What details make an outstanding bespoke shoe?

[Artisan Fan]

I think the following has been distinct in my bespoke shoe pairs:

1. Fiddle waist.
2. Slightly tapered (Cuban) heel.
3. A last that truly fits one's feet.
4. Quality of leather that soft yet durable.
5. Finishing flourishes like slight irregularities from handwork, quality sole treatments, unique heel treatments.
6. Quality trees that can be hollowed for travel weight.

Oh, and a quality felt shoe bag. I get mine from John Lobb St. James's.

 

[Sator]

Originally Posted by bengal-stripe

Unfortunately the samples that Foster & Son has on display are so ancient, that they were probably produced, long before Terry Moore joined the company (late 60s, or so); probably even before the good man was born.

This applies to virtually all the old-established shoemaking companies in London. They have no qualms to display shoes that were made by people who have long joined that great cobbler's workshop in the sky. All of the Lobb display shoes are probably from before WW1.

The rather dilapidated examples of Hessian boots you can see on display at John Lobb St James probably predate Mr Lobb himself who lived in the Victorian era - well after Hessians went out of fashion.

 

[sully]

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

I think the following has been distinct in my bespoke shoe pairs:

1. Fiddle waist.
2. Slightly tapered (Cuban) heel.
3. A last that truly fits one's feet.
4. Quality of leather that soft yet durable.
5. Finishing flourishes like slight irregularities from handwork, quality sole treatments, unique heel treatments.
6. Quality trees that can be hollowed for travel weight.

Oh, and a quality felt shoe bag. I get mine from John Lobb St. James's.

Thank you Artisan fan, this is the kind of reply I had hoped for, I'm not sure about a cuban heel for a mans shoe but a slight taper can look good, just personal taste I guess.I understand you are a fan of J. Amesbury shoes. have you ordered anything recently? The pictures of his work look fine but I have heard he is not allways reliable about delivery times

 

[sully]

Originally Posted by bengal-stripe

Unfortunately the samples that Foster & Son has on display are so ancient, that they were probably produced, long before Terry Moore joined the company (late 60s, or so); probably even before the good man was born.

This applies to virtually all the old-established shoemaking companies in London. They have no qualms to display shoes that were made by people who have long joined that great cobbler's workshop in the sky. All of the Lobb display shoes are probably from before WW1. Cleverley has some (new-ish) samples from when the current company was established (about mid 90s), but they still display the shoes of Anthony (George C's nephew, I believe). Anthony never had a show room and worked for a private clientele, which included such well-known aesthetes like Baron de Rede and Hubert de Givenchy.

Anthony (who must have been a contemporary of Terry Moore's), died sometime in the mid 80s. I believe he was the finest shoemaker of his generation.

Here is Anthony's portfolio as well as the samples displayed at Cleverley's (thanks to our friend "˜centipede'):

http://centipede.web.fc2.com/anthony/01.html
http://centipede.web.fc2.com/anthony2/anthony2.html
I understand that the sample shoes are built up over a very long time and often made on smaller idealised lasts to show the best proportions, but do you think the shoes ordered today are of less quality and craftsmanship? The shoes I had made 20 odd years ago seemed of high quality but I must admit they did not last as long as I had expected, perhaps I did not treat them with enough care.

 

[Artisan Fan]

I'm not sure about a cuban heel for a mans shoe but a slight taper can look good

Yes the slightest taper is best as I wrote. A full Cuban heel would only work for salsa dancing. In fact, I took a salsa class on Friday and the instructor had a true Cuban heel yet somehow it worked.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by bengal-stripe

Unfortunately the samples that Foster & Son has on display are so ancient, that they were probably produced, long before Terry Moore joined the company (late 60s, or so); probably even before the good man was born.

This applies to virtually all the old-established shoemaking companies in London. They have no qualms to display shoes that were made by people who have long joined that great cobbler's workshop in the sky. All of the Lobb display shoes are probably from before WW1. Cleverley has some (new-ish) samples from when the current company was established (about mid 90s), but they still display the shoes of Anthony (George C's nephew, I believe). Anthony never had a show room and worked for a private clientele, which included such well-known aesthetes like Baron de Rede and Hubert de Givenchy.

Anthony (who must have been a contemporary of Terry Moore's), died sometime in the mid 80s. I believe he was the finest shoemaker of his generation.

Here is Anthony's portfolio as well as the samples displayed at Cleverley's (thanks to our friend "˜centipede'):

http://centipede.web.fc2.com/anthony/01.html
http://centipede.web.fc2.com/anthony2/anthony2.html

But isn't that the charm of it all?

After the ubiquitous blonde wood of John Lobb Paris, it's refreshing.