Japanese Shoes: Bespoke & RTW Super Thread

[Jtchinoy]



I understand that some test shoes mean their gauge shoes to check your feet.  I checked their web site and they make adjustment based on your foot length, ball girth and instep.  
Test shoes may have softer leather to show the creases easily to check the fit.  

Thanks for the insight! My Japanese isn't fluent, so I had trouble explaining that the shoe was bending over my toes instead of just behind them, but the sales woman grabbed a more experienced fellow who understood just by touching my shoes. My little toe issue was obvious to everyone, in contrast.

Given it took them 3 months, due to a 3 week delay, to make these I assume they were still made to measure test shoes and not general shoes sent out to gauge fit.

 

[tdes81]

Has anyone here gone the bespoke route here with Hiro Yanagimachi? I'll be traveling to Japan next summer for a couple weeks and was wondering if this would be enough time to get fitted/have a last made...

 

[ThunderMarch]



Has anyone here gone the bespoke route here with Hiro Yanagimachi? I'll be traveling to Japan next summer for a couple weeks and was wondering if this would be enough time to get fitted/have a last made...

For bespoke, almost all Japanese makers take about 6 months to your first fitting. Hiro might fit twice, for bespoke.
You'll need a second trip to Japan, definitely. 2 weeks won't cut it. And he seems to be traveling overseas a bit more recently. So I'm not sure if that will affect his normal work processes.

 

[Stefan88]

Has anyone here gone the bespoke route here with Hiro Yanagimachi? I'll be traveling to Japan next summer for a couple weeks and was wondering if this would be enough time to get fitted/have a last made...

Just send him an email and ask. If planned a long time ahead, it may be possible to get a fitting, but I really don't know.
He speaks fluent English and you will have no issue communicating.

 

[tdes81]

For bespoke, almost all Japanese makers take about 6 months to your first fitting. Hiro might fit twice, for bespoke.
You'll need a second trip to Japan, definitely. 2 weeks won't cut it. And he seems to be traveling overseas a bit more recently. So I'm not sure if that will affect his normal work processes.

Hmm, that makes things a little more tricky - but there's nothing that bad about having an excuse to visit Japan again...

 

[ThunderMarch]



Hmm, that makes things a little more tricky - but there's nothing that bad about having an excuse to visit Japan again...

Well, as Stefan mentioned, you could probably drop him an email and try your luck. Nothing to lose.
While I was at his shop last year, he did tell me he preferred 2 fittings for bespoke shoes (he sounds like a real stickler for good fit!), so maybe you could negotiate with him to churn out the first fitting while you're there?
To at least somewhat defray the costs of you having to travel there too many times.
But as you rightfully mentioned, it never hurts to go to Japan too often! Such a beautiful country. Plenty to see and do apart from shoes. Best food I've ever eaten as well.

 

[tdes81]

Well, as Stefan mentioned, you could probably drop him an email and try your luck. Nothing to lose.
While I was at his shop last year, he did tell me he preferred 2 fittings for bespoke shoes (he sounds like a real stickler for good fit!), so maybe you could negotiate with him to churn out the first fitting while you're there?
To at least somewhat defray the costs of you having to travel there too many times.
But as you rightfully mentioned, it never hurts to go to Japan too often! Such a beautiful country. Plenty to see and do apart from shoes. Best food I've ever eaten as well.

Would be great if I could do something like that. Although it would be my first time going the bespoke route so I'd like him to be a stickler as well so that the fit is perfect.

 

[Ltin]

Does anyone interested in il micio by Hidetaka Fukaya or have any experience with him??

 

[Jacke]

Visited Clematis on my recent trip to Tokyo:

 

[Jtchinoy]

If I receive MTO shoes where some parts aren't properly colored/ dyed, can I ask the maker to fix them? Or is it better to just apply some shoe cream to cover the area?

Just took my MTO Madras shoes in to get steel toe taps installed and noticed part of the crease between the upper and the welt is still the natural tan of the leather. It looks like that part was never treated. Also just noticed what appear to be veins on the toe of one shoe, but that seems to be something that can't be avoided.

 

[rbhan12]

If I receive MTO shoes where some parts aren't properly colored/ dyed, can I ask the maker to fix them? Or is it better to just apply some shoe cream to cover the area?

Just took my MTO Madras shoes in to get steel toe taps installed and noticed part of the crease between the upper and the welt is still the natural tan of the leather. It looks like that part was never treated. Also just noticed what appear to be veins on the toe of one shoe, but that seems to be something that can't be avoided.

Veins can and certainly should be avoided, especially on the toe of the shoe. Post pictures of the finishing problems. In my opinion, at Japanese bespoke makers' MTO price, incomplete finishing and veined leather is unacceptable.

The above assumes your MTO is from a Japanese bespoke maker.

 

[Jtchinoy]



Veins can and certainly should be avoided, especially on the toe of the shoe. Post pictures of the finishing problems. In my opinion, at Japanese bespoke makers' MTO price, incomplete finishing and veined leather is unacceptable. 

The above assumes your MTO is from a Japanese bespoke maker. 

Madras shoes is a 90 year old MTO/ RTW company. Price point for their MTO shoes are 60-70k yen depending on Blake or Blake rapid stitching, with test fitting included. The shoes are measured in store, but made in Italy to my understanding.

I imagine you're talking about all of the renowned bespoke makers that charge 140-300k yen when you say a Japanese bespoke maker.

I'm currently at work, but will post pictures in a few hours when I get home.

 

[rbhan12]

Madras shoes is a 90 year old MTO/ RTW company. Price point for their MTO shoes are 60-70k yen depending on Blake or Blake rapid stitching, with test fitting included. The shoes are measured in store, but made in Italy to my understanding.

I imagine you're talking about all of the renowned bespoke makers that charge 140-300k yen when you say a Japanese bespoke maker.

I'm currently at work, but will post pictures in a few hours when I get home.

Lol...I thought Madras shoes was a style or pattern of shoes, not a brand. Sorry about that! In that case my thoughts, other than post pictures for advice, probably aren't relevant.

 

[Jtchinoy]



Lol...I thought Madras shoes was a style or pattern of shoes, not a brand. Sorry about that! In that case my thoughts, other than post pictures for advice, probably aren't relevant. 

Haha, not a problem. For a company so old I find it strange there are so few reviews about them. I figured at this price range it would be difficult to get a remake just for veins and an incomplete finish. I'm taking them in today anyway to get polished for a wedding this weekend and will ask about the veins and unfinished area at the store.

edit::
The veins, or cracks, are a little hard to see but this is the best picture I could take to use the glare to highlight them.

Note the light area between the upper and the welt. Pretty sure that's supposed to be brown, like the rest of the upper. Or dark brown, like the welt.

2nd edit::
Brought it in and they tried to explain the veins off as something that happens with the kind of leather they used for my shoe. They'll try to make it less noticeable by adding some cream while polishing it. As for the unfinished finish, while looking at other shoes I noticed the area between the upper and welt are commonly missed, since they color the shoe after it's made. They're going to try to fill it in with cream, but no chance they'll remake these.

 

[ThinkDerm]



I like some of the Union Imperial and Miyagi Kogyo shoes.

Miyagi Kogyo has a dover model for $550... Looks well made. @nutcracker what are your insights into their construction? Are they really on par with Edward green? What about the leather used?