Shoe Damage Report & Appreciation Central - Part I

just you :foo

Thank you for the comments gentlemen, the bevel sole edge is standard in the new handgrade range. If not to your tastes you can of course request a regular edge. In fact with any request we will do our best to help, looking forward to meeting some of you in New York. Thanks again, Chay.

Originally Posted by Leather man

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Thread on AAAC says that the Handgrade AS are £450 a pair. You can request things that add to the price - don't know what. For £450 you get the styles and finishes you see here including the fiddle-back waists which look just as good as Gaziano and Girling from the photos. Either AS are charging £450 a pair in order to pick up market share from Edward Green, JL and G&G customers or these other shoemakers are taking the micky. I remember that Gaziano and Girling entered the market at the same price point - £450 for ready to wear and £500 for MTO. Within two years their prices had rocketed to £560 RTW and £660 MTO. Nowadays a shoe that cost me £500 two and half years ago costs £700 - 720 depending on who you go to.

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

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I would think A&S would have to start out charging less, in that they need to win converts who know them from their less rarified days. They lack the cachet in the high-end market to command G&G/Top Drawer prices. But if the experiment works, I'm guessing the price tag will rise, if only to avoid looking cut-rate in comparison with the competition.
This is just my opinion, but I think that this is part of the issue. I have no evidence to support what I'm saying, but I guess it must be very difficult to price a range of shoes. Underprice them and you run the risk of not being taken seriously. Overprice them and people think that the items are not worth it. I guess that I'm a little bias as I've seen what goes into the shoes (I think that Slewfoot and Groover will have their own opinions) and I've also handled several other makers shoes. I do feel that AS will be thought of as a serious contender, if they are given the chance. I even like the suggested sole of the Premier Exclusive range and if one doesn't have the funds for the AS Handgrade, they promise to be respectable alongside them. I don't like commenting too much on sites such as these, as I may be seen to be overly bias. I guess that I am. However, just by looking at the shoes, I'm confident that people can see that AS has really tried to capture well made, English styled shoes. If I could afford it, I would have shoes from every serious shoemaker in the World. However, from my interactions with AS, I know that I would always come back to them for the majority of my shoes. Party Political Broadcast Over!! Clint

S / Chay Cooper - will sargent do bespoke shoes as g and g are doing? thanks

Originally Posted by Leather man

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Thread on AAAC says that the Handgrade AS are £450 a pair. You can request things that add to the price - don't know what. For £450 you get the styles and finishes you see here including the fiddle-back waists which look just as good as Gaziano and Girling from the photos.

Either AS are charging £450 a pair in order to pick up market share from Edward Green, JL and G&G customers or these other shoemakers are taking the micky.

I remember that Gaziano and Girling entered the market at the same price point - £450 for ready to wear and £500 for MTO. Within two years their prices had rocketed to £560 RTW and £660 MTO. Nowadays a shoe that cost me £500 two and half years ago costs £700 - 720 depending on who you go to.

Those are very good prices for the shoes that I've seen posted over the past 4-5 pages.

Originally Posted by ThinkDerm

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AS / Chay Cooper - will sargent do bespoke shoes as g and g are doing? thanks

For now we are introducing AS Handgrade which offers choice within a structure, there are currently eight styles, all styles are available on a choice of three new lasts and a selection of around ten colours. If for instance someone wanted a standard edge instead of the bevel or perhaps a toe medallion adding or removing then we are happy to do so, AS Handgrade is MTO and priced at £450.

MTO is also available across all the Premier and Country ranges, the base price is as the website and then adjusted according to what the customer asks for, be it a colour change, pattern change etc. The reason we didn't make this a set price is because of the amount of choice it allows, it wouldn't be right to charge someone who wanted a sole change the same as somebody who wanted a premier shoe making to look like a Handgrade.
We also offer to make brand new designs for customers, as we did Clinton with his double monk. Obviously there is a lot of work involved in a new design and the price will reflect what is asked for but shall be fair as I believe the Handgrade pricing is.

In addition we have quite a few ideas that we plan on introducing shortly (I'm not side stepping your question!) but for now I must leave it as I have mentioned. If anyone wants to come and look at the shoes they are most welcome, even if just for a chat and so I can measure them and keep it on record for down the line. Just send me an email or message me and we can arrange a suitable time.

Thanks for asking, Chay.

Originally Posted by AlwaysDressed

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Just picked these up today during lunch.

These are awesome. AND, you should wear them with reckless abandon - they will look so much better as you do so.

Can you give us details on the style and color, por favor?

A new arrival this week. I'm sure it won't be to everyone's taste, but I'm very pleased with them...

Originally Posted by HORNS

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These are awesome. AND, you should wear them with reckless abandon - they will look so much better as you do so.

Can you give us details on the style and color, por favor?

Look like Fryes. I've seen them at Nordstrom, they look great. A touch sleeker than the similar RW.

Originally Posted by Pengranger

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A new arrival this week. I'm sure it won't be to everyone's taste, but I'm very pleased with them...

Fantastic! Congrats - I really love this shoe, from concept to typical flawless JL execution

Originally Posted by pebblegrain

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Look like Fryes. I've seen them at Nordstrom, they look great. A touch sleeker than the similar RW.

Fryes they are. Did you see this particular style and color?

Originally Posted by HORNS

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Fryes they are. Did you see this particular style and color?

Yes there is only one color in this style at Nordstrom. They are called Dakota. They are sold on Nordstrom website as well as zappos, shoes.com, piperlime, etc. approx $170.

I wonder what their construction is, are they welted? If so, it's a relative bargain.

http://www.zappos.com/frye-dakota-mid-lace

It's a stitched welt. Also comes in Black and a slightly lighter brown.

Originally Posted by Pengranger

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A new arrival this week. I'm sure it won't be to everyone's taste, but I'm very pleased with them...

This shoe looks great.

Originally Posted by JayJay

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This shoe looks great.

+1 Very nice