Japanese Shoes: Bespoke & RTW Super Thread

[clee1982]

These are hand lasted and hand welted. The style and finish is very close to bespoke, and to me are above Anthony Cleverly, which is my top RTW brand. Price is Yen 240,000 and avaliable online at The Sabot. Will try them on next week, and may pull the trigger...

AC is still GW right? For me at least at that price range bugs me a bit...

 

[galileo]

AC is still GW right? For me at least at that price range bugs me a bit...

AC should be GYW afair.
In such case I will keep my AC as I got very low instep too - so low that even Joe Works don't work well

 

[daizawaguy]

Indeed AC is GW, and made in Northampton. YF RTW is made of the same leather on offer for bespoke, HW and seems made by aspiring artisans - the number of hours dedicated to each pair is significantly longer than any other RTW. Here are some close-ups of details. I wore these yesterday for a full day, and can confirm the half size down from my GG is fair - the profile is very much YF -sleek, fine curves in vamp and toe, good arch contour and as close you will get to a bespoke in a RTW.

 

[Odd I/O]

Koji Endo to move in-house to LeatherFoot in Toronto

What ever happened to this venture? Did Koji Endo ever make it to Toronto?

 

[NycLondon]

Does any aficionado here know if Imai Hiroki is still producing? His web page is for sale. But other places in Japan suggest he is going strong. I am in Japan next March.

 

[clee1982]

https://www.yeossal.com/collections/corno-blu

yeossal has 30% off

YCBF17

 

[findingthingsou]

Does anyone know if FUKUDA's shoes are totally handmade from start to finish or are they bench made bespoke? Does anyone know shoemakers who offer full bespoke? Thanks

 

[ThunderMarch]

What are your definitions of "full bespoke", "bench made bespoke", and "totally handmade"?

Fukuda's system of achieving the desired fit is based on modifications of a base last. He generally fits once, the fitting shoes are handwelted but unfinished and cut open after the fitting.

The uppers are closed with a sewing machine (as almost all other makers do as well) and not hand stitched. All shoes are hand lasted, handwelted and apart from his RTW range, all have hand stitched outsoles.

 

[clee1982]

Is there a maker close upper by hand?

 

[ThunderMarch]

None that I know of in Japan.

Though things like apron stitching and round closing of a split toe seam on split toe derbies, can be done by hand by numerous Japanese makers.

 

[DWFII]

Consider...most high end makers around the world sew at about 15 stitches per inch with a sewing machine. And the stitches are small, well formed, and well layed. It takes about 30 seconds to sew the topline on a shoe, for instance, with a sewing machine.

Hand sewing would have to duplicate, or better, the stitch frequency as well as the finesse of the sewing machine, to be worth doing.

For instance, to hand sew the topline at 18spi (and 30 spi would be closer to Traditional standards) would probably take roughly six hours (I'm speculating and assuming someone who is very practiced and very skilled) and would require a control and finesse that few today can consistently achieve.

And leather. And tools. And techniques...that are near-as-nevermind lost.

 

[findingthingsou]

What are your definitions of "full bespoke", "bench made bespoke", and "totally handmade"?

Fukuda's system of achieving the desired fit is based on modifications of a base last. He generally fits once, the fitting shoes are handwelted but unfinished and cut open after the fitting.

The uppers are closed with a sewing machine (as almost all other makers do as well) and not hand stitched. All shoes are hand lasted, handwelted and apart from his RTW range, all have hand stitched outsoles.

I see. I'm not against someone using a tool to make things perfect as can be. I was curious as to how much he uses them. I assume this is true for all the Japanese shoemakers then to varying degrees.

...I've read a lot of the thread, although it's very large...

Anyone have any particular favorites besides Fukuda? I contacted him and his waitlist is 2 years for bespoke. I can wait but I'm just curious.

 

[Stefan88]

I see. I'm not against someone using a tool to make things perfect as can be. I was curious as to how much he uses them. I assume this is true for all the Japanese shoemakers then to varying degrees.

...I've read a lot of the thread, although it's very large...

Anyone have any particular favorites besides Fukuda? I contacted him and his waitlist is 2 years for bespoke. I can wait but I'm just curious.

Fukuda has rtw, mtm and full bespoke.

I use Marquess, and like working with him.

 

[ThinkDerm]

What ever happened to this venture? Did Koji Endo ever make it to Toronto?

I saw somewhere online that moving to TO was harder than he thought it would be. Didn't happen.

 

[duncanbootmaker]

It takes about 30 seconds to sew the topline on a shoe, for instance, with a sewing machine.
... to hand sew the topline at 18spi (and 30 spi would be closer to Traditional standards) would probably take roughly six hours.

Yeah, 4 - 6 hours sounds about right DW It's a special kind of madness. Some of the hand out-soling done in Japan is very impressive. They have the potential to be stunning hand closers, if the right clientele were prepared to pay for it (which they should). And the right leather? Veg. kangaroo