John Lobb Appreciation Thread

[sforum1]

Think people are over thinking it. Outlet stores do that with a lot of items so they can’t be returned somewhere. On suits they’ll take a marker to the name tag and draw a black line through it. People who donate items to thrift stores debrand items and hide what it is from flippers. It’s pretty common.

Actually, I don't think people are overthinking it at all. What you see right there with those shoes is not normal at all. I know what you are saying about retailers selling things on sale while marking the items so they cannot be returned, but this is not what's going on here. Look at the soles of example. It does not mention anywhere that they are JL.

The assumption that these 'samples' are made to the highest JL standards may be a bad one and one I would not make myself, so anyone buying them should be demanding a high discount. To give you to understand what I'm saying, before I bought a pair of SC shoes on eBay which was a similar story as these JL shoes, having sizes and markings crossed out etc, and when I reached out to SC I was told that those were samples made to much lower standards especially when it came to the construction, stitching, perhaps internal components that the eye does not see etc. and they should not have been sold to me by the retailer as SC shoes. That's probably why they are removing all JL markings from these shoes, essentially selling them as no-name shoes to not get in trouble (despite JL being mentioned in the listing by this particular seller who themselves may have bought them from the original retailer). This is all speculation but, again, I would be careful to just go ahead like that and downplay what my eyes see.

 

[nub915]

curious what folks think about this pair? Seems like too steep of a price...

Ultra RARE NEW JOHN LOBB LTD. St. James Bespoke Shoes. approx.UK7, 8000 $! | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Ultra RARE NEW JOHN LOBB LTD. St. James Bespoke Shoes. approx.UK7, 8000 $! at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[dukenukem4ever]

curious what folks think about this pair? Seems like too steep of a price...

Ultra RARE NEW JOHN LOBB LTD. St. James Bespoke Shoes. approx.UK7, 8000 $! | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Ultra RARE NEW JOHN LOBB LTD. St. James Bespoke Shoes. approx.UK7, 8000 $! at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Have bought from this seller before, he is legit and an amazing customer-oriented seller. PM me for details if you wish.

 

[JohnMRobie]

curious what folks think about this pair? Seems like too steep of a price...

Ultra RARE NEW JOHN LOBB LTD. St. James Bespoke Shoes. approx.UK7, 8000 $! | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Ultra RARE NEW JOHN LOBB LTD. St. James Bespoke Shoes. approx.UK7, 8000 $! at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Paying a premium (or really any amount) to buy bespoke shoes seems like a bad idea to me. The only way I’d consider it is if I could absolutely return them, the seller was the original one who commissioned them and could provide me an extensive list of what shoes they wear off the shelf and what modifications were done to their last and they were like new. This seller looks like none of the above.

There are so many considerations and things altered when getting a bespoke pair commissioned. Length and width don’t tell you nearly enough to determine if they’ll fit.

At 3 grand you’re well in the price range where you should be able to find shoes on a standard last made as well as those or close to being able to have your own bespoke pair made by a different maker.

 

[Barry Lau]

I ordered a pair of the Philip II and Lopez from the sale at Cettire and should have them next week--I don't doubt they're legit but can confirm any experiences/questions one may have

interested in what size you have ordered too.
Are you aware of the width of your ordered pairs ?

 

[papado]

you mind to share what size u ordered?

interested in what size you have ordered too.
Are you aware of the width of your ordered pairs ?

I'm a 10UK. They said I'm able to return so I figured they're normal E width else I'll just send them back.

 

[sleepyinsanfran]

Yeah,paying extra for bespoke made for someone else makes no sense

Lobbs bespoke line is likely to be handwelted (instead of GYW), and potentially use more hand-finishing, but in the end you are buying some one else's size for a premium.

I would second the point about putting them towards (partly) funding your own bespoke pair (lobb or elsewhere), or just getting a standard size if that's all you need

Paying a premium (or really any amount) to buy bespoke shoes seems like a bad idea to me. The only way I’d consider it is if I could absolutely return them, the seller was the original one who commissioned them and could provide me an extensive list of what shoes they wear off the shelf and what modifications were done to their last and they were like new. This seller looks like none of the above.

There are so many considerations and things altered when getting a bespoke pair commissioned. Length and width don’t tell you nearly enough to determine if they’ll fit.

At 3 grand you’re well in the price range where you should be able to find shoes on a standard last made as well as those or close to being able to have your own bespoke pair made by a different maker.

 

[JohnMRobie]

Yeah,paying extra for bespoke made for someone else makes no sense

Lobbs bespoke line is likely to be handwelted (instead of GYW), and potentially use more hand-finishing, but in the end you are buying some one else's size for a premium.

I would second the point about putting them towards (partly) funding your own bespoke pair (lobb or elsewhere), or just getting a standard size if that's all you need

Agreed on the HW. Plenty of makers can do hand welted with as good of leather and finishing for 3 grand though. Hell - That’s more than Fukuda MTO/MTM.

 

[papado]

Just got my delivery from Cettire--shoes are E (normal) width! However they shipped the wrong size for one pair so we'll see how the customer service experience goes...

 

[nub915]

Agreed on the HW. Plenty of makers can do hand welted with as good of leather and finishing for 3 grand though. Hell - That’s more than Fukuda MTO/MTM.

I agree....after discussing with folks here I am coming to the same conclusion.

 

[MontyLo]

My second pair of JL, perched atop the shine box and awaiting my next day off for a proper glaçage.

 

[Biogentic]

Just got my delivery from Cettire--shoes are E (normal) width! However they shipped the wrong size for one pair so we'll see how the customer service experience goes...

Wow great to hear it… able to take some photo?

 

[JohnMRobie]

I agree....after discussing with folks here I am coming to the same conclusion.

The biggest things that would concern me are bottom of your foot and volume. Bespoke commissions the insole is wet and then nailed and often wrapped to the last so it conforms to the parts of your foot. This requires your ball, arch, width, heel etc to all line up exactly where the person who commissioned its foot lines up. On volume they try to take up as much negative space as they can and get it really snug everywhere except the toe box. It’s just a huge gamble. Let us know if we can recommend some other makers - 3K really does open up a ton of options if you want to be that high and just slightly fewer if you want to be lower.

 

[puffy]

JL Shoe Trees: anyone compared older ones to the newer? The newer ones I find a lot smaller than trees that are 5+ years old. Newer ones hardly pushes the leather back out.

 

[nub915]

The biggest things that would concern me are bottom of your foot and volume. Bespoke commissions the insole is wet and then nailed and often wrapped to the last so it conforms to the parts of your foot. This requires your ball, arch, width, heel etc to all line up exactly where the person who commissioned its foot lines up. On volume they try to take up as much negative space as they can and get it really snug everywhere except the toe box. It’s just a huge gamble. Let us know if we can recommend some other makers - 3K really does open up a ton of options if you want to be that high and just slightly fewer if you want to be lower.

The price of the shoes is coming out to about 2K not 3K, but I think the principles noted still apply.