Working Shoe for Young Exec

[crap]

Seriously?

Bespoke (i/biˈspoʊk/) is an English word that means a clothing item made to a buyer's specification (personalised or tailored). While it can be applied to other items, including computer software and luxury cars, the term historically was applied only to men's tailored clothing, footwear and other apparel, implying measurement and fitting. For most non-clothing items, the term build to order is usually used instead.

The distinguishing points of bespoke tailoring are the buyer's total control over the fabric used, the features and fit, and the way the garment should be made. More generally, "bespoke" describes a high degree of "customisation", and involvement of the end-user, in the production of the goods.

Everything needs to start from scratch and needs a total remake to qualify as bespoke? So if a shoemaker doesn't start from scratch to shave a raw wooden last to laboriously resemble a client's feet shape, he isn't bespoke?

I'm sure a tailor doesn't have to make a new tailor dummy for EVERY bespoke suit client!! Or a car engineer throw away his technical drawings and assembly line to build another bespoke supercar from scratch!

I heard some shoemakers charge many thousands and taking many months to make a shoe because of the last-making & fitting-shoes making process!

There must be a way for an innovative shoemaker to progress beyond this archaic method and still arrive at the same end-point with the same results at a much faster speed! So slow, expensive, old-fashioned = true bespoke? Dude - we are not living in the 19th century no more!

I am sure if I want to make a bespoke copy of an existing suit design, the tailor would have all the basic lines and patterns already in place, because a suit is still a suit and a last is still a last... plastic or wood. That is my point exactly.

Anyway... if you want to be so hung-up over word definitions and pay that much money to see someone start from scratch - it's your choice dude!

PS - Ignore my age justification , I assumed that you were calling me a young bird. Which I am not.

There was no argument to begin with when one has been totally out of point from the start.

Since the start, I have said 1 is created from scratch the other is just adjusted from pre-existing item.

No idea why you keep bringing in modern/traditional when everything from the start have been about completely from scratch or adjusted from existing.

It's got even more ridiculous when you started talking about wood and plastic shoe lasts. Your age justification...

 

[archangle13]

Can keep the last if you want, but usually you won't since you'll be making more pairs of shoes on it, so they'll keep it for you - which explains all the romantic photos of European shoemakers with walls of hanging wooden lasts.

I would rather keep my last. With the last, you can approach another bespoke maker and get them to make you a pair, right?

 

[Carnage]

He likes the shoes from DW. Let him be. Look at his previous posts from other threads, all gushing about them. Maybe he owns a pair and can claim about their quality. We don't own them so we don't know anything. Anyway I've heard of DW. But they don't do Goodyear welted, so uhhh...

 

[archangle13]

He likes the shoes from DW. Let him be. Look at his previous posts from other threads, all gushing about them. Maybe he owns a pair and can claim about their quality. We don't own them so we don't know anything. Anyway I've heard of DW. But they don't do Goodyear welted, so uhhh...

LOL if Diamond Walker is not GY welted... then don't waste time talking about it already.

Thanks for the heads up. End of my DW curiosity. Over and out.

 

[crap]

Sorry guys,

I'm not a customer yet. Just followed my friend when he made his a few months ago. Was browsing through HWZ and saw a shoe thread and shared my find. I get their shoe pix in my newsfeed when I liked their FB page. And because I work around the corner and take my taxis there when it rains.... I see the store from the outside a fair bit. That is all.

Anyway, today I will go in and seriously take a look and talk to them. And find out more because you guys have made me more curious about how Diamond Walker works... beyond just how sweet their shoes look vs what I see in other shoe shops!

I shall follow Arctuate's style and walk in there demanding a complete breakdown of their handmade techniques, leather quality and last-making secrets!

Field Report coming soon!

He likes the shoes from DW. Let him be. Look at his previous posts from other threads, all gushing about them. Maybe he owns a pair and can claim about their quality. We don't own them so we don't know anything. Anyway I've heard of DW. But they don't do Goodyear welted, so uhhh...

 

[crap]

LOL if Diamond Walker is not GY welted... then don't waste time talking about it already.

Thanks for the heads up. End of my DW curiosity. Over and out.

What is GY Welted?

 

[archangle13]

What is GY Welted?

Goodyear welted. The basic construction method of any quality shoe.

 

[Carnage]

What is GY Welted?

You don't even know what is Goodyear Welted and yet claim that being in your 40s makes you a more knowleadgeable than Kiton?

