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The Styleforum x Archibald Sneaker GMTO

OlafG

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I tried the suede midtops yesterday just to try them on... Wow. Its not the same suede we use on the SF01's but instead the one we found for the Loafers. We should make a home slipper using deer or this suede.

SF-03 anyone?

Well, let me just say that I am very tempted to get a pair of Suede UL's lol
 

ThePetros

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So when we started this we got a lot of backlash about designing something with the community etc... some of you might remember the GQ article and the subsequent Reddit thread that mocked what we were doing.

Anyways, so I only own a white calfskin pair of SF-01 v1s (I actually took a pair that didn't pass QC due to the sidewall stitching but this is quite interesting to observe how issues seen in v1 which were improved through the collaborative, iterative process we have going on here helped us achieve the v3.

So full disclosure, these are the only shoes I have been wearing for a year now. I wear them every day, I have run in them (they aren't Nike's so I wouldn't recommend), have cleaned them once maybe just to test how the leather reacts for a customer, played football in them a few times, trekked, and effectively wear them for long walks, short walks, evenings out etc..

So we said the difference in the v1s over what the market was offering was that we had true craftsmen specialising in handwelted footwear aiding us in the construction of these (and despite what happened with Cappi and what he pulled through the pandemic - the expertise was ultimately there). The hand-cut uppers made a difference, as did the difference in the quality of leathers being used for the sneakers when compared to the traditional luxury market offerings. Then we had the silhouette - something we took a lot of stick for because it resembled the CP's - well, let's be honest... everything does in the minimalist white sneaker market but nevertheless there you had it. The aim was to provide top value for something better (in truth we set out to go create the best, regardless of value).

So we did it and the v1's were released. We had tongue-gate, the discovery on vegetable-tanned leathers and how the tannery eventually revealed the white calfskin was actually a combination tanned skin, and finally the footboard which was revealed when Rose Anvil cut them open. Now a fiber-board footboard is common and I have made this a habit that every time I am at a shoestore, I start to remove the insoles and check what they are made of. 9.9/10 it is a fibre board floorboard.

Discussions were had for the v2's, the tongue gate was solved and you all pushed for the floorboard to be improved to one made of leather. We went out there across Europe for the true veg-tan article and replaced the old combo tanned white with it and onwards we went. Once again we had help from RA who cut it open and found the floorboard used by Cappi this time was a split leather floorboard and that we could put some effort into improving that lining leather. So again, we had posts on the forum, private feedback etc and what we thought was a full-on success needed one more iteration.

The v3 - recently delivered and made by different craftsmen had the added advantage of having another (and much more honest) master craftsmen look at them and decidedly point out improvements we can make. So we had Adriano and Alessandro, the community who received them and used them, Rose Anvil cutting open v1s, Adriano and Alessandro again, community feedback again and Rose Anvil again AND a fresh set of eyes from another Italian master shoe-maker and his team.

So then we had the v3 - improved lining leather, a full-grain leather floorboard, slight changes to construction, a small amendment to help reduce heel slippage felt by some customers, and finally some changes at the ball of the foot for added comfort.

I promise this ramble has a point. If we didn't have you and we didn't proceed in an iterative process none of these improvements would have happened and we would be selling a luxury sneaker (just like everyone else's) that incorporated a few techniques to aid the construction, with hand-cut uppers and better leathers for a better price than incumbents...but the glaring fact is it would have been just like everyone else's in so many ways and would have taken us a much longer time, with many more units moved to realise what to improve.

So back to my v1s, see the floorboard in fibreboard a la pretty much every sneaker out there? It's a pretty important thing to look out for... I love these shoes, but even if I could re-sole them easily that one, important, element has put a finite lifetime on the pair. Leather floorboards are important.

But the point of all of this is that the process we have going - this iterative process of working together, incorporating feedback, and making improvements to develop and chase the ultimate version of a product works.

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This is a very good point. Aside from it being courageous to be critical of your own product, it shows you are a part of us.

