What Gaziano & Girling models are you ordering at the trunk show?

[luk-cha]

Originally Posted by bengal-stripe

When you combine the two, you get this:

Grant Mitchell - Popular character in the BBC soap Eastenders

http://www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/east..._grant_m.shtml

yeah i know when i was talking with dean i said the the same and asked jokingly if he was an eastenders or corro fan (no reply and i hope he did not take offence to the joke) so maybe in the future if they have a ross and a kemp then we will know!

 

[jcusey]

Originally Posted by Roger

However, won't the finishing be done by G&G in-house? Jcusey, could you tell us what you understand of the overall process for MTO? My understanding was that the shoes would be made--up to the finishing part--by the contracted factory, with the finishing being done entirely by G&G and their employees. If this is the case, a flood of orders could, indeed, result in delays, could it not?

To the best of my knowledge, the only craftsmen who are employed by GG are Tony and Dean Girling. It is possible that the plan initially is for Dean to do some post-making work (using the sole iron to press the waist to the upper to accentuate the bevel) and to have the shoes finished by a bespoke finisher outworker. However, this model won't last very long. If they're going to sell anything more than a couple of hundred of pairs of RTW shoes per year, someone at the factory will have to be trained to perform these tasks to GG's specifications.

 

[Artisan Fan]

jcusey,

Is it possible that Edward Green will help out? They are in the same town as well...

Tony's got the lasts and designs so doing the work would employ I assume the same process but maybe a few changes in materials...

 

[jcusey]

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

Is it possible that Edward Green will help out? They are in the same town as well...

My understanding is that Northampton is an incestuous town, but remember that Tony is competing against Edward Green with these shoes and that they consequently have very little incentive to help him out unless the price is right.

 

[A Harris]

So which factory is making G&G RTW?

With Tony overseeing the design and manufacture of these shoes, I think the 'who is the maker' question is not going to be of much importance.

 

[A Y]

I don't understand the rush to order shoes no one's seen outside of a catalog or tried on. I know the lasts are based on well-known lasts, but doesn't it seem a bit foolhardy to order very expensive shoes without even seeing them in the flesh or trying them on to see how they actually look on your feet?

I remembered looking at pictures of Kiton shoes and liking them in pictures, but really disliking them when I saw them in real life. I hope there won't be many cases of buyer's remorse 6 months from now.

--Andre

 

[chorse123]

Buyers will presumably be trying on shoes in the lasts at the trunk shows. I'm sure the G&G rep will have a large number of samples.

 

[LARon]

Originally Posted by Andre Yew

I don't understand the rush to order shoes no one's seen outside of a catalog or tried on. I know the lasts are based on well-known lasts, but doesn't it seem a bit foolhardy to order very expensive shoes without even seeing them in the flesh or trying them on to see how they actually look on your feet?

I remembered looking at pictures of Kiton shoes and liking them in pictures, but really disliking them when I saw them in real life. I hope there won't be many cases of buyer's remorse 6 months from now.

--Andre

With all due respect Andre, I'm not sure what "rush" you're speaking of, nor if there was/is a rush -- or if people are prepared to order "very expensive shoes" that they like, whether you think it foolhardy or not -- why either should concern you. We're all big boys here, and most members on this thread are quite comfortable and experienced with high end clothing. They know what they want, and why they want it.

As to the suggestion of a rush: as you know Messrs. Gaziano and Girling have designated only a few days for their trip to the U.S., and have scheduled appointments. Inasmuch as we had no involvement in setting that schedule, and cannot alter it, and must appear at our appointed hour -- a truly measured process, city-by-city, day-by-day and hour-by-hour -- where do you see a rush?

Is your real concern a) the fact that members have the capacity to become excited about a planned purchase, b) that they're discussing their plans with other like-minded forum members, or c) that they may not be able to afford the shoes? (which would suggest a paternalistic concern one might express for minimum wage workers spending their paychecks in Vegas)

I, for one, am both excited (the way I used to be when new electric football sets came out when I was a kid), and am pleased to have a community I can turn to that shares my enthusiasm for high level craftsmanship.

To be honest, your concern sounds more like vicarious handwringing than anything else. Relax, those of us willing to take the plunge will be OK; I promise.

 

[Tomasso]

Originally Posted by iammatt

I guess that I just don't see what makes these shoes so special.
Party pooper.

 

[A Y]

LARon,

You are right: people are free to spend their money how they like. I'm just expressing amazement that people are committing to expensive purchases of products they have not yet seen.

--Andre

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by Andre Yew

LARon,

You are right: people are free to spend their money how they like. I'm just expressing amazement that people are committing to expensive purchases of products they have not yet seen.

--Andre
+1

 

[LARon]

And that's where the old saw, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, comes in. For me, the three pair of shoes I'm eyeing are simply stunning; I've seen nothing like them in RTW anywhere, and I must have them. Which calls to mind another saying: what separates men from boys is the price of their toys. (If you've ever dated a pretty woman you probably already know that. As I'm currently single, its time to spend a little jingle -- on me!). Play on, playa.

 

[aportnoy]

Leaving the specific merits of G&G shoes out of it, I have also been known to purcahse shoes based upon only a photo. You see it and you know you need to have it.

It's relaly no different than ordering something from an online store or from Ebay. I think most of us have done that too.

Plus, these folks will be seeing the shoes in the flesh when G&G come to town and can always change their mind at that time.

 

[Pickwick]

Originally Posted by Andre Yew

I don't understand the rush to order shoes no one's seen outside of a catalog or tried on. I know the lasts are based on well-known lasts, but doesn't it seem a bit foolhardy to order very expensive shoes without even seeing them in the flesh or trying them on to see how they actually look on your feet?

Very salient point that never occured to me.

In my view, from the illustrations found in the brochures, I have a pretty good idea what the "sort" of shoes ought to look like, especially having seen variations of them by all the big name makers in Wilkes, Niemans, Saks, et al.

Of course, I have no idea of the fit. If their fit charactersistics are similar to EGs, the fit should be fine. For me, I've found the shoe sizes +/- a size in either C or D widths always fit. Perhaps, I'm just not too particular; or, I'm just not refined enough to know any better.

You do make a very good point. I just had not considered it.

 

[LARon]

In the case of people flirting with bespoke, fit should not be an issue, consideriong GandGs' respective reputations.