Beyond the Usual Suspects

[Concordia]

There have been many informed discussions here about Cleverley vs. Lobb vs. Green. The London Shoemaker has arrived with a good pedigree, and much good will from clients. But there is a much longer list out there:

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.ph ... +end+shoes

Has anyone gone bespoke at any of these shops and lived to tell the tale? Special curiosity on my part for those that can serve the NY/NE market. Lattanzi, Kiton, and those guys down near Chinatown selling bespoke for C&J prices. Any other notions welcome.

[lancepryor]

One possibility is Dan Freeman in Middlebury, VT. However, I don't think his construction would compare with those of the elite makers -- I believe he sews on his outsoles with an outsole stitcher, rather than doing it by hand. I don't know whether he does the welting using a hand-cut or a glued-on feather. I believe, as a consequence, his prices are far below those of the elite as well. Whether the trade-off is worth it to you, I cannot predict. He has been in business for many years (33!) and has a pretty steady clientele, so he is making somebody happy.

FWIW, I am in Providence and am studying bespoke shoemaking; someday I may be able to offer you an alternative to the travelling shoemakers

[Concordia]

I didn't know that. With whom does one study this craft in Rhode Island?

[lancepryor]

You don't really study with anyone in Rhode Island; there is one custom shoemaker I know of here, but he does mainly hiking boots and orthpedic work, and I would not consider his work to be anywhere close to the standards of members of LL. I have spent some time with folks who work in the trade in London, plus a select group of knowledgable folks elsewhere, as well as relying on numerous written sources. However, much of this journey I am travelling on my own. My expectation is that it will be some time before I can do the whole thing soup to nuts; before then, I may offer a London-made product with certain preliminary tasks conducted here in the US.

[edhayes]

many years ago I had paddock boots from them and quite liked them