Japanese Shoes: Bespoke & RTW Super Thread

[chogall]

IMO, Japanese have similar industrial mindset compare to the Germans as seen in most of their industries, all while a lot of them were trained under English/Italian shoemakers.

So it could very well be that Japanese makers extracted the best from of both worlds/schools of thoughts.

 

[nutcracker]



I presume you are referring to the Knöfel Equator which runs right through Europe.

Robert Knöfel (1834-1884) was a shoemaker and teacher from Saxony who later settled in Vienna. He developed a ‘scientific’ method of last-making and shoe design, based on measurements (of the foot, not the last) and strictly defined angles; known in German as the ‘Winkelsystem’.
This is the tool needed, a ‘Modellwinkel’

As you can see it’s pretty prescriptive, everything is strictly defined: resulting in designs with a low vamp point and a low-slung top-line. I suppose, if one has the cojones, you can override it, but it appears to me everybody (who subscribes to Knöfel) treats it like Holy Scripture. (Apparently it is the same with German tailors, they subscribe to one or the other 'Cutting-System', while elsewhere tailors cut according to gut feeling and experience.)

English, French and Italians treat last and shoe design far more empirical and free. They also base their patternmaking on the last. The result counts, not the underlying theory.

I haven’t had great success with the two lasts I have lying around somewhere in Vienna and which I do not want to re-visit. What good is a ‘scientific’ method if it doesn't fit to my liking, even if Mr Knöfel says that’s the way it ought to be?

The proof of the pudding is in the eating!

Interesting stuff.
Scientific shoemaking/last making has a big following in Japan. It's mainly being taught as the Kagami Method shoemaking (named after the guy who's been teaching this method of 50 yrs), I don't believe he takes the german method word for word, but has in fact adapted the scientifc method 'or what he call 'numeric conversion of intuition' as a pillar of his teachings. Quite a few notable bespoke makers swear by this methodl. Main'dor (Murakami Eiji) is one of them, I've seen picture of him scribbling papers full of numbers to analyse I suppose lol

sorry bad picture, but just an idea of the last-making process

The school's website
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/kagami/

 

[BespokeMakers]

Hello everyone.
I'm a japanese blogger about bespoke makers.
il Quadrifoglio bespoke straight tip oxford, made by Atushi Qnai(Kyunai)
really glamorous shoes
Photo: http://ilquadrifoglio.tumblr.com/

 

[jerrybrowne]

Anyone of these makers visit the US?

 

[nutcracker]



Hello everyone. I'm a japanese blogger about bespoke makers. il Quadrifoglio bespoke straight tip oxford, made by Atushi Qnai(Kyunai) really glamorous shoes Photo: http://ilquadrifoglio.tumblr.com/

Welcome to Styleforum! Yes, we need more Japanese on this forum to represent. plz keep posting Your blog is fantastic! yes, Qnai-san makes excellent shoes some more Qnais.....(pardon my photo skills)

Sealskin whole cuts....crazy skinny

just to make sure, he said these are sample shoes and probably not practical to wear

 

[TehBunny]

Boy am I glad my wife chose to go to Japan for the end of this year! Nutcracker as always great scans; here I was thinking your old scans were awesome enough Hopefully I can pick up something good in Japan; are prices for foreign shoes made from outside of Japan as inflated as most say?

 

[nutcracker]



Boy am I glad my wife chose to go to Japan for the end of this year! Nutcracker as always great scans; here I was thinking your old scans were awesome enough Hopefully I can pick up something good in Japan; are prices for foreign shoes made from outside of Japan as inflated as most say?

yeah, but its strange because it depends on the brand.....GG shoes are grossly inflated, while Carmina shoes go from ¥60,000 without VAT, that is around 10%~15% more than elsewhere in today's exchange.

 

[clee1982]



Hello everyone. I'm a japanese blogger about bespoke makers. il Quadrifoglio bespoke straight tip oxford, made by Atushi Qnai(Kyunai) really glamorous shoes Photo: http://ilquadrifoglio.tumblr.com/

nice, welcome!

 

[clee1982]



Interesting stuff.
Scientific shoemaking/last making has a big following in Japan. It's mainly being taught as the Kagami Method shoemaking (named after the guy who's been teaching this method of 50 yrs), I don't believe he takes the german method word for word, but has in fact adapted the scientifc method 'or what he call 'numeric conversion of intuition' as a pillar of his teachings. Quite a few notable bespoke makers swear by this methodl. Main'dor (Murakami Eiji) is one of them, I've seen picture of him scribbling papers full of numbers to analyse I suppose lol

sorry bad picture, but just an idea of the last-making process

The school's website
http://www2.odn.ne.jp/kagami/

Interesting, so which part is scientific? I mean I assume once you finish with the scientific part you can still decide on how much longer the last can be, and how rounded or chiseled toe is, etc.

 

[clee1982]



Hello everyone. I'm a japanese blogger about bespoke makers. il Quadrifoglio bespoke straight tip oxford, made by Atushi Qnai(Kyunai) really glamorous shoes Photo: http://ilquadrifoglio.tumblr.com/

by the way I like these two http://bespoke-makers.tumblr.com/image/46601545874 http://bespoke-makers.tumblr.com/image/46587962174

 

[TehBunny]



yeah, but its strange because it depends on the brand.....GG shoes are grossly inflated, while Carmina shoes go from ¥60,000 without VAT, that is around 10%~15% more than elsewhere in today's exchange.

What's the difference price wise between Japanese and Foreign made shoes in Japan?

 

[poorsod]



Hello everyone. I'm a japanese blogger about bespoke makers. il Quadrifoglio bespoke straight tip oxford, made by Atushi Qnai(Kyunai) really glamorous shoes Photo: http://ilquadrifoglio.tumblr.com/

This is a Mitteleuropa looking toe box.

 

[nutcracker]



What's the difference price wise between Japanese and Foreign made shoes in Japan?

For Japanese brands:
I say for nice goodyear welted shoes, ¥30,000+
Most Japanese RTW shoes fall under the ¥55,000 yen. Exclusive models (or shell cordovan model) cost more

I say you won't find many foreign brands of quality to be priced under ¥50,000

Carmina, Meermin, Church, Cheaney, AS, C&J, Weston, Alden etc.... all fall in the ¥50,000~¥100,000 bracket

C&J benchgrade: ¥60,000+
C&J handgrade: ¥77000
Alden Calf: ¥76,000
Alden Shell: ¥100,000
Carmina: ¥63000
Meermin: ¥58,000

Edward Green: ¥130,000+

 

[nutcracker]



Anyone of these makers visit the US?

The only Japanese bespoke shoemaker I know who had a show in New York is Koji Suzuki. If I recall correctly from the interview (the one I translated), he said the interest generated at Styleforum played a big part to make the show happen.

So yeah, I say it's definitely possible to have these makers visit the states, if we generate enough interest to guarantee enough orders if they come.

 

[TehBunny]

Thanks for all the info nutcracker; was also wondering what it's like quality wise. Quality to price wise will I be getting more quality going for the 50k Japanese shoes compared to the 50k Meermin (which I assume is on the lower end of the 50-100k spread).
Pretty sure I'll get a Japanese made shoe preferably midtier something equivalent to a C&J hand or bench grade if I spend too much on food

Again thanks for the info; I understand I'm asking a lot of questions