• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

The high end Chinese Shoe Thread

j ingevaldsson

Distinguished Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
2,475
Reaction score
4,133
Does the MTM come with a substantial fee or your standard ~20%?

MTO is about $150-200 extra, MTM starts with the same upcharge on top of that then I believe, but then depending on how big changes needed might be more, they hadn’t fully settled the final price lists when I ordered a while back.
 

BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2017
Messages
5,585
Reaction score
28,994
MTO is about $150-200 extra, MTM starts with the same upcharge on top of that then I believe, but then depending on how big changes needed might be more, they hadn’t fully settled the final price lists when I ordered a while back.

Hopefully the total costs were disclosed prior to final purchase. I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate "surprises" on your invoice.
 

Encore

Distinguished Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2016
Messages
3,201
Reaction score
10,706
Claims is one thing (though would say too many say they have things “exactly made as bespoke” and offered as RTW, again MTO there’s many, but not RTW), but actual specs is another thing ?



Alright, just surprised it wasn’t specified on his website where he goes through the specs. But can you buy Aurum RTW? If so, then that would be only one, spec wise, on same level for RTW that I know of.
Heck no, you can't buy Aurum RTW ?. Good luck receiving them within a year as well haha.

AM did sell Aurum RTW before, but more as a one off I think. I don't think he will do it again.
 

BomTrady

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2019
Messages
400
Reaction score
637
IMO, does not merit the purchase at that price for cemented shoes. Of course, this is just my opinion and should not discourage those interested in purchasing it.

The HW, on the other hand, seems a sound purchase decision. Sound for those wanting a pointy shoe ?.

You alluded to a possible adjustment of the last. With your shoe industry ways, a strongly worded suggestion slipped under the table might do the trick ?.
I was under the impression that loafers are glued, sometimes at least, in order to provide high levels of flexibility and lightness. Back when I didn't know the differences, I bought quite a few cemented Ferragamo shoes that are still in very good condition - some more than 15 years old; absolutely no signs of coming apart or anything and I take them on vacation with me, wear them on week end errands and rough them up pretty darn good.
 

BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2017
Messages
5,585
Reaction score
28,994
I was under the impression that loafers are glued, sometimes at least, in order to provide high levels of flexibility and lightness. Back when I didn't know the differences, I bought quite a few cemented Ferragamo shoes that are still in very good condition - some more than 15 years old; absolutely no signs of coming apart or anything and I take them on vacation with me, wear them on week end errands and rough them up pretty darn good.

They definitely can be cemented. Typically if it is a rubbery sole, you can find this method employed. Considering that, I would at minimum like a Blake construction for a loafer. In fact, I prefer it due to its flexibility. Ideally you'd want a HW, but that's going to raise the price substantially.
 

BomTrady

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2019
Messages
400
Reaction score
637
They definitely can be cemented. Typically if it is a rubbery sole, you can find this method employed. Considering that, I would at minimum like a Blake construction for a loafer. In fact, I prefer it due to its flexibility. Ideally you'd want a HW, but that's going to raise the price substantially.
Thank you for this. But all else equal, wouldn't a cemented shoe be lighter than a HW one or even a Blake, for that matter?
 

Encore

Distinguished Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2016
Messages
3,201
Reaction score
10,706
Letting go my Black single monk from XiBao. Worn twice. I just don't wear black shoes too much.
For more details please see
 

BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2017
Messages
5,585
Reaction score
28,994
Thank you for this. But all else equal, wouldn't a cemented shoe be lighter than a HW one or even a Blake, for that matter?

Well I guess if we are talking bare minimum here and from a perspective of leather components within the shoe I guess you can place them as such..
Cement
Bologna (should weigh the same as Blake but more comfortable due to stitching placement so I'll take the liberty of making it lighter ?)
Blake
Blake rapid
HW (don't be surprised if this would be under Blake in terms of weight)
GYW
 
Last edited:

BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2017
Messages
5,585
Reaction score
28,994
Thank you for this. But all else equal, wouldn't a cemented shoe be lighter than a HW one or even a Blake, for that matter?

Honestly though, if you get yourself an unstructured Blake or Bologna pair of shoes (like a suede venetian-style moccasin loafer) I doubt the cemented shoes would then be lighter. You'd be surprised at the amount of flexibility you can get on a pair of Blakes.
 

j ingevaldsson

Distinguished Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
2,475
Reaction score
4,133
^^^ Yeah that’s the thing, if a bespoke workshop wants to make a lightweight flexible shoe (same with Acme’s quarter lined light loafers), there’s only cement construction to go to. You don’t buy an expensive McKay machine and have that take up shitloads of space for a limited amount of pairs done this way. Same reason most bespoke shoemakers only cement on rubber soles (they are still hand welted, but no sole stitch), you can’t stitch those by hand, and no reason to buy a Rapid machine for only a few pairs a year.
 

BomTrady

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2019
Messages
400
Reaction score
637
Letting go my Black single monk from XiBao. Worn twice. I just don't wear black shoes too much.
For more details please see
They are gorgeous! Ouch!
 

Wild Strawberry Rabbit

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2017
Messages
824
Reaction score
6,840
I've honestly never seen so many beautiful shoes on one thread in my entire life!
I agree lot of beautiful shoes in this thread although my post is a little off topic since Kielman is Polish, not Chinese maker ;) The design of these loafers was client’s idea. He also ordered two more pairs of these loafers but HW not cemented and in different materials. One brown/blue suede and one „heavier” version for Autumn/Winter. All three pairs are really beautiful IMO.



 
Last edited:

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 36.7%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 59 39.3%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 15 10.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 26 17.3%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 26 17.3%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,128
Messages
10,578,702
Members
223,884
Latest member
NathanBrooks
Top