The Bespoke Shoes Thread

[Texasmade]

Picture of Paul Wilson doing the cutting of my trial shoes. This was over multiple fittings.

 

[BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes]

The only 'device' I use is a pedgraph--which is just a sheet of inked rubber stretched across a frame to take a footprint. And of course a 'stick' and a pen. Do those qualify as "doohickeys"?

They do not qualify as doohickeys haha. That's the "old timer" stuff I referred to previously.

Usually the younger shoemakers have all the gadgets. Considering I do not own a Bespoke shoe from a guy/gal younger than 45 (maybe older actually), I do not have the exposure J.Ings has to the modern shoemaker and their methods of measurement and shoemaking.

Hoping to change that though
??.

 

[Manuel]

Is he on this thread or forum? Would love to hear his perspective or comments on the subject of how it improves his measurement results.

If I recall correctly (on this video I saw), Wegan uses this compass looking thing, a ruler, some widgetty thing that is metallic and conforms to the foot, a circular object. This man has all the fancy gadgets.

Unfortunately, I've only ever used the "old timers" that use paper, a ruler, pencil, and their hands. None of that fun stuff that makes it feel like a science experiment. Admittedly though, I do always get a fantastic fit with plain boring method.

Do you think this says a lot about the professional? Have you seen how the shoe looks when you have cut it?
If that is the first test, it means that he doesn't have much idea of making custom shoes, yes, I know that he is a champion in making competition shoes, but that has nothing to do with working to measure.

Have you observed the shoe arrangement? That image speaks for itself, he has no idea how the lasts are arranged, I am sorry but I see it at a great distance.
As I said before, it is very easy to distinguish who knows how to work from who does not know how to do it.

If you see that a professional does not have much variety in his work, begin to suspect that he is very limited and he will be good at it, but nothing else.
Just watch, the images say a lot. If you see someone who makes lasts but always does the same, with the same forms ........ when someone different arrives and asks for another type of shoe, they will be unable to do so because they have only learned that and that form of to work.

And believe me, you do not learn by doing 20 shoes a year, no, it takes many many more and to do it continuously and above all you must work alone, to learn and pay attention not to fail since that costs you money ..... .
The four or five that remain in my country have an RTW line, all of them began to measure and finally gave up because they spent months taking apart shoes and trying them on clients, which was not profitable. Finally the client was pissed off and the shoemaker demoralized .......
Thats the reality.

 

[dieworkwear]

I'm going to start cutting up RTW shoes in a store before I try them on to see if they fit.

 

[bengal-stripe]

I have no idea about how it works

Here are two photo essay, showing the fitting process as used by John Lobb Paris (the alma mater of most of the important French shoemakers).

Bespoke shoe - John Lobb Paris

Men's collection - fashionologie | fashion news | fashion shows | designers | models and ...

coolechicstyletodressitalian.blogspot.com

John Lobb Bespoke Boots and Shoes Service

John Lobb provides bespoke boots and shoes service for over 150 years. The company last maker, Francois Maddonini’s father was a leatherworker in the Company Marius Pat (subsidiary of Hermès)…

hkdotblogger.wordpress.com

The essays are from 2008 and 2016 respectively, so it is not last year's fashion gimmick. But I do not know when JLP took up the technique and if they are the actual 'inventors'. As far as I know, most of the top French (and quite a few Japanese) houses practice that way of checking the fit of the trial shoe.

 

[BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes]

Do you think this says a lot about the professional? Have you seen how the shoe looks when you have cut it?
If that is the first test, it means that he doesn't have much idea of making custom shoes, yes, I know that he is a champion in making competition shoes, but that has nothing to do with working to measure.

Have you observed the shoe arrangement? That image speaks for itself, he has no idea how the lasts are arranged, I am sorry but I see it at a great distance.
As I said before, it is very easy to distinguish who knows how to work from who does not know how to do it.

If you see that a professional does not have much variety in his work, begin to suspect that he is very limited and he will be good at it, but nothing else.
Just watch, the images say a lot. If you see someone who makes lasts but always does the same, with the same forms ........ when someone different arrives and asks for another type of shoe, they will be unable to do so because they have only learned that and that form of to work.

And believe me, you do not learn by doing 20 shoes a year, no, it takes many many more and to do it continuously and above all you must work alone, to learn and pay attention not to fail since that costs you money ..... .
The four or five that remain in my country have an RTW line, all of them began to measure and finally gave up because they spent months taking apart shoes and trying them on clients, which was not profitable. Finally the client was pissed off and the shoemaker demoralized .......
Thats the reality.

I guess that is also reflected on who continuously receives, and keeps clients.

It may be a bias of mines, but unless I see extensive apprentiship experience and/or general shoemaking experience (as in actual years making shoes) I am always apprehensive about handing my money over to a newcomer.

 

[j ingevaldsson]

Do you think this says a lot about the professional? Have you seen how the shoe looks when you have cut it?
If that is the first test, it means that he doesn't have much idea of making custom shoes, yes, I know that he is a champion in making competition shoes, but that has nothing to do with working to measure.

Have you observed the shoe arrangement? That image speaks for itself, he has no idea how the lasts are arranged, I am sorry but I see it at a great distance.
As I said before, it is very easy to distinguish who knows how to work from who does not know how to do it.

