The Bespoke Shoes Thread

[Texasmade]

...about $5500 and $8000... If I could turn back time and not get them, I would in a heartbeat.

Wow, that really sucks. I'm sorry that you had to experience such poor shoes for such a high price.

At one point I was thinking of trying GJC because they were cheaper than JLP and they came to Houston regularly. After @dieworkwear experience's he mentioned on the forum and seeing other people's shoes, I'm really glad I never went through with them.

 

[shackletonian]

well I knew I wouldn't touch GC with all the story, but I suppose this just further solidify my opinion...

I had not gotten involved in previous GC discussions because I was still in the process (the alligator being in the process of making and the loafers being adjusted) and wanted to give GC the benefit of the doubt. I am glad that they will remake the loafers, but, to be honest, the finishing, fit, and adjustments are really disappointing, including the heel of the oxfords. Again, they've been pleasant enough, just disappointing execution.

 

[clee1982]

yea I think for English I'll go for Nicholas Templeman with all the stuff I have seen, or one of the undetermined Japanese (not easy logistically for any of them though, except maybe YF)

 

[shackletonian]

Wow, that really sucks. I'm sorry that you had to experience such poor shoes for such a high price.

At one point I was thinking of trying GJC because they were cheaper than JLP and they came to Houston regularly. After @dieworkwear experience's he mentioned on the forum and seeing other people's shoes, I'm really glad I never went through with them.

Thanks. It's a hard pill to swallow and feels more like a financial loss. My better half indulged me on these shoes. She works in bridal alterations, so her income was... well... the shoes make up a huge part of what she would earn. When she saw the shoes today and the finish (I didn't even show the cuts and scratches on the inside of the alligators), she immediately saw them and started to cry. I started a pair with Templeman, and I have full confidence in those.

Edit: To clarify, I can afford the shoes. MBH knows what they cost and relative to *her* salary, they are something like half her annual income.

 

[dieworkwear]

That's really unfortunate. As someone who has been in that position, I feel your pain. I don't know what to say. It's a bummer when you order something nice for yourself and they turn out like that.

I've been let down by many bespoke commissions before. But my Clev commission was the worst of them.

I remember receiving my Clev shoes on Christmas Eve. I had just gone out drinking with friends. Got home, opened up the box, and didn't feel very excited about the shoes. I couldn't place my finger on why, but figured I was tired and drunk, and should go to sleep. The next morning, I took a closer look at them and they just looked ... not great. The fit was also very loose, despite four fittings.

I don't have a problem fitting into ready-to-wear, and I like GYW shoes just fine. So buying bespoke is purely an indulgence. It was a real bummer of an experience.

I think, sometimes, when I go through an experience like this, it's with a much smaller maker and I know the person is struggling to make a living. Maybe they're trying their best. I don't go back because I don't have money to burn like that, but I sympathize with the person. But with Clev, it's such a big operation and I felt like I was treated like such a small timer, the combination of the service and shoes just left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[djdanniedee]

For that price I feel you should absolutely go back to them!!

...about $5500 and $8000... If I could turn back time and not get them, I would in a heartbeat.

 

[shackletonian]

For that price I feel you should absolutely go back to them!!

Indeed. I'm not sure what to say for the oxfords.

For others with more experience, what should I do about the oxfords? Complain about the heel fit? The leather quality? Leave it be?

 

[dieworkwear]

Indeed. I'm not sure what to say for the oxfords.

For others with more experience, what should I do about the oxfords? Complain about the heel fit? The leather quality? Leave it be?

If it were me, I would ask for a refund. Say you'll send the shoes back. I suppose they will offer to remake them. Up to you to accept that or not. Personally, my guess is that there will be other issues with the remake, but who knows. Maybe they'll turn out right.

They may offer to give you a partial refund. Personally, don't recommend accepting that, as you'll likely never wear the shoes if they don't give you any joy, and you'll still be out some amount. But if there's no other solution, at least a partial refund is better than nothing.

Putting extra padding in the heel to solve a fit issue seems ... not right? Imagine if the shoes were loose and a bespoke shoemaker just put in a tongue pad.

 

[j ingevaldsson]

Indeed. I'm not sure what to say for the oxfords.

For others with more experience, what should I do about the oxfords? Complain about the heel fit? The leather quality? Leave it be?

IME, IMO, when ordering full bespoke shoes, you should always be very clear with your perception of both the make of the shoes and especially the fit. Don't settle with something that isn't what was promised when ordering (through samples etc and through what's expected from a bespoke shoe in terms of fit), but it's up to you to communicate if it hasn't been reached.

