Shoes

[Scot]

I can get exceptionally good quality RTW shoes that are elegant and, judged by comfort, well-fitting, for under £500. Even the most expensive RTW shoes seem to come in at less than £1000. So what exactly are the benefits of bespoke, apart from the possibility of design? Much as I like to support artisans and their crafts, if the benefits are not obvious to me I can find better things on which to spend another £2000.

[culverwood]

The benefits of bespoke shoes are the same as for bespoke clothes. There are always other ways of spending the £2,000 or so a suit or pair of shoes cost.

One can buy very well made RTW suits, coats and shoes but these will be just that, ready to wear. Made to a standard size and last to someone else's design. Just as one can buy elegant, well fitting and comfortable clothes for much less than bespoke the same applies to shoes.

My attitude to bespoke clothes and shoes is different to some as I look for the things I cannot buy off the peg. Others take the opposite view and have their black cap-toes and grey flannel suits made bespoke.

To answer your question, apart from the possibility of design, the benefits are better fit (after the first or second pair which they will relast if necessary), lighter weight, better materials (probably), better finishing (probably).

[Scot]

The benefits of bespoke shoes are the same as for bespoke clothes. There are always other ways of spending the £2,000 or so a suit or pair of shoes cost.

One can buy very well made RTW suits, coats and shoes but these will be just that, ready to wear. Made to a standard size and last to someone else's design. Just as one can buy elegant, well fitting and comfortable clothes for much less than bespoke the same applies to shoes.

My attitude to bespoke clothes and shoes is different to some as I look for the things I cannot buy off the peg. Others take the opposite view and have their black cap-toes and grey flannel suits made bespoke.

To answer your question, apart from the possibility of design, the benefits are better fit (after the first or second pair which they will relast if necessary), lighter weight, better materials (probably), better finishing (probably).

Thank you. Your very first sentence is the nub of the matter. I am very familiar with bespoke clothing, where skilled cutting and making can do a great deal to improve the average body (and the distinctly unaverage) but I need convincing that the same is true for shoes and feet!

[culverwood]

Despite what you write to me bespoke clothes will not turn a portly middle aged gentleman into a 6ft 6in Adonis. Well fitting clothes will look better than badly fitting clothes but there is no discomfort of pain with clothes. As you have pointed out the fit of shoes is not visible to the observer but to the wearer it is obvious and badly fiting shoe will cause pain and discomfort.

Although you disallowed design in your first post I do not see how you can. Part of the pleasure of bespeaking anything is the design process choosing the cloth and the cut of your suit etc. The same applies for shoes and if you are looking for something to your design then it is the only way to go.

[Scot]

Despite what you write to me bespoke clothes will not turn a portly middle aged gentleman into a 6ft 6in Adonis. Well fitting clothes will look better than badly fitting clothes but there is no discomfort of pain with clothes. As you have pointed out the fit of shoes is not visible to the observer but to the wearer it is obvious and badly fiting shoe will cause pain and discomfort.

Although you disallowed design in your first post I do not see how you can. Part of the pleasure of bespeaking anything is the design process choosing the cloth and the cut of your suit etc. The same applies for shoes and if you are looking for something to your design then it is the only way to go.

I think you misunderstand me. I am not setting out some sort of case against bespoke shoes, just seeking to be convinced that they are a sensible thing to spend money on. This is to allow me potentially to make a decision and is not an implied criticism of how other people spend their money. I didn't "disallow" design but if this is the principal benefit of bespoke shoes I would like to know that. As for comfort, I bought two pairs of RTW shoes from a well known English maker recently. They have not given a moments discomfort since I put them on and to me they look very well made. I accept that I may just have average feet and that I am not particularly discerning.

[Merc]

For me the issue would be fit. Haven't gone the bespoke shoe route yet, but i intend to, as most rtw shoes dont fit me that well.
Obviously some lasts are far better than others.

For me design doesnt matter as much. Even though i prefer to have excellent finishing, colors (especially in browns), these are available rtw. And i really prefer my shoes relatively plain, with minimalist or no brogueing.

So, in my case it's 90% about the fit.

[Costi]

Scot, if you like the idea of bespoke shoes and all you need is the clean conscience that you are spending 2000 pounds wisely, then I can write a laudatio of the bespoke shoe for you to read before bed so you may sleep well at night
As far as fit and comfort are concerned (because fit is first and foremost a matter of personal comfort, and only secondarily a matter of good looks), I would put a pair of bespoke shoes before a bespoke suit. If a suit doesn't fit well, you can live with that, but if you are wearing shoes that don't fit well you will not only feel like tossing them off your feet, but you may damage your spine, modify your posture and way of walking, not to speak of blisters and corns. A pair of good and comfortable shoes puts an incredible spring in your step, that makes walking a pleasure and takes you with more confidence through the day.
Fit with regard to shoes is not just a matter of not being too long, too short, too wide or too tight. It is matter of the shoe (and particularly the sole and heel) being shaped in an anatomically correct manner. The anatomy of the foot is one of the most complex (if only you count the bones, not to speak of muscles and tendons and their intricate interactions). If the foot is not properly supported, if the sole doesn't sustain the arch of the foot, if it doesn't have the right amount of "rock", if the heel is too narrow or too wide, too high or too low, the simple act of walking will be tiresome and your entire body will feel it. A good shoemaker understands these things and is able to deliver a shoe that complies with all these needs, besides being aesthetically pleasing. And we don't all have the same needs in this respect! A factory has no idea how your foot is shaped, how it is arched, how it needs to be supported so you may walk comfortably.
Ignorance is bliss Only after giving bespoke shoes a try will you really be able to say if it makes a difference to you. So far I have never heard of anyone trying bespoke shoes and coming to the conclusion that it's not worth it. That it is expensive, yes, it is. But no that's is not worth it.