I think, like some others of us on here looking at these pictures of your beat-up sneakers with dread. But it's important that you shared this, and the benefit that lead to other iterations of the product.

I myself have been using my calf v1.2 (with updated aloe vera floorboard) probably as much as these pictures. I'm a 110kg man and my shoes take abuse. But they don't look anywhere near as bad as these.

Really well done.
 

Rewiag

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But they don't look anywhere near as bad as these.

Well, it must be noted that he stated he was using this single shoe for an entire year. With a standard rotation, where you might wear the same shoe once or twice a week, even v1.0 should last a few years.

But yes, this is exactly why i was so adamant on changing the footboard to real leather instead of cardboard or fiberboard, and glad they got it for the v1.3+
 

ArchibaldNat

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Well, it must be noted that he stated he was using this single shoe for an entire year. With a standard rotation, where you might wear the same shoe once or twice a week, even v1.0 should last a few years.

But yes, this is exactly why i was so adamant on changing the footboard to real leather instead of cardboard or fiberboard, and glad they got it for the v1.3+

Yes - I don't think anyone should be concerned about their shoes turning out the way @ArchibaldRoh's have... he's a wear testing beast. Has basically tried everything short of lighting them on fire (I actually wouldn't be surprised).

That being said the leather floorboard was a great upgrade. Process of evolution!
 

Althis

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Received my first pair today SF 01 v2 Anticato Grey

The leather is really soft and the color has so much depth though I'm still deciding how I feel about the darker polished toe.
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ArchibaldRoh

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This is a very good point. Aside from it being courageous to be critical of your own product, it shows you are a part of us.

I think, like some others of us on here looking at these pictures of your beat-up sneakers with dread. But it's important that you shared this, and the benefit that lead to other iterations of the product.

I myself have been using my calf v1.2 (with updated aloe vera floorboard) probably as much as these pictures. I'm a 110kg man and my shoes take abuse. But they don't look anywhere near as bad as these.

Really well done.
Thank you, @ThePetros
Great to have you back here!
 

ArchibaldRoh

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Well, it must be noted that he stated he was using this single shoe for an entire year. With a standard rotation, where you might wear the same shoe once or twice a week, even v1.0 should last a few years.

But yes, this is exactly why i was so adamant on changing the footboard to real leather instead of cardboard or fiberboard, and glad they got it for the v1.3+
I had meant to tag you in the post, actually. I remember even when Adriano pushed back, you pushed us through it as you were not having any of it.

@ThePetros haha yes the leather + aloe solution, that should hold up pretty well.
 

Butterfeet

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Just got the ULs in white. It is significantly lighter than the SF-01s I have and feel comfortable at first try.

That said the photos on the website had an off-white colour which is what I was hoping for. These are pure white which I don't quite prefer.
 

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Staxxx1

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Just got the ULs in white. It is significantly lighter than the SF-01s I have and feel comfortable at first try.

That said the photos on the website had an off-white colour which is what I was hoping for. These are pure white which I don't quite prefer.
They are pretty!
 

Butterfeet

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Yup they look great and fit great too! I haven't walked much in them (just paced within my house) but I think there is no heel slippage or tongue-gate that my SF01s had.

If I may suggest, Archibald should better represent the colours on the website - the pics clearly show off-white. Apart from that I'm happy with the shoes.
 

archipel

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Jul 10, 2017
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I have not, but I was told I'd be sent a navy pair for my CXL ink.
Can you check on that?

Hehe, I see that my username might resemble someone working at Archibald but I'm just a customer like you guys!
 

ArchibaldRoh

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Hi everyone, I have been taking count of everyone who requires laces over time as we were doing the dispatch. Some packages were sent out before and I know some were and weren't received. These will go out tomorrow or Wednesday - the trouble is particularly with European postal.

I anticipate they should be with everyone towards late next week.

@mhip yours might be a little longer.

Finally, I know some people were inquiring on extras laying about from the last batch. There are a few and we will be uploading them tomorrow and I can share a list so everyone knows what to search for.
 

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