As I've said before, a "perfect" fit isn't what I talk about here, having shoes fit perfectly is such a difficult thing that even with several fitting shoes it is commonly more to perfect with coming pairs. But the bar should be high, and what I can gather on your shoes they aren't even close.

I've had final pairs with various fit issues several times (also pairs that aren't first ones from the maker), and when it's bigger things, it's basically always no questions asked just back for a remake (only exception has been from one of the cheaper bespoke shoemakers, where they also tried solving things with "homemade" solutions instead of redoing the shoes). It's part of what you pay a large sum for, that every now and then things don't turn out well and they have to redo the work. But since you have paid that large sum, that is also what you should demand, and if needed you should tell the maker that it's what you demand, and that it hasn't been met. Since GC accept remaking the shoes (sounds like they also should do that with the oxfords to me), they are still doing what they should here.

 

[RJman]

@shackletonian I’m really sorry to read of this. I can imagine something like a pair of alligator wholecuts being a grail, something you’d wanted for a while as a special purchase, and it sounds like despite your acting in the best faith as a customer all along, they did not deliver.

If it were me, I would ask for a refund. Say you'll send the shoes back. I suppose they will offer to remake them. Up to you to accept that or not. Personally, my guess is that there will be other issues with the remake, but who knows. Maybe they'll turn out right.

They may offer to give you a partial refund. Personally, don't recommend accepting that, as you'll likely never wear the shoes if they don't give you any joy, and you'll still be out some amount. But if there's no other solution, at least a partial refund is better than nothing.

Putting extra padding in the heel to solve a fit issue seems ... not right? Imagine if the shoes were loose and a bespoke shoemaker just put in a tongue pad.

 

[dieworkwear]

IME, IMO, when ordering full bespoke shoes, you should always be very clear with your perception of both the make of the shoes and especially the fit. Don't settle with something that isn't what was promised when ordering (through samples etc and through what's expected from a bespoke shoe in terms of fit), but it's up to you to communicate if it hasn't been reached.

As I've said before, a "perfect" fit isn't what I talk about here, having shoes fit perfectly is such a difficult thing that even with several fitting shoes it is commonly more to perfect with coming pairs. But the bar should be high, and what I can gather on your shoes they aren't even close.

I've had final pairs with various fit issues several times (also pairs that aren't first ones from the maker), and when it's bigger things, it's basically always no questions asked just back for a remake (only exception has been from one of the cheaper makers, where they also tried solving things with "homemade" solutions instead of redoing the shoes). It's part of what you pay a large sum for, that every now and then things don't turn out well and they have to redo the work. But since you have paid that large sum, that is also what you should demand, and if needed you should tell the maker that it's what you demand, and that it hasn't been met.

"I'd like these to fit without needing to put a Sharpie inside."

 

[shackletonian]

"I'd like these to fit without needing to put a Sharpie inside."

For all that the sharpie is/was visible, the real issue is the right shoe and feeling like I'm experiencing foot-binding

 

[WhyUEarly]

I feel so bad for @shackletonian . That anecdote about the wife is a bit crushing. I'm just kind of shocked. If GC can't be bothered to get a pair of alligator shoes properly, it's just very obvious that they do not value their customers at all. It's a pair of wholecut alligator. It would seem obvious that you would make sure it's get made by more experienced outworkers considering the cost of the material itself. I mean, if GC can't bother to satisfy and retain a customer who can afford alligator, then what kind of customer does GC want?

 

[Texasmade]

I feel so bad for @shackletonian . That anecdote about the wife is a bit crushing. I'm just kind of shocked. If GC can't be bothered to get a pair of alligator shoes properly, it's just very obvious that they do not value their customers at all. It's a pair of wholecut alligator. It would seem obvious that you would make sure it's get made by more experienced outworkers considering the cost of the material itself. I mean, if GC can't bother to satisfy and retain a customer who can afford alligator, then what kind of customer does GC want?

The beautiful customers like Stallone and Statham obviously.

 

[dieworkwear]

I feel so bad for @shackletonian . That anecdote about the wife is a bit crushing. I'm just kind of shocked. If GC can't be bothered to get a pair of alligator shoes properly, it's just very obvious that they do not value their customers at all. It's a pair of wholecut alligator. It would seem obvious that you would make sure it's get made by more experienced outworkers considering the cost of the material itself. I mean, if GC can't bother to satisfy and retain a customer who can afford alligator, then what kind of customer does GC want?

When I ordered, Senior talked about clients who were members of gentlemen's clubs and ordered bespoke shoes by the dozens. I'm certainly a small timer in that regard, as I can only order one pair every couple of years.

It's possible that GC is an elaborate Antifa operation organized to punish the super-rich by making them wear bad shoes.