It appears the team at Allen-Edmonds has scanned and posted their old Allen-Edmonds catalogs from the 1950s and 1960s through the present day. Whether it’s public service or ingenious marketing, it’s a great resource. I came across more than a few models and lasts that ought to be resurrected. The 1957 catalog shows a pair of […]
Allen-Edmonds catalogs of the past Read More »
Chay Cooper, the manager of the Alfred Sargent factory, has been in New York City during this week of wintery weather. If you were able to make it past the slush and snow, you were in for a treat. If you missed the trunk show, read on. Alfred Sargent is rolling out its new Handgrade
Alfred Sargent trunkshow: The new Handgrade line Read More »
Here’s a YouTube clip of an interview with John Lobb, the great-grandson of the founder of bespoke London shoemaker John Lobb. In addition to giving a quick history of his great-grandfather, he mentions that his two sons are also still involved in the craftmanship of the family business (and extols the virtues of elephant leather
Two island nations and their shoes: John Lobb (UK) & Otsuka (Japan) Read More »
Every metropolis accommodates a certain range of aesthetic senses, which in turn are reflected by its inhabitants. I was reminded of this when I was in Paris recently. Here the word and concept of “dandy” is not pejorative or considered suspect as it tends to be in the US. Instead, my sense is that the
Marc Guyot: Progressive historicism from head to toe Read More »
Some housekeeping is in order. The following are more photos from my summer trip earlier this year to Madrid: Carmina shoes (Salamanca store) Casa Sesena capes Casa Hernanz espadrilles This window features men’s espadrilles. The second row from the bottom features traditional handmade versions (hecho a mano). Casa Yustas hats Additional links – New York
More Madrid: Carmina, Sesena, Hernanz, Yustas Read More »
In this recessionary environment, it’s been fairly common to hear of consumers trading down to more inexpensive alternatives. But what about consumers trading up for quality at a price level an order of magnitude higher? It seems a bit unlikely but this seems to be what is happening in the women’s footwear market. More and
Bespoke shoes: A growth engine? Read More »
Earlier this week, I received a pair of Foster shoes – a three eyelet Norwegian stitched apron derby with a lovely dark chestnut finish carrying just a touch of russet brown (less reddish than the photos suggest). They turned out spectacularly well in terms of fit and finish. Conventional wisdom says the Italians have superior
Foster & Son update: Norwegian derby Read More »
During my summer travels, I missed this excellent AskAndy thread on one member’s visit to the AE factory in Wisconsin to see his pair of Mora double monk straps being produced. He also met with AE CEO Paul Grangaard during his visit. If you are new to the world of quality men’s shoes and have
Allen-Edmonds factory trip: An underappreciated American shoemaker Read More »
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