Roger
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2005
- Messages
- 1,937
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I've just purchased my first pair of Gaziano & Girling MTO (made to order--not bespoke) shoes and wanted to report on my experience. I had waited a while for G&G to get the kinks out of their relatively-new operation before ordering, but placed my first order late last spring. I ordered the Astaire (shown below) with a few custom features.
First, the shoes in the picture aren't mine; they're from the G&G catalog. Mine, however, are very similar except for the fact that the smooth leather is not the pin grain in the picture, but rather the G&G Vintage Oak. This is antiqued and is very like the EG Dark Oak. It provides a striking blend with the mole (dark brown) suede. Mine too are on the DG70, Smart Round, last. For some reason, I'm now finding sleek round-toe lasts more appealing than square-toe variations, of which I have many. This last is probably much like the EG 82 last, I imagine, although someone familiar with both may want to correct this if I'm wrong.
I asked Dean Girling to have the soles trimmed very close (which was done) and provide the full sock, rather than the more usual (also with EG) half sock.
I'm very very pleased with the resulting shoes. They came within the promised 5 months and, fortunately (since I was not fitted by G&G), the fit is close to perfect--a little tight now prior to serious wearing, but beginning to loosen up a little. I think I've been lucky with this last in my size, as they seem to fit much the way bespoke shoes must (not that I'd know for sure!), with close conformation to my feet in all places. They feel great, and there is nowhere in the shoes in which there is empty space. The beveled waist and moderate fiddleback effect on the sole at the waist is a nice improvement over the present EG regular-line offerings (I gather the Top Drawer line provides the same waist treatment), and is slightly superior to that found in the Lobb Prestige Line shoes. The quality throughout--materials, stitching, details, sole and heel finishing--seems to me to be really outstanding, at least on a par with my EGs, and the lasted shoe trees represent an improvement over the EG trees. Finally, the whole process of ordering and specifying features went very smoothly with Dean Girling, and he was generous with his time in answering my questions and making suggestions.
Although certainly not inexpensive at around 500 GBP, G&G MTO shoes really represent good value for money in my opinion--particularly at today's incredible exchange rates (making them about $750 USD). I guess I'd better order another pair before this situation changes!
I've been concerned to hear about the problems at Alfred Sargent and hope--as we all do--that the effect on Tony and Dean will be minimal.
First, the shoes in the picture aren't mine; they're from the G&G catalog. Mine, however, are very similar except for the fact that the smooth leather is not the pin grain in the picture, but rather the G&G Vintage Oak. This is antiqued and is very like the EG Dark Oak. It provides a striking blend with the mole (dark brown) suede. Mine too are on the DG70, Smart Round, last. For some reason, I'm now finding sleek round-toe lasts more appealing than square-toe variations, of which I have many. This last is probably much like the EG 82 last, I imagine, although someone familiar with both may want to correct this if I'm wrong.
I asked Dean Girling to have the soles trimmed very close (which was done) and provide the full sock, rather than the more usual (also with EG) half sock.
I'm very very pleased with the resulting shoes. They came within the promised 5 months and, fortunately (since I was not fitted by G&G), the fit is close to perfect--a little tight now prior to serious wearing, but beginning to loosen up a little. I think I've been lucky with this last in my size, as they seem to fit much the way bespoke shoes must (not that I'd know for sure!), with close conformation to my feet in all places. They feel great, and there is nowhere in the shoes in which there is empty space. The beveled waist and moderate fiddleback effect on the sole at the waist is a nice improvement over the present EG regular-line offerings (I gather the Top Drawer line provides the same waist treatment), and is slightly superior to that found in the Lobb Prestige Line shoes. The quality throughout--materials, stitching, details, sole and heel finishing--seems to me to be really outstanding, at least on a par with my EGs, and the lasted shoe trees represent an improvement over the EG trees. Finally, the whole process of ordering and specifying features went very smoothly with Dean Girling, and he was generous with his time in answering my questions and making suggestions.
Although certainly not inexpensive at around 500 GBP, G&G MTO shoes really represent good value for money in my opinion--particularly at today's incredible exchange rates (making them about $750 USD). I guess I'd better order another pair before this situation changes!
