The London Lounge

Just a bit of research, It's nice to hear what the customer wants sometimes instead of EG just designing what we believe you like.

If you could put a shoe into the Edward Green readymade range , A style that we don't have but should have, what do you think it should be?

It can be determined by upper leather, sole material, upper design or even last shape.

I am very interested to see your comments.

Kind regards

Tony

Dear Tony,

I find it difficult to 'design' a shoe that EG does not already have a pattern for and could be special ordered. What do you mean by readymade? Something that is a perennial amongst your collection like the Dover, so that one does not need to turn to your MTO programme?

If that is the case, I for one would like to see an elegant side elastic town shoe on a slightly more chiselled last than EG's 888 (along the lines of the bespoke Monkstrap that you made). I find the Kibworth somewhat lacking in elegance, and the Ringwood (?sic) wholecut a bit too 'sleek'. Something similar to the Cleverley apron front.

Regards,
Jan

Dear Sir;

I will have to review my EG fold-out product sheet, for your current offerings. But off the top of my head, I would like to see a good-looking weather-resistant shoe. Something that is a cross between a town and a country shoe with a good walking sole that is neither too heavy, nor too sleek. ("The Town and Country Shoe?") A shoe that will dress up well enough with a "casual suit" in inclement weather and still stand up to tweeds and corduroy. More than Calfskin, less than oiltanned or scotch-grained leather.

A rather vague description, I grant you, but this is the stuff of obsession: an everyday elegance.

Regards,
Chris Cox

Hi Tony,

Given your extensive selection, I find your question quite difficult!

I can only think of a few suggestions with regard to last shapes and 2 shoe styles. The bespoke lasts and in particular the chisel toes are more striking than the RTW forms, so you may want to try some pronounced chisel toe last in RTW. However, this shape might be quite difficult to render into RTW standardized fitting. And you may want to keep the exclusivity of the bespoke forms. Tough call.

One shoe style I think you don't have in your RTW arsenal is the U-shaped vamp and split toe with the seams turned to the outside, but I can be wrong. It is a nice casual style perfect for rugged country shoes or boots, when the Dover stitch may be a little too sophisticated.

Another style I like is the wholecut with hand-sewn throat like the tan Kielmans in the photojournal. It is not very common.

Thanks for asking us these questions.

Miguel

The problem is that I'm not sure what patterns Edward Green has and what it doesn't. I have the catalogue, of course, but I know that you have many patterns in your library that don't make it into any particular edition of your catalogue. A comprehensive online catalogue would be wonderful. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

I second Jan's vote for the side-elastic shoe with the machine-stitched apron. Others that I'd like to see are a side-lace, wholecut, citified Austrian-style shoe on a nice chisel-toe last; and a double-buckle monkstrap with a skin-stitched apron and a split toe -- sort of like a cross between the Yardley and the Westminster.

Tony,

I think that the current catalogue is extensive enough and the styles covered are certainly superior to those covered by John Lobb (though the latter's lasts seem to fit my feet better than EG). Whilst I might suggest a few minor tweaks here and there, I'm sure that they could be accommodated in a special order.

BS

Jan, Thats exactly what i mean by readymade, I think that the side gusset shoe is probably a good idea and one that i have thought about before, i just didn't want to step on Cleverlys toe's, if you know what i mean, In regards to the chisel toe, it's very hard to get the chisel definition in readymade goodyear welted shoes as the machinery can be quite restricting.The 888 last is the closest we will probably get, It has quite a sharp square toe but not much of a chisel.

J Cusey, Great minds think alike we have just finshed a sample of a double buckled monk shoe with a skin stitched apron, it looks great on the 606 last, i'll see if i can take a picture and post it in our picture section.

Cruz diez, great ideas, a rugged version of dover and the wholcut shoe with hand sewn throat.

Thank you all for your input, i will try to keep you all posted on new developments.

Regards

Tony
[/quote]

It’s amazing, how it only takes one pot of honey to lure all these bears out of their caves.

Part of the problem for shoe manufacturers and retailers is that most men under the age of 45 (and quite a few above) have very little interest in shoes (as opposed to trainers/sneakers) and wear conventional shoes only when they have to, for work. This makes them likely to choose very conventional and plain styles, while their love and passion, as far as footwear is concerned, belongs to sneakers.

