Santoni Shoe Appreciation Thread

[JohnMRobie]

Yes, that makes sense. I'm just trying to add some color and variety to my collection.

I own 17 pairs of shoes, of which 13 are new and unworn: JL, EG, G&G, Vass, SM (Norwegian welted), Enzo Bonafe (hand welted), and Zegna couture (which are highly under-rated in my opinion). Hence, I don't need new shoes. Instead, I appreciate the artistry of well made shoes. I was thinking of adding the following to my sartorial oeuvre:

One or two Santoni LE
Several more G&G
Two more Vass
Three Paolo Sacafora Norwegian welted,
and a few Antonio Meccariello..

Like Hugo Jacomet, I have a hard time breaking in new shoes because I don't want to spoil their unblemished soles.
I know that's strange...but I'll get around to wearing all of them one day.

It sounds like you're mainly interested in collecting and checking a box given how many unworn pairs you have. If that is the case as far as Santoni goes - A double monk or Uniqua would be what I'd think of immediately if asked what models would be quintessentially Santoni in my head.

Vass are plenty solid but probably don't keep up with the rest of what you are wanting to look at unless the last just fits you really well or you want some affordable hand welted shoes essentially to wear and abuse while your other stuff sits to just be enjoyed and looked at.

There are also a bunch of other options out there if you are trying to collect and check boxes instead of doing a bunch from any one brand and the price of the brands you have listed open up an awful lot of RTW or MTO options out there. Don't sleep on Japan and China.

 

[Professor Χάος]

It sounds like you're mainly interested in collecting and checking a box given how many unworn pairs you have. If that is the case as far as Santoni goes - A double monk or Uniqua would be what I'd think of immediately if asked what models would be quintessentially Santoni in my head.

Vass are plenty solid but probably don't keep up with the rest of what you are wanting to look at unless the last just fits you really well or you want some affordable hand welted shoes essentially to wear and abuse while your other stuff sits to just be enjoyed and looked at.

There are also a bunch of other options out there if you are trying to collect and check boxes instead of doing a bunch from any one brand and the price of the brands you have listed open up an awful lot of RTW or MTO options out there. Don't sleep on Japan and China.

Vass F Last fits me well. I think Vass are great. They have some quality control issues, as has been mentioned on this forum several times, but overall, I think Vass are excellent.

With regards to China and Japan, do you mean brands like Yeossal, Yohei Fukuda or perhaps Kogyo and Yanagimachi?

Yeossal have some nice shoes, but its hard to find the right size on their website. Fukuda and other Japanese hand made shoes are probably out of my price range.

I'll see if the Uniqua 10.5 UK fits me.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[E. coli]

Thanks for your advice and review of your LE shoes. I will consider them seriously.

The price on Yoox for a Uniqua is $1900, but I may be able to get it at a much better price.

I am unsure whether to buy a Uniqua Navy Blue or this variety, which is a slightly lighter color (in museum calf) and has some interesting stitching (I suppose that's Goyser).....any opinions?

View attachment 1598308 View attachment 1598309

Nice color on this -blue with some tinge of grey. The Ebay seller is certainly going to have the better price than YOOX, at about a 1/3 of the price if the best offer generosity is there. There is a UK 10.5 listed now on the Uniqua.

 

[Professor Χάος]

Nice color on this -blue with some tinge of grey. The Ebay seller is certainly going to have the better price than YOOX, at about a 1/3 of the price if the best offer generosity is there. There is a UK 10.5 listed now on the Uniqua.

I wrote to the seller asking for sizing information. If they fit, then I can try to negotiate the price. Let's see what happens.

I think I would prefer the Blue-Grey, but given that the Uniqua is a $3,750 shoe, finding it at a discount is rare. Talk about a mark-up that only famous brands can get away with......

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Professor Χάος]

Nice color on this -blue with some tinge of grey. The Ebay seller is certainly going to have the better price than YOOX, at about a 1/3 of the price if the best offer generosity is there. There is a UK 10.5 listed now on the Uniqua.

I might have to pass on the Uniqua. The seller replied, that the 10.5 UK is 12.95 inches in external length and 4.13 inches in external width. That is too long and narrow for my foot.

My shoes are generally 12.6-12.75 inches in length and 4.25 inches in width.
Then again, one never knows until one tries on the actual shoe. Maybe the longer length will compensate a little for the narrower width. I only tried Santoni a few times at some mall, and they were too long for me. Too bad.

The Brown pair of LE should fit nicely however, based on the seller's measurements, so they remain an option.

 

[JohnMRobie]

I might have to pass on the Uniqua. The seller replied, that the 10.5 UK is 12.95 inches in external length and 4.13 inches in external width. That is too long and narrow for my foot.