[Merc]

Fit with regard to shoes is not just a matter of not being too long, too short, too wide or too tight. It is matter of the shoe (and particularly the sole and heel) being shaped in an anatomically correct manner. The anatomy of the foot is one of the most complex (if only you count the bones, not to speak of muscles and tendons and their intricate interactions). If the foot is not properly supported, if the sole doesn't sustain the arch of the foot, if it doesn't have the right amount of "rock", if the heel is too narrow or too wide, too high or too low, the simple act of walking will be tiresome and your entire body will feel it. A good shoemaker understands these things and is able to deliver a shoe that complies with all these needs, besides being aesthetically pleasing. And we don't all have the same needs in this respect! A factory has no idea how your foot is shaped, how it is arched, how it needs to be supported so you may walk comfortably. .

I absolutely agree- well said. the length the width AND the volume are all important variables. Even then specifics of a persons foot may still result in a less than ideal fit.

[culverwood]

I think you misunderstand me. I am not setting out some sort of case against bespoke shoes, just seeking to be convinced that they are a sensible thing to spend money on.

I am afraid I cannot say that bespoke shoes are a sensible thing to spend money on, but then neither are bespoke clothes, 30 year old malt whisky, 3* Michelin menus etc. If you have some money to spare and can afford to spend it you will have to make your own mind up what to do with it.

[Simon A]

If you have two feet of identical shape and size that conform to a standard last, stick to RTW and enjoy your shoes. If your feet are hard to fit, or different sizes, or if you have a foot condition, then bespoking your footwear will be the best investment you can make in your wardrobe, even more than your suit. A less than perfectly fitted suit may be overlooked by some, but ill-fitting shoes will wreck your feet, knees and back, and that's no joke. You spend a great deal of life on your feet. I am told the shoes are the first thing a woman looks at after your face...

[sartorius]

Scot,

Your question is a good one. I own one pair of bespoke Lobbs (from the St James's shop) and various (for want of a better expression) 'top end' RTW shoes, mostly from Edward Green. Your point about comparative price is well made. A pair of EGs will set you back somewhere in the region of GBP500; my Lobbs cost me over 2k (and it will be another GBP600 or so if I want bespoke shoe trees to go with them). I have asked myself the same question as you over the years. I'm still not sure I have an answer...

I agree with most of the points made already about workmanship and quality. As to fit, there are those who claim that a perfect fit is not really attainable - our feet change a great deal during the course of a single day, let alone over the years - and a perfectly adequate fit is available from many RTW brands (which, let's face it, 99% of the populace seem to manage wearing without permanently damaging their posture and gait). My Lobbs undoubtedly fit me better than any RTW shoe I own. But is the difference really 4 times as good? After a short (albeit sometimes painful) period of wearing in, RTWs fit very nicely and grow in comfort as the leather takes on the shape of your foot.

I've heard it said that bespoke shoes are a true investment; that after 20 years of wear and care they attain a state of grace "that mere words cannot describe". I've only had mine for about 2 years, so will have to reserve judgment on that...

As to the process, my Lobbs took an absurdly long time to create (something over a year, and this for someone who lives 30 minutes from St James's, so it wasn't as though I couldn't get in for fittings). There were a series of small adjustments necessary to correct some fit issues when I first took delivery, but even so...

All of which leads me to say that, compared simply on price, it is awfully hard to justify spending 2k on bespoke when GBP500 will buy you a very nice pair of RTWs which, given the right care, should last you decades. Some makers have anyway become adept at making shoes that appear to be hand-made.

But, then again, my motto for shoes has always been "buy the best you can afford or, better still, cannot quite afford".

[Richard3]

My Austriua shoemaker makes handmade RTW shoes (price about EUR 600,--). Actually the shoes are made elsewhere but you can choose last, soletype, leather and so on. Thenm he orders the shoes and makes corrections if neccesary. If the standard last don`t fit you or you simply want a personal last you have to pay about EUR 350,-- once for your last and may order every new shoe on your personal last. That seems quite a good compromise...

[Costi]

Richard, are they called Saint Crispin's, by any chance?

[Richard3]

Nope.

They bear the name of the shoemaker Golser. They are actually made in Romania.

[ScholarsInk]

And remember that Tricker's bespoke can be had for about £750. Machine-made, yes, but a damned good value all the same I think, especially since each additional pair is about half that amount.