I’m proposing one model that hopefully does not only appeal to fully paid-up members of the Imelda-Club but to wider sections of the population: the Venetian (plain fronted) loafer. The current catalogue sports three skin-stitched apron front loafers (Buxton, Harrow and Chelsea). They all have that very same strap going across the front and resemble each other, almost like peas in the pod. Now drop the strap, maybe square the top of the apron a little bit: a new design, simplicity itself. Nothing but glorious leather and a row of glorious handstitching.

Rolf

Originally posted by Rolf:

It’s amazing, how it only takes one pot of honey to lure all these bears out of their caves.

But how can we resist!

Originally posted by Tony:

Jan, Thats exactly what i mean by readymade, I think that the side gusset shoe is probably a good idea and one that i have thought about before, i just didn't want to step on Cleverlys toe's, if you know what i mean, In regards to the chisel toe, it's very hard to get the chisel definition in readymade goodyear welted shoes as the machinery can be quite restricting.The 888 last is the closest we will probably get, It has quite a sharp square toe but not much of a chisel.

Is the limiting factor in doing the chisel is the machine? Why is that? Does a sharp chisel interfere with the welting machinery?

I remember a discussion we had last year regarding either a online or printed catalogue of all of EG's patterns. You mentioned that you proposed it to Ms. Helen Bateman - any results so far?

Regards,
Jan

p.s Tony... "bramble boot"?

Originally posted by Tony:

... I think that the side gusset shoe is probably a good idea and one that i have thought about before, i just didn't want to step on Cleverlys toe's, if you know what i mean..

What if the apron front shape is modified... Foster's is selling a realtively similar shoe in the Japanese market. I wouldn't suggest a skin stitched apron since that would ruin (in my eyes) the lines of a apron front.

Tony,

EG is distinguished amongst shoemakers by having the most tasteful designs: I think it has most bases covered. I could happily get by with several pairs of swan neck seamed oxfords (i.e. Ladbrokes), a couple of brogues (Rye or Adelaide) and some Chelsea boots. At a pinch I wouldn't mind some very plain slip-ons like these -http://www.newandlingwood.com/iashop.ph ... prod&ID=77 except on a much nicer last.

P.S. To Jan:

How did I know you were going to request some side-gusset shoes?

Benedict Spinola wrote:P.S. To Jan:

How did I know you were going to request some side-gusset shoes?

ESP?

Tony wrote:Just a bit of research, It's nice to hear what the customer wants sometimes instead of EG just designing what we believe you like.

If you could put a shoe into the Edward Green readymade range , A style that we don't have but should have, what do you think it should be?

Dear Tony,
Thank you so much for your kind work in the photo journal. It is extremely pleasing to see all those wonderfully created "actual" shoes for customers.

Now...on the topic of what should EG make that they don't have?...well. I will tell...though I don't know how many members will be interested.

How about a true two-tone spectator in chestnut & white (maybe Ivory)...in calf & buckskin with red soles. Done in the cap-toe or wingtip Adelaide. Also as an alternate model you could have linen & calf (in chestnut & ivory or tan) like good ol' days. I will leave the last specification up to your best judgement.

Your Malvern III is good....but Tony its white calf

For a two-tone...I am usually accustomed to suede / buck.

Or...Please...please...please...if you cannot have it in your ready made line....kindly carry lighter suede /buck in made-to-order program so that the gentlemen interested in these can go to their beloved shoe maker in Burlington arcade and not left wandering at the mercy of plastic and fake-patent leather spectators.

I know you guys have a hard time with light color suede...I even had a lengthy talk with Mr. Raymond Fox a while ago and he did explained me the situation.

...but still....doesn't hurt to ask.

sincerely
etutee

I’m proposing one model that hopefully does not only appeal to fully paid-up members of the Imelda-Club but to wider sections of the population: the Venetian (plain fronted) loafer.

This is an excellent idea, Rolf. Might I further suggest that it be on a round-toe last with high walls, that the handstitching be at the very edge of the sidewall, and that the shoe be unlined?

Etutee wrote: Or...Please...please...please...if you cannot have it in your ready made line....kindly carry lighter suede /buck in made-to-order program so that the gentlemen interested in these can go to their beloved shoe maker in Burlington arcade and not left wandering at the mercy of plastic and fake-patent leather spectators.

Some of the Purple Label shoes this season are chestnut antique (or perhaps Edwardian antique) and white suede half-brogue spectators. They're beautiful shoes. I didn't realize that Green ever did RTW shoes with white suede; but I saw them, so I know that they do, at least if Mr. Lauren twists their arms enough.