Skoaktiebolaget – Enzo Bonafé, Saint Crispin’s, John Lobb, Löf & Tung

[sdfzs]

As one of those blessed with ability to physically visit the store and who developed the interest over time inspired by many of the excellent individuals who worked in the store it's sad news. Having had the ability to interact with the excellent staff has been outstanding in my view and while the team members naturally changed over the year you always had a great team @Leaves

I still fondly remember my first Carmina purchase assisted by Alexander (still in rotation), my first MTO discussion with Gabriel for the very first and fondly worn pair of StC MTO's (Helping me decide on that remaining stunning TCK leather) and the journey from there leading to a shoe count my wife must never truly know.

I hope the future will hold good things for the evolved Skoaktiebolaget and I sure hope there will be continued possibilities to interact with individuals and meet makers at trunk shows moving forward in a way that set physical stores aside from online-only outlets.

 

[dangerous]

The possibility to just drop by, say hi, and make small talk has been one of my favourite parts of being in the neighborhood. I echo sdfzs feelings about the exceptional staff. Olof and Erik are both fantastic and I'm glad they will be available next door; experiencing the revelation of shoes. First visit with Dannefalk photoshopping mto ideas on the go, Douglas always dressy and friendly. The extra personell have been amazing; the one that works now, Sebastian?, have been filling in exceptionally.


I think it is easy to see the store as something that's online and on here, but for the people living in Stockholm it have been a place where you meet staff that ALWAYS take their time to discuss stuff. They are honest and are not just trying to sell footwear. How many times did Olof, Grönis, Calle and Erik laugh when I explained an idea? Shrugged? Shook their heads? Probably more often than they have agreed, but knowing that they are genuine made it easier for me to double down and be create some abominations.

Green ostrich monkey boots with chained norvegese? Blue kudu double monks? Shark jodhpurs? The orange pair? They have been there to question me and help me develop my own style. Or lack of it.

Meeting Massimo and Silvia. Daniel Wegan. The ever so anonymous Daniel Tung. You Patrik. I don't think the online culture can create the same fond memories, but if there is any store that can do it, it is the staff of Skoaktiebolaget.

It feels like everyone that left the store is still a part of the family; they all seem to be dropping by occasionally.

I hope it will be possible to host physical trunks out of the office... Touching and feeling leather is such an interesting experience.


End of rambling.

 

[Leaves]

I appreciate the support and kind words!

What I'll miss with the store the most is of course the great fellas that are working with us, both full time and part time. It's been a great group of people over the years and although some of them will keep working for skoaktiebolaget.com (and also in "my" Loake Shoemakers flagship store on Humlegårdsgatan 4), they will be missed.

As for all local clients, I do hope we get the chance to meet at trunk shows and other events, and to be frank the trunk shows have been the favorite part of the business the last few years as it's the best opportunity to interact with like minded shoe connoisseurs. It's refreshing to have someone not ask "when is the next sale" as their first question.

 

[Leaves]

Good luck @Leaves
I am not surprised at all. The SF community is on life support too. The fine well-built shoes are worn as ornament these days. The pandemic just sped things up, that's all.

Yeah I wonder where everyone is these days. So many SF members that used to be very frequent have just disappeared in thin air. Are they on reddit, Discord, Instagram? Or have a lot of the shoe guys from "back in the day" just switched their interest to other hobbies?

 

[Proleet]

Yeah I wonder where everyone is these days. So many SF members that used to be very frequent have just disappeared in thin air. Are they on reddit, Discord, Instagram? Or have a lot of the shoe guys from "back in the day" just switched their interest to other hobbies?

i think it’s the working from home situation a lot of people are still in. For me it has definitely dampened my desire to buy new shoes (and check SF although I still do quite regularly). Let’s hope things will go back to more normal soon!

 

[tdes81]

Yeah I wonder where everyone is these days. So many SF members that used to be very frequent have just disappeared in thin air. Are they on reddit, Discord, Instagram? Or have a lot of the shoe guys from "back in the day" just switched their interest to other hobbies?

For me at least, i'm at home 99% of the time because I'm working from home. My only chances to wear fun shoes/boots are trips to the supermarket. Hopefully after omicron finishes peaking here I can get back to the office a bit.

