hasn't become more popular, I think their offering with the "online-bespoke-service" and the great quality for the price is something deserves more attention than it gets.

Wow. that shoe looks great.

Thanks a lot!

Looked into having something made by this guy about a year ago, decided it was a little rich for my blood at the time. Time for a re-visit I think!!

Go for it!

 

[furasek]

nothing is too rich..spoil yourself, you will not regret..they are for years!

 

[furasek]

It is a small company with traditions but not very well know even by Polish people..I guess they don't spend lots of money for marketing, commercials etc..I found them by accident when I was checking the book about the best small European companies. I have already recommended Kielman to my friends and they are quite happy as well. I Kielman should improve their website and present more shoes..I didn't like many of them from their website but the good thing is they can do whatever you like - they need just a photo. They have some old fashion design shoes which look great too. It is worth to try, that's for sure! esp that company is in the center of the city and Warsaw itself is quite a vibrant city and perfect place for weekend break and really cheap ( the cheapest 5* hotels in Europe ).

 

[OzzyJones]



It is a small company with traditions but not very well know even by Polish people..I guess they don't spend lots of money for marketing, commercials etc..I found them by accident when I was checking the book about the best small European companies. I have already recommended Kielman to my friends and they are quite happy as well. I Kielman should improve their website and present more shoes..I didn't like many of them from their website but the good thing is they can do whatever you like - they need just a photo. They have some old fashion design shoes which look great too. It is worth to try, that's for sure! esp that company is in the center of the city and Warsaw itself is quite a vibrant city and perfect place for weekend break and really cheap ( the cheapest 5* hotels in Europe ).

I'd probably combine a visit to Kielman with a weekend in Warsaw. (Vass with a trip to Budapest too!) The sad thing is that after deciding I couldn't afford them I discovered SF and blew enough on shoes over a six month period to have bought 4 pairs from Kielman, with a trip to Poland for each pair!!

 

[furasek]

No problem..you can do it next year ..combined trip with Budapest is a good idea as it is a great city!! if you need any info about Warsaw just let me know.

 

[OzzyJones]



No problem..you can do it next year ..combined trip with Budapest is a good idea as it is a great city!! if you need any info about Warsaw just let me know.

Thanks, I will!

 

[Mifune]

Found this pair of Jan Kielman in a thrift store yesterday. I hadn't actually heard of this house before, and a quick search on my phone found this thread - so to you gents, many thanks!

This is the first decent pair of shoes I've ever found while going through thrift stores. The punching, good toebox condition, and the interesting Warsaw reference in the insole caught my eye immediately. Unfortunately the previous owner has stuck Topy on these shoes, and I feel that it affects the balance of the shoe somewhat - will get a cobbler to take the Topy off. Previous owner looks like his feet were a bit small for these shoes, given the amount of creasing on the upper vs the minimal wear on the soles.

Have conditioned with Saphir Renovateur - leather was looking a little dried out. Will continue to nurture these back into good health.

Have tried this pair on (and in comparison to C&J/EG)
- excellent support of the inner arch at the waist, similar to EG (is this the main benefit of handstitching?);
- the toebox looks very "chunky" (traditional?) when I'm wearing them - perhaps it's because I'm accustomed to lasts like the C&J 348, 337 and EG 888?
- the welt along the toebox and outer edges seems to protrude a lot more than EG and C&J handgrade;
- the quarter meets the heel very closely, hardly any gap at all (much less than EG/C&J).

All in all - I'm looking forward to enjoying these!

Do any of you know what last this one is on?

 

[bengal-stripe]



Found this pair of Jan Kielman.........Do any of you know what last this one is on?

Kielman is a bespoke shoemaker. So the shoes would have been made on the bespoke last of whoever ordered these shoes.

 

[agedashidofu]

@ JI: So after this long, how does the leather feel? Btw did you choose polish or french calf? And how does it compare to your Bestetti pair?

I really appreciate your articles on both Jan Kielman and Bestetti by the way!

 

[j ingevaldsson]



@ JI: So after this long, how does the leather feel? Btw did you choose polish or french calf? And how does it compare to your Bestetti pair?

I really appreciate your articles on both Jan Kielman and Bestetti by the way!

The leather holds up pretty well, but it's not on pair with for example Bestetti or Gaziano & Girling. It's French calf from D'Annonay, but I know that they didn't have that much left of the color when I did the purchase. Construction wise they are superb, but it's a whole different school compared to Bestetti, these are much more solid, not as elegant as Bestetti. But like both styles.

Glad you like the buyer's guides! If you haven't seem them there's similar guides to Vass and Meccariello on the blog as well, you'll find them under "Populära inlägg". And will publish a guide to Maftei sometime this summer.

 

[agedashidofu]



The leather holds up pretty well, but it's not on pair with for example Bestetti or Gaziano & Girling. It's French calf from D'Annonay, but I know that they didn't have that much left of the color when I did the purchase. Construction wise they are superb, but it's a whole different school compared to Bestetti, these are much more solid, not as elegant as Bestetti. But like both styles.

Glad you like the buyer's guides! If you haven't seem them there's similar guides to Vass and Meccariello on the blog as well, you'll find them under "Populära inlägg". And will publish a guide to Maftei sometime this summer.

Super!!! Looking forward to Maftei as well.
You're the man!!!

 

[agedashidofu]



Thanks! Like I wrote in the main post, the fit was a bit too big widthwise. I had measured my feet differently from how the Kielman-personal does it (an obious danger with doing this "distance bespoke"). But since the proportions still are correct to my feet, an insole solved the problem well and now they are really comfortable and fit well. 

JI: How should the feet be measured? Tightly or loosely? Can you help to elaborate more? Thanks a lot!

 

[j ingevaldsson]

JI: How should the feet be measured? Tightly or loosely? Can you help to elaborate more? Thanks a lot!

Pretty tight. I measured it too loose, so my shoes came out a bit big. Easily fixed with a thin insole though, and since the proportions were correct they fit great now. Do not expect a perfect fit with your first order though, it's very hard to get it just right first time with own taken measurements and no test shoes. For next order you can easily show pics and describe what needs to be changed.

 

[Harold falcon]

When "bespoke shoes" don't fit perfectly the first time you don't get a second order. Jfc.