Off the beaten track

[Costi]

About a month ago I stumbled upon a small shop with dusty windows on a street in the centre of Bucharest, belonging to one of the few cobblers left that still actually makes shoes, rather than mend RTW. My attention was caught by a pair of spectators ¡V quite a rare sight in a shop window these days. As I went in I found a customer who was trying on a pair of new shoes that he shoemaker had just finished for him; the shoes looked great and the customer - very happy about them. The shoemaker is a friendly 60-year old gentleman who likes to talk a lot about his work. After one hour of pleasant and interesting conversation I decided I¡¦d give it a try and commission the making of a ¡§sample¡¨ pair.
Because this is Romania we are talking about ļ (some of you may have read my posts on how much I need to get involved in supplying my tailor with all the necessary furnishings), ordering a pair of shoes starts with providing the cobbler with the leather of your choice... I discovered the several wholesale businesses that catter to the shoe industry. Of course there was no way anyone would sell me leather for a pair of shoes, so I bought a whole piece of 1.5 sqm of cognac calf and a 0.8 sqm piece of black kid. Fortunately the shoemaker found everything else he needed (he had to manufacture the welt himself).
He doesn¡¦t have a lastmaker (and I doubt there is any left in Romania, as I inquired in other places, too), so he used a moulded plastic last that we picked from his rather vast collection and modified it to match my measures. As the last was quite slim, he was able to shape it by adding a bit to the sides and upper area, without the need to carve.
The first pair I ordered was a welted shoe made of the cognac calf I had provided. The pieces making up the face of the shoe are machine-sewn together, then the welt and sole are handsewn. The stitching is not visible (only the contour cut on the sole reveals the construction method). The layers making up the heel are hammered together with wooden pegs.
There were no try-ons (I asked and the shoemaker assured me I was not to worry, his experience would guarantee a good fit without any). Indeed, two weeks later I collected the pair of shoes depicted below (I have already worn them several times) which fit perfectly.









After this successful enterprise I ordered a second pair in black kid. As I liked the last (and it fitted my foot so well) I decided to keep it. The leather being very soft, the shoemaker used thinner leather soles and, to make the shoes as light as possible, he recommended glueing the uppers to the soles, rather than sewing them on a welt. He explained that, although glueing sounds more like an industrial method, the quality of the bond is not the same because he uses a different kind of glue and hammers it all around the contour rather than using a press. I have no idea how relevant this is, but the fact is that this second pair is jus as comfortable, softer and almost weightless. We¡¦ll see how well they hold.








Being relatively a neophyte as far as bespoke shoemaking is concerned (this is the first practical experience), given the conditions under which my shoemaker is able to work as explained above I would be very interested to find out what and how could be improved and how you judge this artisan's skills.

[manton]

I'm waiting for the part where you taunt the rest of us who are forced to order from London or Paris with the price.

[uppercase]

The same thought occurred to me because they are certainly beautiful shoes, something that you would expect to be made up in those bespoke capitals....

[Costi]

I'm waiting for the part where you taunt the rest of us who are forced to order from London or Paris with the price.

Oh, that would be dr. Bresch taunting you - I just happen to live here (I count on your sense of humour, dr. Bresch).
As you expect, I paid about as much as a good London or Paris shoemaker (thank you for the compliment!) might offer as a discount. And now, that the sensational element no longer creates suspense, what do you think of them SHOES?

[uppercase]

What's there to say? Fabulous shoes!

Don't wear them.

Keep them on your mantel place and admire them.

[Costi]

Thanks, uppercase - but I share your preference for the perspective from above

[uppercase]

Above is always a good position for a man to be.

But below, sideways, behind also provide special perspective and advantages.

When it comes to shoes....

Admire yours from whatever perspective you prefer.

Very well done!

[dopey]

Thank you for the story and pictures, Costi.
I think the shape looks quite nice and the fact that it fits well bodes well for future orders. I am curious about two things: Did you have to source any of the sole and heel leathers or just the uppers? How about the design process. The black shoe is an unusual design, that looks like a balmoral/galosh, but with a heel cap. I have never seen that before.

