Bespoke Shoes

[Dr T]

Although i have Lobbs i would go for Cleverly - you can see them being made.

[smudger]

John Lobb for quality, Cleverly for quality and style.

[Dr T]

Thaks for all the great comments and advice -im currently going to look at G&G

[VRaivio]

...just to stick my spoon into this soup, there are a few American bespoke shoemakers of skill, too. Perry Ercolino does not cut corners but I don't have his price list on hand at the moment.

[alexeberlin]

In the end I didn't get bespoke shoes from a local shoemaker. Communication was very difficult. I realise that a shoemaker might be very busy, but I did give what I consider to be quite generous amounts of time for replies/ information. Eventually I just got " a bad vibe" and decided not to pursue the matter.
So I'm afraid that I can't give any insight into the process.

[theoldesouth]

Sorry to hear that, Alexeberlin. Hopefully the next time you consider giving it a go, you'll encounter a more confidence inspiring level of service.

[hectorm]

In the end I didn't get bespoke shoes from a local shoemaker. Communication was very difficult. I did give what I consider to be quite generous amounts of time for replies/ information

Dear Alex,
I understand you getting "bad vibes", but maybe you should take advantage of his being a local shoemaker and just drop by his shop a few times. Browsing and chatting is also part of the game, especially if you are serious about commissioning.
One of my current tailors is not email savvy, nor is he any good at answering phone messages. Most of the time the front of his store (fortunately just a few blocks from my office) is unattended and the telephone rings and rings.... The only way of extracting responses or information is dropping by, sometimes finding out that my garment has been ready for days and sometimes finding -the day scheduled for my first fitting- that my cloth is still wrapped up in a bundle on a shelf.

[chestercopperpot]

Anyone ever try Spigola by Koji Suzuki?
He was recently at The Armoury in New York and I placed an order. Beautiful shoes.

[Dr T]

John Lobb for quality, Cleverly for quality and style.

Your are so right.

[Dr T]

Is this the latest in Bespoke. A company called The Cobbler, in Dubai do bespoke shoe laces -available round or flat - in an amazing range of colours and to the exact length you want. Neeedless to say i had some - colour - black.

[alexeberlin]

In the end I didn't get bespoke shoes from a local shoemaker. Communication was very difficult. I did give what I consider to be quite generous amounts of time for replies/ information

Dear Alex,
I understand you getting "bad vibes", but maybe you should take advantage of his being a local shoemaker and just drop by his shop a few times. Browsing and chatting is also part of the game, especially if you are serious about commissioning.
One of my current tailors is not email savvy, nor is he any good at answering phone messages. Most of the time the front of his store (fortunately just a few blocks from my office) is unattended and the telephone rings and rings.... The only way of extracting responses or information is dropping by, sometimes finding out that my garment has been ready for days and sometimes finding -the day scheduled for my first fitting- that my cloth is still wrapped up in a bundle on a shelf.

thanks hectorm, a fair point well made. The shoemaker isn't *that* close but I did neglect the personal approach.

[VRaivio]

Forgive me if this question is asked and answered elsewhere.

Which English bespoke shoe outfit gives the greatest value for money?
C

The greatest British value can be found from outworkers. These are the cordwainers who do the actual work or parts of it, who usually work at home and send their finished pairs back to Lobb&Co., Cleverley, Foster and others who offer the premises, service and measuring. If you're not looking for an experiece but solely the end result in the form of a beautiful, well-fitting shoe, you should seek out an outworker and place an order for one. I believe bengal-stripe has done this for years with great savings and results. An outworker has no fancy premises or employees that lead to bigger prices. In effect you will be paying for the worker's time and the materials only. Not all outworkers can craft a last, so the first task is to order one from a lastmaker or Springyard.

[culverwood]

Are you over estimating the total input of individual outworkers? As far as I know most are specialist at each task be it clicking or closing and the bespoke shoemaking companies make the lasts as well as interpreting the clients designs and finishing etc. Perhaps if you have bengal-stripe's ability and connections it would be possible but I do not believe the man on the Clapham omnibus could do this.

I have hand made shoes from Cliff Roberts as well as Foster and I do not believe the two are comparable in design, quality and finish.

[VRaivio]

Please note that the original poster only asked after the best price-quality deal. Blighty is home to hundreds of outworkers and choosing the right one will take time or connections. I've seen examples of the quality of some on Japanese shoe mags and shoemaking groups or forums online. I've also interviewed a few for my site. The best makers have been taught and know all areas, and can produce footwear on par with the finest London firms. Cliff's background is with industrial shoemaking at Edward Green and his current pairs are...singular to say the least.

Bengal, if you're reading this, do let us know of your experiences.

[chapman]

I only tried 2 bespoke shoe makers - James & Taylor and Foster & Sons. While both offer traditional style of shoes, I think Foster & Sons has more variety to their styles.