Having a laugh already.

 

[crap]

You don't even know what is Goodyear Welted and yet claim that being in your 40s makes you a more knowleadgeable than Kiton?

Having a laugh already.

Dude... sorry... I have no idea what the acronyms GY stood for...SO I ASKED. Go ahead and laugh at my expense... no problems.

I do know what is GoodYear.... my car tyre brand! And yes, I KNOW what is Goodyear machine welt. I am not THAT ignorant.

Just that I'm not a shoe freak... if I mentioned car abbreviations like NA vs TC/SC, CO vs SA, SL vs Boxer vs V vs SLH, SV.... I bet you also have to ask right?

And I have never claimed to be a shoe expert like you guys. Go read my postings again. I'm a noob but I don't aspire to be a shoe snob like you. There are many things in life that are much more worth knowing IMO.

 

[crap]

Goodyear welted. The basic construction method of any quality shoe.

Thanks for politely clarifying what that abbreviation meant. I should have guessed it but yeah maybe my iphone screen too small. Or my brain too small.

 

[arctuates]

I don't think that another shoemaker will be willing to do a shoe on the last that you give him, unless he's your really good friend and does it as a favor. I get the impression that it's tantamount to stealing someone else's effort in bespeaking the last for you. Maybe it's a code of conduct thing, I dunno.

OK lah, GY welted is not necessarily the be-all-end-all of quality. Being machine welted, it will be inferior to a solid handwelt. Hence, I believe the question is the quality of the handwelt, on which I'm no expert (no patience to read through all the styleforum posts on the topic, very technical) but I imagine things like closeness of stitching and even tightness of the stitches are important factors; and that it takes many years to master the technique and "feel" of achieving a solid welt. It's not something that any new bird can easily master.

 

[Carnage]

Dude... sorry... I have no idea what the acronyms GY stood for...SO I ASKED. Go ahead and laugh at my expense... no problems.

I do know what is GoodYear.... my car tyre brand! And yes, I KNOW what is Goodyear machine welt. I am not THAT ignorant.

Just that I'm not a shoe freak... if I mentioned car abbreviations like NA vs TC/SC, CO vs SA, SL vs Boxer vs V vs SLH, SV.... I bet you also have to ask right?

And I have never claimed to be a shoe expert like you guys. Go read my postings again. I'm a noob but I don't aspire to be a shoe snob like you. There are many things in life that are much more worth knowing IMO.

Never claim to be a shoe snob?

You sounded exactly like one. Or pretended to be Mr Know-it-all less than 2 pages back.

Quoting from Wikipedia doesn't make you right. Being able to Google doesn't make you smarter than the next, just less lazy.

 

[Ind1go]

I don't think that another shoemaker will be willing to do a shoe on the last that you give him, unless he's your really good friend and does it as a favor. I get the impression that it's tantamount to stealing someone else's effort in bespeaking the last for you. Maybe it's a code of conduct thing, I dunno.

Its not so much the code of conduct or stealing someone else's effort.

From what I know, no one wants to work with a last that was created by someone else's measurements. You never know if the last measurements were correct, or if the previous shoemaker had added measurements to cater for his style of shoes.

 

[Ind1go]

Anyone have any familiarity with Alden's Barrie Last ? I heard its quite a generous last..

I wear a UK10F for Herring and Loake, is anyone able to advise the sizing I should pick?

 

[Seannie]

I suppose I can pop in and ask as I work around that area in the CBD. I'll go and check out if there are any new shoe designs too! I suppose its about time I retire my old Bally shoes! My wife keeps complaining how grey they have become!

My last time there I remember them telling my friend that they have basic shoes which have a slimmer synthetic sole option vs leather sole option. I suppose glue-on is an option for cost-conscious people? Anyway Let me check it out and report back.

Most shoes i see on their FB seems to be leather handstitched type. Go take a look!

leather sole option plus handsewn need to top $180. Else normal will just be synthetic glued on at $399. I didnt want glued-on as usually that is the place that would spoil first. I wouldnt pay 1.8k for a pair of bespoke shoes, in fact $500+ is already over my standard (by the way, im just a middle income earner) and maybe i didnt want to spend so much on shoes, not a shoe fettish. i've heard from tv news yesterday that many car owners who default their car loan payments are only middle income earners taking home about $2.8k, after minus car monthly loan repyament of $1k & $800 upkeep only left with $1k for the rest of their expenses. How to survive like that? Unless we really look for things that are cheap yet lasting. My tailored clothes dont cost me more than S$100 per piece. But i learnt that the quality might not necessarily be better than those i bought at robinsons, $39 during xmas sales. I mean, tailored clothes or not, all get faded off. The only thing that i spent alot on is my spectacles, can easily go up to 1k.

