Japanese Shoes: Bespoke & RTW Super Thread

[Ilovelobbs]

This is by far, the best thread in SF!!! Thanks to everyone here for sharing pictures and their experiences!!!

Wanted to share my latest acquisition of Sanyo Yamacho MTO which I had picked up in Tokyo. It's no spigola or il quadrifiglio by any means, but still quite pleased with the outcome. Finishing is top notch and the leather very very supple!

As I will be travelling to Japan quite frequently (bi monthly) with my new assignment, I do plan to visit many of the Japanese shoemakers

Beautiful shoes Age.

 

[nutcracker]



Couple of pictures of a really beautiful derby by Marquess (found on his blog). Really like the leather used in these shoes.

plus 1 Not easy to pull off a beautiful plain toe derby!

 

[sstomcat]



Couple of pictures of a really beautiful derby by Marquess (found on his blog). Really like the leather used in these shoes.

Very nice, the close >10 SPI welt stitching is amazing.

 

[nutcracker]

Seems like there is a concrete day for Koji`s NYC Show

SPIGOLA NYC Show
May 16~May 17

Bespoke: $4500~
MTO: $1900~

The Armoury Link

Looks like someone is excited...

 

[PCK1]

Excellent!

I will be certain to visit this...and hopefully order my first MTO with him...

 

[Macs]

I am arriving in NYC on the 18th... talking about wrong timing...

 

[Stone]

This shoe (and a lot of shoes) on this thread seem to match the dimensions of my actual feet far more closely than the shoes of European makers.

I've always had terrible trouble finding shoes that fit me - from MTO to near-bespoke/bespoke like Vass, nothing's worked. Shoe leather bites into my big toe, the shoes never seem wide enough (though my feet aren't particularly wide), and my arches don't feel properly supported.

I visited Dimitri Gomez last month, and he told me I had 'japanese feet', which, I guess means high instep, long arch, and a short distance from my toes to where the foot begins angling upward.

Makes me wonder whether I'd be more likely to get a good fit were I to go with a Japanese maker.

 

[Gianni Cerutti]

Couple of pictures of a really beautiful derby by Marquess (found on his blog). Really like the leather used in these shoes.

Very very elegant...compliments.

 

[JeffArmoury]

Seems like there is a concrete day for Koji`s NYC Show

SPIGOLA NYC Show
May 16~May 17

Bespoke: $4500~
MTO: $1900~

The Armoury Link


Looks like someone is excited...

NC, you beat me to the punch!

If anyone has any questions or would like to make an appointment don't hesitate to let me know either here or at [email protected]

Here is a quick shot of a few of the samples that we have. GET EXCITED!

 

[Stefan88]

Figured I might ask here. Anyone seen/have any experience with Coccinella (コッチネッラ), a tailor in Osaka? Looks very nice in the pictures and might check it out next time I'm around. (http://www.coccinella-jp.com/)

 

[nutcracker]



Figured I might ask here. Anyone seen/have any experience with Coccinella (コッチネッラ), a tailor in Osaka? Looks very nice in the pictures and might check it out next time I'm around. (http://www.coccinella-jp.com/)

When it comes to Italian style tailoring in Osaka, I think you can`t go wrong with Coccinella. You may want to contact our friend, Bespoke-makers, who knows a lot more than I do when it comes to Kansai area tailoring.

I think Roberto Ugolini does his trunk shows at Coccinella.

 

[nutcracker]



NC, you beat me to the punch!

If anyone has any questions or would like to make an appointment don't hesitate to let me know either here or at [email protected]

Here is a quick shot of a few of the samples that we have.  GET EXCITED!

Great store you got there. Would like to visit one day! (I visited your HK store just a couple weeks ago)
and also a big congrats to Koji-san for his return to NYC

The latest June issue of MEN`S EX has a spread on SPIGOLA`s MTO shoes. Mentions the NYC show too

 

[bengal-stripe]

I met-up yesterday with Shoji and Yuriko Kawaguchi, the husband and wife team who have started their own bespoke shoemaking firm Marquess in 2011. Although I had never seen any of their shoes in real life, I really admired the shoes I had come-across on the web and I’ve known of Shoji’s stellar reputation as one of the finest ‘makers’, having worked for a number of West-End bespoke firms. Marquess has caused a bit of a buzz at this forum and elsewhere, and quite rightly so.

http://marquess-bespoke.blogspot.co.uk/

When I met ‘nutcracker’ two weeks ago, he did mention that the Kawaguchis were expected to come to London for the second opening reception at the G&G Savile Row store. (G&G generously threw two receptions, the one last Friday was intended for the "beautiful people" and the other one, two weeks earlier, was for the riff-raff. No prize for guessing which one yours truly attended.) As I have plans to go to Japan later in the year, I thought I might contact them and, presuming we got on, would commission a pair of shoes, ready for a try-on when I come to Japan.

I got in contact with them when they had already arrived in Kettering (home of G&G) which is kind of home turf to them as they both had studied shoemaking at Thresham College and used to live in Desborough (just down the road from Kettering).

We met Saturday morning at their London hotel. Both of them are really the nicest and modest people imaginable. At Marquess, Shoji is responsible for the lasts and the bottom making, while Yuriko does the uppers (patterns, clicking and closing). So I decided to take the plunge and asked Shoji to take my measurements, which he did in the most meticulous way. Usually taking a set of foot measurements takes 10 minutes, but Shoji measure with weight, without weight checked and rechecked so the whole procedure took at least 30, if not 45 minutes (I didn't check the time).

I haven’t decided yet on the style or the leather. Of course, as this was a holiday for the Kawaguchis and not a trunk show, they had neither shoe- nor leather samples with them. We can discuss the particulars and other details through e-mail.

I have high hope for the forthcoming shoes.

 

[nutcracker]



I met-up yesterday with Shoji and Yuriko Kawaguchi, the husband and wife team who have started their own bespoke shoemaking firm Marquess in 2011. Although I had never seen any of their shoes in real life, I really admired the shoes I had come-across on the web and I’ve known of Shoji’s stellar reputation as one of the finest ‘makers’, having worked for a number of West-End bespoke firms. Marquess has caused a bit of a buzz at this forum and elsewhere, and quite rightly so.

Excellent!! I hope you had a great time with them!!
also, most fascinating that you ordered a pair of shoes without knowing what design/leather you want
Please keep us updated on your journey!

 

[Stefan88]

I met-up yesterday with Shoji and Yuriko Kawaguchi, the husband and wife team who have started their own bespoke shoemaking firm Marquess in 2011. Although I had never seen any of their shoes in real life, I really admired the shoes I had come-across on the web and I’ve known of Shoji’s stellar reputation as one of the finest ‘makers’, having worked for a number of West-End bespoke firms. Marquess has caused a bit of a buzz at this forum and elsewhere, and quite rightly so.

I have high hope for the forthcoming shoes.

Look forward to hear about your choices.