Also, how do you like the kid? The texture looks quite interesting and different from the calf? I am curious as to how you will find the black shoes over time? Even with a welted shoe, I find that a thin sole becomes uncomfortable walking long distances. I imagine that would even more of an issue with a thin glued sole. Or perhaps, Manhattan sidewalks are just unforgiving.

What is next on the shoe agenda? It looks like a whole realm of possibilities is now open to you. Are there any interesting leathers in the markets? Waxed calf? vegetable tanned? I would not be surprised that many of the old ways are still preserved and you might be able to find very interesting materials.

[Costi]

I only provided the leather for the uppers – the shoemaker had everything else in his workshop. Indeed there must be many kinds of leather available because there is a flourishing shoe industry in Romania (many Italian-owned factories producing shoes that are sold all over the world), but I didn’t do a serious search yet. I only had time to visit 2-3 wholesalers (there is no retail) and picked 2 pieces that I liked (at 25 EUR/sqm I don’t mind having to buy whole pieces). They were not very well furnished at the time, because it was August and most of the Italian tanneries supplying them were on holiday. But in the meantime I have found out about a couple of Romanian tanneries which apparently offer a good quality product. I am still to find time to visit them, because they are not based in Bucharest.
The design of the first pair was mine, as I explained I wanted a plain Oxford with a punched toe, and the shoemaker did a good job at executing exactly what I had asked for. On the second pair I asked his opinion / advice (with an Oxford design in mind) and he suggested a galosh cut. I liked the idea of a simple straight line running all along the side of the shoe, parallel to the trouser hem – and it was different from the traditional black Oxford that I already have. As for the heel cap, now that I think of it I haven’t seen it before in an Oxford either, but it was part of his design – why, do you think it is out of place? Perhaps it was suggested by the more delicate nature of the leather, as a less stressing solution than the simple heel seam as seen on the first shoe?
I am very happy with this leather - it is soft, light and beautiful (to my eye). The leather merchant taught me to ask the shoemaker to roll each cut piece between the fingers before sewing the uppers, so that the leather would lose some of the shine and acquire some texture. I already owned a pair of RTW black kid Derbies (with a much thinner glued sole) that were very light and they aged no more than any of my other shoes. Yes, thin soles are not very comfortable for long walks, but these shoes’ soles are not THAT thin and I suppose the design is more appropriate for indoors social occasions than strolls, so I hope it won’t be a problem. I wore the shoes yesterday for the first time (to the office for the entire day – including a short trip on foot to the bank – then to the theatre in the evening) and found them quite comfortable, but a bit more snug than the first ones.
Next on my agenda is a pair of grecian slippers, to give a good use to the left over black kid Some of the remaining cognac calf was made into a pair of high laced boots for a friend (I’ll ask if I may take pictures to post them – he is very happy with both design and fit). I’ll look for new leathers (not everything available is of good quality) and see what interesting finds I make – then I’ll decide what they are appropriate for. I think it’s the only feasible approach for the moment.
At any rate, a pair of new dress boots is on my agenda before the autumn is over. Any suggestions on design? Do you think THESE OXFORD BOOTS, for instance, are for formal daywear, or not necessarily since the uppers are not in cloth but in leather (and laced rather than buttoned)?

[dopey]

Costi:

I have never seen a balmoral with a heel cap. Here is Edward Green’s Gladstone, which is fairly typical of the genre, although I think the swan-neck stictching might be a bit of a filip.

One of the nice features of a balmoral is the way the vamp seam can not only run to the rear of the shoe, but also gracefully arc upwards. Here is a linked thumbnail of a beautiful bespoke pair made by Paul Davies/the London Shoemaker for member Ed Hayes who posted them in another thread. If you look carefully at the top, you can see the upward curve of the vamp at the heel (I have seen these in person, and the effect viewed from the side is even more striking). Obviously, a heel cap precludes this.

