Online "Exclusive" Boots and Shoes

[jmonroestyle]

Since joining this forum I have been able to locate and purchase 4 pairs of dressy high lace up boots from online retailers that I had previously not known about.

3 of these boots are made exclusively for the online retailers, and not carried by any other companies.

I think buying a retailers exclusive models of shoes and boots is the next best thing to bespoke. It allows one to wear something that is not as common as models that are mass produced and sold by numerous companies.

These exclusive models are produced on the same lasts as mass produced models, so if one knows the fit of the last one can know what size to order and order with confidence that they should fit. Perhaps collectively we can assemble a list of online retailers (and brick and mortar stores also) that design some of their own boots and shoes, and sell them in addition to the regular stock mass produced RTW models. I know Brooks Brothers, and Polo etc. will have their own models. Who are the lesser known independent retailers that do this?

Here are a few I know about.

Alden of Carmel, Shoemart, Leather Sole of Hawaii, Pediwear, Robert Old.

Anyone else?

Jess

 

[j]

Martegani from Franco's. They will custom make you a shoe on your chosen last, send you leather to choose from, and use your details. All for around $400-450 or so.

 

[jmonroestyle]

Originally Posted by j

Martegani from Franco's. They will custom make you a shoe on your chosen last, send you leather to choose from, and use your details. All for around $400-450 or so.

I imagine that quite a few stores will take special orders for "custom designed" shoes on stock lasts made by different shoe companies. I was wondering which other retailers will design a shoe or boot and then order a whole run of sizes and have them in stock ready to ship.

 

[j]

I don't think many will do the custom program like Franco's does. I guess I misunderstood your question.

Ben Silver and Paul Stuart both come to mind, occasionally getting different details on otherwise stock patterns or making up their own and sourcing from different makers such as C&J, Edward Green or Grenson.

 

[masqueofhastur]

Ingledews has their own branded shoes made by Magnani and one other brand which I couldn't properly read on the tag. I don't think retailer rebranded shoes really comes the same as bespoke. I've never had bespoke but bespoke seems to me to be on a different level than an obscure brand name.

 

[jmonroestyle]

Originally Posted by masqueofhastur

Ingledews has their own branded shoes made by Magnani and one other brand which I couldn't properly read on the tag. I don't think retailer rebranded shoes really comes the same as bespoke. I've never had bespoke but bespoke seems to me to be on a different level than an obscure brand name.

I hadn't thought about retailers rebranding shoes when I made my initial post. I was thinking more of, for example, the Alden Fan shoes at Alden of Carmel, which are still called Alden shoes, just with exclusive designs.

Bespoke is indeed a whole different world from stock RTW shoes "exclusive" or not. I only meant that by buying a retailers "exclusive" model one is getting something that is somewhat obscure and not found everywhere.

 

[jmonroestyle]

Originally Posted by j

Martegani from Franco's. They will custom make you a shoe on your chosen last, send you leather to choose from, and use your details. All for around $400-450 or so.

You bring up an interesting point. Custom designing cowboy boots on stock or custom lasts is very common and I have been doing it for years with at least a dozen different boot companies. I would be curious to know which shoe companies also encourage this sort of business.

 

[denning]

The thing is though, you could be purchasing the most popular model from EG, Lobb or Vass and you would be very hard pressed to find someone else with the same shoe in the real world. It doesn't matter if it is designed for a retailer or not I have a hard time seeing any single high end shoe becoming common.

 

[jmonroestyle]

Originally Posted by denning

The thing is though, you could be purchasing the most popular model from EG, Lobb or Vass and you would be very hard pressed to find someone else with the same shoe in the real world. It doesn't matter if it is designed for a retailer or not I have a hard time seeing any single high end shoe becoming common.

Good Point!

I would have to travel quite some distance just to be able to find a pair of EG, Lobb or Vass to try on. I would think most footwear at the very top of the shoe pyramid would have a limited distribution. A large stockroom full of these quality shoes in lots of different styles, in all the different sizes would be a huge commitment of a retailers inventory dollars.

 

[epa]

Originally Posted by denning

The thing is though, you could be purchasing the most popular model from EG, Lobb or Vass and you would be very hard pressed to find someone else with the same shoe in the real world. It doesn't matter if it is designed for a retailer or not I have a hard time seeing any single high end shoe becoming common.

Also, what is wrong with another guy wearing the same kind of shoes as you? Actually, when I incidentally run into someone wearing the same kind of shoes, tie, or even shirt cloth as I, I find it nice and say, "congratulations, I see that you have good taste!"

Sometimes, I think that this anxiety for "exclusivity" can take us a bit too far...

(I only remember one quite embarrasing situation, when a colleague of mine from a branch office and I met at the airport to go and see a client, and it turned out that we both were wearing identical odd jackets (with a very characteristic windowpane pattern); I guess that our client must have thought that we were wearing some weird kind of corporate uniform...)

 

[jmonroestyle]

Also, what is wrong with another guy wearing the same kind of shoes as you?


There is nothing wrong with someone else wearing the same thing. If something is desirable, others will be buying it also.

I have always been drawn to unique and unusual things. If something is a little more obscure, I find shopping for it (either on the internet or while traveling) that much more satisfying. It is the challenge of the hunt.

Also, as one's own personal inventory grows, and one has a healthy supply of more common items, it is fun to search out the unusual to give one's own wardrobe some additional variety.