PhiloVance
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- May 28, 2005
- Messages
- 1,787
- Reaction score
- 248
I often see various members refer to the SF "Holy Grail" shoe - there's usually some variation but generally the term is bandied about quite a bit to refer to shoes like the Polo Darlton (I can walk into almost any Polo mall shop and find a Darlton wingtip or loafer for $795) or JL Vale or Phillip II.
I think these are more like SF mascot shoes, similar to when Ask Andy commissions a popular style at Leather Soul for a group purchase.
I realize everyone has a different shoe ideal that they're searching for, but a "Grail" shoe is supposed to be something not easily attainable, often whispered about but rarely seen.
For me, when I first joined the forum, the "Grail" shoe was the mythical J&M Handmade 100
s. A few members had heard about them, and then a few became available via Bennie's when the Tennessee factory closed down. They came in old boxes with red velvet lining, and some of them had the name of the buyer that the shoes were originally commissioned for in the lining (ie Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., etc).
Eventually, I was able to find and purchase a few of these beauties - my "Holy Trinity", so to speak!
I think these are more like SF mascot shoes, similar to when Ask Andy commissions a popular style at Leather Soul for a group purchase.
I realize everyone has a different shoe ideal that they're searching for, but a "Grail" shoe is supposed to be something not easily attainable, often whispered about but rarely seen.
For me, when I first joined the forum, the "Grail" shoe was the mythical J&M Handmade 100
s. A few members had heard about them, and then a few became available via Bennie's when the Tennessee factory closed down. They came in old boxes with red velvet lining, and some of them had the name of the buyer that the shoes were originally commissioned for in the lining (ie Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., etc).
Eventually, I was able to find and purchase a few of these beauties - my "Holy Trinity", so to speak!