My shoes are generally 12.6-12.75 inches in length and 4.25 inches in width.
Then again, one never knows until one tries on the actual shoe. Maybe the longer length will compensate a little for the narrower width. I only tried Santoni a few times at some mall, and they were too long for me. Too bad.

The Brown pair of LE should fit nicely however, based on the seller's measurements, so they remain an option.

I’m sure you know as you kind of hinted at it but outsole measurements can give you a rough idea but are far from a good way to determine actual fit. You’re basically taking two 2D measurements and trying to apply it to a 3D object - not to mention variance in things like welt width throwing that off as obviously your concern is the interior volume. Always best to see if you can find size guidance from people who actually own the shoe and can compare their fit feedback to your own fit guidance if trying on and returning isn’t an option. I can’t help with that on these as I don’t have a pair of Uniqua but perhaps one of the guys who does can post their fit comparisons. Edit: a really rough visualization of what I mean - shoes that all fit the same feet with wildly different outsole measurements.

 

[Professor Χάος]

I’m sure you know as you kind of hinted at it but outsole measurements can give you a rough idea but are far from a good way to determine actual fit. You’re basically taking two 2D measurements and trying to apply it to a 3D object - not to mention variance in things like welt width throwing that off as obviously your concern is the interior volume. Always best to see if you can find size guidance from people who actually own the shoe and can compare their fit feedback to your own fit guidance if trying on and returning isn’t an option. I can’t help with that on these as I don’t have a pair of Uniqua but perhaps one of the guys who does can post their fit comparisons.

Thanks for your perspective. I agree entirely.

Nearly all the shoes I've bought over the last 8 years have been online, due to the steep discounts available.

External length and external width measurements have served me well, but until you try on the shoe, its impossible to say for sure. Shoes expand a little with wear after all, but 12.9 inches sounds a bit much. In fact, I own a Zegna Couture double monk strap that is 13 inches, and I have to wear them with thick socks. With narrow shoes that would not be possible, but again, the narrowness may make up for the extra length. On top of that, Uniqua seem to be round toed, instead of having a narrow toe box, which adds to my concerns about fit given its length. Its impossible to say, but since the seller is in Italy, it will cost me back and forth shipping to find out.

Anyway, thanks for all the feedback gentlemen. Only on SF can I find anyone who understands my strange obsession with high quality tailoring and shoes.....(Does anyone besides me wear suits anymore?)

 

[E. coli]

Rest in Peace Andrea Santoni ?

 

[Lamschke]

Hello,

I have heard a lot of good thinks about Santoni.

Is the following pair (only) Blake-Stitched?

Thanks in advance!

 

[JohnMRobie]

Hello,

I have heard a lot of good thinks about Santoni.

Is the following pair (only) Blake-Stitched?

Thanks in advance!

The Goodyear welted pairs I have specifically say “Goodyear” on them and have a brown lining rather than orange.

 

[Lamschke]

The Goodyear welted pairs I have specifically say “Goodyear” on them and have a brown lining rather than orange. View attachment 1665473 View attachment 1665474

Thank you!
I know about the Goodyear-Welted Ones.
They are amazing.

None-the-less i would be very interested, whether one of you could help me with my specific pair of Santoni‘s.

I suppose that they are Blake-Stitched.

 

[JohnMRobie]

Thank you!
I know about the Goodyear-Welted Ones.
They are amazing.

None-the-less i would be very interested, whether one of you could help me with my specific pair of Santoni‘s.

I suppose that they are Blake-Stitched.

Based on what you posted I don’t see the Goodyear stamp on the sole and I see the liner is orange. Beyond that guess I have no idea from the pictures you posted. In addition to the Goodyear and some Norwegian, I believe they have used Blake or bologna so I’d guess one of those two.

 

[Betelgeuse]

Hello,

I have heard a lot of good thinks about Santoni.

Is the following pair (only) Blake-Stitched?

Thanks in advance!

Those look a lot like the ones I used to have.

Don't know the model though. But if I don't remember badly, they were blake.

 

[liahos1]

I visited the santoni store near me in Bal Harbour. I was asking about MTO and the salesman pulled out a swatch. He showed me the leather used on the Patina double monks on display.

I’m assuming this is crust leather? Something about the leather here was somewhat cordovan like. It was substantial/thick and had a very glossy sheen.

When I looked at the swatches, this leather was in its own book. it certainly stood out vs the other leather in the other swatch books.

Im wondering if this “sheen” is a certain type of treatment? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it.

 

[mrtpv]

Thank you!
I know about the Goodyear-Welted Ones.
They are amazing.

None-the-less i would be very interested, whether one of you could help me with my specific pair of Santoni‘s.

I suppose that they are Blake-Stitched.

Blake rapid , Wilson last Santoni