 

[Ind1go]

leather sole option plus handsewn need to top $180. Else normal will just be synthetic glued on at $399. I didnt want glued-on as usually that is the place that would spoil first. I wouldnt pay 1.8k for a pair of bespoke shoes, in fact $500+ is already over my standard (by the way, im just a middle income earner) and maybe i didnt want to spend so much on shoes, not a shoe fettish. i've heard from tv news yesterday that many car owners who default their car loan payments are only middle income earners taking home about $2.8k, after minus car monthly loan repyament of $1k & $800 upkeep only left with $1k for the rest of their expenses. How to survive like that? Unless we really look for things that are cheap yet lasting. My tailored clothes dont cost me more than S$100 per piece. But i learnt that the quality might not necessarily be better than those i bought at robinsons, $39 during xmas sales. I mean, tailored clothes or not, all get faded off. The only thing that i spent alot on is my spectacles, can easily go up to 1k.

Ultimately, it really is what you value isn't it?

A lot of heat that DW is getting is that their production methods and leather quality does not justify the $500 to many of us. Glued construction & top-grain leather, even though it is MTO is just not worth $500 to me. This is similar to the scrutiny and criticism that fashion watches undergo in watch threads. The knowledgeable folk here (Kiton, Arc, etc) provided their input and analysis on the shoes and provided their input for your research.
If you like the look of a pair of DW shoes, fk the haters and just go for it. The styles around here tend to be timeless and classic.

I lust for a pair of bespoke shoes that I can truly call my own, but my disposable income does not support such a purchase and/or I cannot justify to myself such a purchase. Until then, I am satisfied with RTW.

Ed Et Al, Herring Shoes and Loake are in the price range of $280-300 and that gets you a goodyear welted leather sole, full-grain (most, not all) leather and great customer service (I have only experienced Herring and Loake customer service). Even these brands also have their supporters and detractors in this thread, so do the research and reach your own opinion on these.

If you take the appropriate steps to care for them, they will last you a long time. Would that one pair of $300 shoes outlast 7 pairs of $40 shoes? Probably. My oldest pair from Clarks is now 3+ years old and still going strong.

 

[Seannie]

thanks, i will take note. frankly i cant really bother to do research abt shoes. i will just try DW once and see how it goes. If it is ok, i may consider second purchase, if not it will be the first & the last time, then revert to the cheap shoes again. Unless i happen to chance upon those brands which you mentioned, else very unlikely i will intentionally go search for them.

 

[Gothika]

Anyone knows where I can get some decent shoe trees in Singapore?

 

[Ind1go]

Anyone knows where I can get some decent shoe trees in Singapore?

If you wear up to US 9-9.5, you can get from Muji.
They have Red Cedar shoe trees for ~$36

 

[archangle13]

thanks, i will take note. frankly i cant really bother to do research abt shoes. i will just try DW once and see how it goes. If it is ok, i may consider second purchase, if not it will be the first & the last time, then revert to the cheap shoes again. Unless i happen to chance upon those brands which you mentioned, else very unlikely i will intentionally go search for them.

I researched about shoes for the past 4 months. It began with a simple question - what makes a $1000+ pair better than Bata ones.

I've been walking around trying to decide if I wanted to pay 3/4x my usual budget (~$100) for a nicer looking pair. So I went online to find out what's about a particular brand (I forgot which one). So there I learnt about shoe construction. Now I feel that local shops are ripping us off BIG TIME.

There's a reason why Singapore is not a shopping paradise. I read someone comment that it used to be the British coming here to buy stuff, now it's Singaporeans going to UK to buy their stuff. The Singapore market is just too small for respectable shoemakers to even bother entering.

Given decent care, a Goodyear welted pair of shoes can last up to 20 years, and good leather won't crease that much. Compare that with your run-of-the-mill Frank Williams, that's probably like 10x the usual shoe lifespan.

Ppl in the US can actually get decent GY welted shoes for 100 bucks. Think about it. What can 100 bucks get you in Singapore? Solution - don't bother buying cr*p here. Go try on shoes in HK or research enough to get your size right and buy online.