 

[laufer]

I think it started long before COVID. There was a nucleus of enthusiasts who were the bedrock of the buying spree. These men fulfilled the collection needs and may have influenced others to buy a few pairs here and there. Once you buy classic and a few colors, it's over. How many cherry-colored shoes do you really need?

 

[djdanniedee]

I feel this as well. Back during the glory days (and before marriage), all i could think about was what shoes to buy. As the classics were filled, the need for things out of the ordinary became necessary, and then back to some classics i may have overlooked. By now, i have enough dress shoes/boots to literally last me a lifetime. Also marriage prevents any spontaneous purchases as well.

I often dream of the old glory days...

I think it started long before COVID. There was a nucleus of enthusiasts who were the bedrock of the buying spree. These men fulfilled the collection needs and may have influenced others to buy a few pairs here and there. Once you buy classic and a few colors, it's over. How many cherry-colored shoes do you really need?

 

[St1X]

How many cherry-colored shoes do you really need?

All of them!

 

[dangerous]

All of them!

How many green ostrich boots?

 

[Proleet]

I think it started long before COVID. There was a nucleus of enthusiasts who were the bedrock of the buying spree. These men fulfilled the collection needs and may have influenced others to buy a few pairs here and there. Once you buy classic and a few colors, it's over. How many cherry-colored shoes do you really need?

then the problem is lack of new buyers entering the category. The same can be said for high end sports cars or watches yet those are still doing fine.

 

[dangerous]

then the problem is lack of new buyers entering the category. The same can be said for high end sports cars or watches yet those are still doing fine.

When I started my journey Carlos Santos were the budget pairs; I think a lot of people get roped into Morjas and other "premium hand made shoes" now and don't have the natural step that most of us had. I walked in, dreamed about a pair of Enzo Bonafé... It was a grail. A few years later, I'm looking at my collection and see so many purple boxes... If there were no brick and mortar store, I probably would have been set at having a pair and then be done.

The large amount of marketing now makes it hard for proper stores to really deal with it - Skoaktiebolagets media platform is hardly as large as the probable millions of dollars that Thursday boots and other companies pay to promote.

 

[losrockets]

Yeah I wonder where everyone is these days. So many SF members that used to be very frequent have just disappeared in thin air. Are they on reddit, Discord, Instagram? Or have a lot of the shoe guys from "back in the day" just switched their interest to other hobbies?

I work from home 80% or more now and even when I dress in sportcoat or suit, I sadly just keep house shoes on my feet. I have a sizeable and lovely collection of GYW shoes which just haven't gotten enough wear. Living in a casual US city, going out doesn't always mean a chance to wear nicer clothes either. And I think even before COVID I was getting close to reaching a stable rotation of shoes which, while not exhaustive, would cover me in most situations. As my current pairs wear out, I'll probably be upgrading on a 1:1 basis and keep Skoaktiebolaget in mind for that purpose. The shift to GMTO/MTO is actually appealing in that regard because once I know my fit I won't have to wait around for a sale and instead can get exactly what I want, when I want it.

 

[St1X]

How many green ostrich boots?

None!

 

[H. E. Pennypacker]

When I started my journey Carlos Santos were the budget pairs; I think a lot of people get roped into Morjas and other "premium hand made shoes" now and don't have the natural step that most of us had. I walked in, dreamed about a pair of Enzo Bonafé... It was a grail.

Not only that but I think there’s been a substantial shift in how newcomers perceive our hobby or this niche space. When I first started, everyone was buying Carmina, Enzo, C&J and etc., for a lot of people Enzo was the ‘grail’ or the epitome along w other makers, but now I’m seeing everyone trying to get a pair of Clinch, Ostmo and whatever other workwear/Americana maker there is as their ‘grail’. There’s been a substantial shift to Americana/workwear footwear.
I was first on Reddit and the shoe postings were significantly more diverse than they are today. A lot of newcomers into this niche are introduced to it by Reddit, my presumption, and by default are immediately introduced to whatever makers and aesthetic is trending in r/gyw which is currently service boots and chunky ass congo stompers. Plus, Instagram has become a major hub for any consumption community, and I assumed everyone knows the biggest influencers on there and their style.