The London Lounge

New Bespoke Shoes from Gaziano & Girling

Santa, with a lot of help from the Gaziano & Girling, delivered some new bespoke shoes earlier this month, just in time for Christmas. Thanks a million to Steven at Leffot for helping with the photos. I also have pictures of the one-piece Burhnam boot that G&G did MTO in a black grain. Unfortunately, Steven did not take those photos, so they need some work.

For the loafer, I asked Tony to interpret Berluti’s Andy for my foot which is hard to fit. Aside from the obvious differences, this shoe has a Goodyear welt rather than a Blake. The pumps replace on well-worn pair from Brooks that I purchased in 1988 from a great dresser at Brooks in Newport Beach, California. The inaugural balls from this year’s Mardi Gras took a heavy toll on them and my dinner suit, but that’s another story and another craftsman. This new pair works off my bespoke last, which is itself an interpretation of Edward Green’s 404 and 707 “Peal” lasts with the high side wall and flatter, elongated toe box. The calfskin is just beautiful; I’m learning to walk on my hands. These soles are stitched, whereas the other ones were stuck on. They are not as long as they photographed. The trees for both are solid.

Apologies that the pictures cut off to the right. (Here's a link to the album http://www.photoshop.com/users/hartline ... 830ffd2e15.)

Loafer















Evening Pump

Shoe porn of the most egregious kind! You should be ashamed! Now show us more!

I like the evening pumps...obviously a new model for G&G

Which last is it on?

I know Tony and Dean dislike patent leather...thus are the pumps in black box calf leather?....or did they use or polish it differently?

Both lasts and shoes are bespoke, and I don’t think are part of G&G’s current line-up. The last for the pumps came working and talking with Tony for a few years ago and draws its inspiration from Edward Green’s “trans-Atlantic Peal” 404 and the 707, which was a last project that I’m told Flusser and Hlustik worked on together. There is also a last that EG uses (used?) for the Asian market the name of which escapes me but is a combo of numbers and letters that has a similar toe-box. Along with Tony's sketches of last shapes and some testing, I spent hours searching eBay for old EG 404’s from Brooks; older EGs with proportions before the Lobb-Hermes split; and bespoke Peals from London; and comparing lasts at EG’s factory when Tony was there. There are some European makers that have similar shapes, but the toe boxes are more compact – more equilateral than isosceles. Seems everyone has their favorite EG toe shape.

I’m not sure if the calf is box calf per se; left over Freudenberg; came from A&A Crack; etc. I don't know where he got it. I just know it is super smooth with almost no grain.

If it ever stops raining where I am in Southern California where I currently am, I may get a chance to wear them. Usually, tournament of Roses Committee does a better job controlling the weather during this week.

Nice work Tony!

Rain in S. California? Things have changed since I have been away.

Cheers

Michael

The pumps are sweet, I like the tightness of the welt