If you see that a professional does not have much variety in his work, begin to suspect that he is very limited and he will be good at it, but nothing else.
Just watch, the images say a lot. If you see someone who makes lasts but always does the same, with the same forms ........ when someone different arrives and asks for another type of shoe, they will be unable to do so because they have only learned that and that form of to work.

And believe me, you do not learn by doing 20 shoes a year, no, it takes many many more and to do it continuously and above all you must work alone, to learn and pay attention not to fail since that costs you money ..... .
The four or five that remain in my country have an RTW line, all of them began to measure and finally gave up because they spent months taking apart shoes and trying them on clients, which was not profitable. Finally the client was pissed off and the shoemaker demoralized .......
Thats the reality.

That fitting shoe was pretty bad indeed, were made several more before final shoe, Daniel did struggle with my feet. But to state that “he doesn't have much idea of making custom shoes” from looking at these pics, is quite obscene TBH. The reputation G&G built up with Daniel as lastmaker, and the amount of pleased customers wearing shoes made on his lasts, proves quite a lot more than you commenting on a couple of pictures from one fitting, I would say.

And looking at experience, he has worked 10+ years as a bespoke shoemaker, but during that time worked as a lastmaker during regular hours, then at home in evenings, nights and weekends did another full time employee round as a bottom maker (he did more bottom making on his spare time then the hired bottom makers did a week), so one could say that he have 20 years of experience, looking at it that way. I’m not sure where the “20 shoes per year comes from”, maybe that’s what you do?

 

[BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes]

Here are two photo essay, showing the fitting process as used by John Lobb Paris (the Alma Mater of most of the important French shoemaker).

Bespoke shoe - John Lobb Paris

Men's collection - fashionologie | fashion news | fashion shows | designers | models and ...

coolechicstyletodressitalian.blogspot.com

John Lobb Bespoke Boots and Shoes Service

John Lobb provides bespoke boots and shoes service for over 150 years. The company last maker, Francois Maddonini’s father was a leatherworker in the Company Marius Pat (subsidiary of Hermès)…

hkdotblogger.wordpress.com

The essays are from 2008 and 2016 respectively, so it is not last years fashion gimmick. But I do not know when JLP took up the technique and if they are the actual 'inventors'. As far as I know, most of the top French (and quite a few Japanese) houses practice that way of checking the fit of the trial shoe.

Fantastic! Thank you ??.

Incidentally, I do notice many of the Japanese makers use this method. I heard the same about the French. Which is why when I had that fitting with Dimitri .. Well I mentioned how that went ?.

 

[dieworkwear]

Now, I have quite complicated feet (all makers agree on this, and they enjoy trashtalking my feet when they meet, overheard it myself a couple of times,

I want to hear more stories about shoemakers trash-talking customers' feet.

 

[j ingevaldsson]

They do not qualify as doohickeys haha. That's the "old timer" stuff I referred to previously.

Usually the younger shoemakers have all the gadgets. Considering I do not own a Bespoke shoe from a guy/gal younger than 45 (maybe older actually), I do not have the exposure J.Ings has to the modern shoemaker and their methods of measurement and shoemaking.

Hoping to change that though
??.

I have shoes from bespoke makers that have worked 40+ years in the trade as well, as a note... ?

 

[j ingevaldsson]

I want to hear more stories about shoemakers trash-talking customers' feet.

I bet you do ?

 

[DWFII]

Picture of Paul Wilson doing the cutting of my trial shoes. This was over multiple fittings.
View attachment 1403539

I'd be interested in knowing in how this all came out. Given the tape measure on the floor, I'm thinking there must be two full inches (or close by) of clearance between the end of the foot and the inside end of the shoe.

Seems inordinately excessive to me.

Maybe it's just the photo or an early stage in the fitting process, but all the literature suggestss 3 full sizes (each size being 1/3 of an inch) clearance for a medium round toe.

IMO, FWIW...

 

[dauster]

Pics of Jean-Michel from Berluti cutting my trial shoes open. The trial shoes were actually a pretty terrible fit and way too tight. My understanding is he will make adjustment and go straight to the finished shoe. Frankly, I was surprised about it and would have thought a second trial shoe would be better but seems like LVMH doesn't have problems wasting resources in case the finished shoes don't fit

 

[Texasmade]

I'd be interested in knowing in how this all came out. Given the tape measure on the floor, I'm thinking there must be two full inches (or close by) of clearance between the end of the foot and the inside end of the shoe.

Seems inordinately excessive to me.

Maybe it's just the photo or an early stage in the fitting process, but all the literature suggestss 3 full sizes (each size being 1/3 of and inch) clearance for a medium round toe.

IMO, FWIW...

I posted this before either here or the JL thread. I had multiple fittings before the final shoes. I wore them about 2 months before having JL take them back and correct the size since it was too much space in the toe box. I'm pretty sure the shoes were shortened from the trial fitting to the finished shoe.

I'll have to find my pictures of the shoes.

 

[DWFII]

Thanks for confirming my suspicions. I'm glad you returned them. As I was telling @patrickBOOTH such excess makes it hard for the toes of the foot to control the forepart of the shoes. And sometimes the customer can get blisters on his toes because the forepart of the shoe and by association, the toe stiffener, crease in the wrong spot.