As for the oxford boots you depicted, I certainly like them. In fact, I had considered exactly that combination, and while I had never seen the Lobb example, I am gratified to see that I was not venturing out into completely virgin territory. In the end, I concluded that the color combination was too flash for my purposes. Instead I am expecting a pair in all-black, without the punching on the cap seam, one eyelet shorter (and no speed hooks) and swan neck stitching. To answer your specific question, I think that, but for the color combination, those boots would be appropriate for formal daywear in ordinary practice. Neither the lack of buttons, nor the lack of cloth would preclude that use. Nonetheless, if you are talking about strict adherence to the rules of propriety for formal daywear, I am not your man - I have a fairly good idea of the rules, but you had best seek someone with more specific and exacting knowledge.

[Costi]

Thank you, dopey, for your detailed answer. I must confess to being clueless re. why the shoemaker used a heel cap - l shall ask. The gentleman seems quite knowledgeable both in matters of shoe style and construction and I'm sure there must have been a reason for his choice.
Re. the Oxford boots I phrased my question poorly: I agree with you that they CAN be worn with formal daywear (yes, the orange is a bit too colourful), but I was wondering whether such a design precluded the use of the boots for anything else BUT formal daywear. If it doesn't, what could be a typical context (it IS a dress boot)? I should like to understand if it is a flashy boot or, eye-catching as it may be, it has its right context (other than formal dw) where it is perfectly appropriate.
Once more, thank you for your insight into the balmoral design. I am eager to learn so I can take advantage in an educated manner of this new realm of possibilities which, as you wrote, is opening to me.

[TVD]

Dear Costi

These look splendid shoes, your shoemaker seems a great find.

Re the boots you showed, indeed this is a design that is restricted to the most formal occasions. They come either as lace ups or buttons. I personally prefer the button variety with a kid suede top in pale grey. Not that I would have a pair, given the cost here it would be impractical for the few occasions that it can be worn to.

Another thought, I personally find that certain designs benefit from a more chiselled toe, and others from the more rounded variety that you chose. Given the last you have, I would go for a Chelsea (side elastic) boot as shown on the John Lobb St James's website.

TVD

[Costi]

I'm glad you like the shoes - this shoemaker is yet another artisan over 65 without an apprentice to learn from him...
Indeed the JL wholecut boot looks very elegant and, even if the toe is more chiseled in the picture, it would go well with “my” last. I actually did ask the shoemaker for a pair of Chelsea boots and he advised me against them on account of my ankle being relatively thin (?). He thinks a laced boot would fit my foot/ankle better. As for the last, indeed, I should probably find a different one if I am to commission a pair of boots.
By the way, how snugly is a higher boot supposed to fit on the leg, above the ankle?

[mpolanthan]

I particularly like the design on of the first shoe. It's something I've been considering for a while. I would like to see the eyelets more widely spaced as they get closer to the toe.

By the way, how snugly is a higher boot supposed to fit on the leg, above the ankle?

I like it quite snug to start with, and expect it to loosen with time. In my experience the stem of the boot will take longer to break-in than the rest of the boot--especially if you sit at a desk all day like me. If it's too loose your trouser cuffs will snag on them annoyingly when you get up from a sitting position, and you will feel your ankle move uncomfortably in the boot as you walk.

[Costi]

I particularly like the design of the first shoe. It's something I've been considering for a while. I would like to see the eyelets more widely spaced as they get closer to the toe.

True, that would look better. I'll consider it on future commissions.

If it's too loose your trouser cuffs will snag on them annoyingly when you get up from a sitting position, and you will feel your ankle move uncomfortably in the boot as you walk.

Indeed, but if the fit is snug doesn't it feel like the ankle is enclosed in a plaster cast, making it difficult to step or climb stairs? How do you keep the ankle fully flexible with a tightly fitting boot? I have in mind a higher boot, 17 cm + from the heel.