Edward Green to stop Bespoke Operations

Courtesy of Andre Yew on AAAC...

When I saw Tony Gaziano today to get measured for a bespoke shoe, he told me that he's leaving EG shortly to start his own bespoke shoe company, but with EG's blessings. He's telling all his potential clients so that they know what's going on before committing to a shoe.

EG will no longer be offering bespoke. The new company will be called Gaziano Girling, with Mr. Girling as Tony's partner who does the sewing and finishing of the bottom part of the shoe, while Tony handles the lastmaking, clicking, the uppers, and the finishing. So everyone who starts a shoe now with Tony will probably be ultimately receiving a GG shoe. The good news is that prices are somewhat reduced to around L1490 from L1550, because he doesn't have EG's overhead, and he's providing these really cool handmade shoeboxes instead of the standard EG shoe box, along with the nice fleece shoe bags EG bespoke had. He's going to be using leathers of his own choosing, which he says is of slightly higher quality than what he was using at EG. The color scheme for the new company is all black with gold lettering, and rather handsome in an austere, Darth Vader kind of way.

That's old news. He's been talking about this for years.

Originally Posted by Tomasso

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That's old news. He's been talking about this for years.

I suppose confirmation of the actual event is new news. It is to me at least. And the fact that EG is leaving the bespoke business rather than hiring someone to replace Tony is rather surprising.

I posted a few more details on AAAC, but basically EG don't like the unpredictability of the bespoke business: they're very much bottom-line oriented. For example, when Tony comes back in October, if clients don't show up for their fittings, which is not unusual, then they can't collect the remaining amount due for the shoes until potentially much later.

--Andre

Originally Posted by Andre Yew

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I posted a few more details on AAAC, but basically EG don't like the unpredictability of the bespoke business: they're very much bottom-line oriented. For example, when Tony comes back in October, if clients don't show up for their fittings, which is not unusual, then they can't collect the remaining amount due for the shoes until potentially much later.

--Andre


What did you end up ordering?

I ended up with a very chiseled, sleek horsebit loafer in a dark reddish brown aniline leather (no antiqueing). It will have Dover-like seams on the upper, and the vamp will not be as shallow as a normal loafer because of fit issues, and also to extend the line of the shoe.

--Andre

It's rather a shame.

Shame, because I love to support EG the company.
That said, best of luck to Tony, and I hope to give his new venture some business...

Wow, that's too bad. A pair of bespoke EGs was one of those things I've sort of vaguely looked forward to getting at some point in my life.

they are probably doing some windows dressing before buyout. Better get rid of low profit and financially hazardous operations like bespoke.

!luc

I had a fitting with Tony this afternoon, and we discussed this development a bit. I think that the most accurate way to describe it is to say that Tony and David Girling will be buying EG's bespoke operation. This means that the samples, the client book, and the lasts (subject to client approval) will go with Gaziano Girling and that Tony will do business much in the same way that he did before (using the same outworkers and so forth). The principal differences that I see are that he will use a slightly different collection of leathers from what he uses at EG (a lot of them are the same, but some will be from tanneries that EG does not do business with) and that he will not have the financial backing of a major company. I don't see the former as being an unwelcome development. The latter has the potential to be if times get tough. Hopefully, they won't.

Will he still be doing the famed antiqued finish?

Originally Posted by whoopee

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Will he still be doing the famed antiqued finish?

He will be offering crust leathers to those clients who want them. As before, though, he still will have an extensive selection of aniline leathers.

Originally Posted by jcusey

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[...] he will not have the financial backing of a major company.
I think that, sadly, you have the wrong picture of EG's size and financial situation.

Originally Posted by sysdoc

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I think that, sadly, you have the wrong picture of EG's size and financial situation.

I've seen their financial filings (available for a nominal fee from Companies House), and while the size of the operation is small and the financial situation less than iron-clad, it is still worlds bigger and probably significantly more secure than Tony's two-man partnership.