Shoe Of The Day

This shoe is possibly one of my all-time favorite shoes that I have encountered. The perfection of it is mind boggling and needless to say that this modern version of a spat inspired style is beauty at its finest! The shoe is by Laszlo Vass and I believe that this was a bespoke shoe made for a customer of his. All of the elements in this shoe came together so beautifully to make something that can be so common, stand out e.g. the slanted nose, the brogueing around the top of the vamp and the fact that the vamp is one piece without any heel counters. I could go on and on about how much I love this shoe but I will leave it to you to come up with what you may or may not like about this model.

Shoe Of The Day

When it comes to shoes made from crocodile, I feel like people either love them or hate them but when it comes to this particular pair here, even if you hate them, you have to appreciate the idea of them and the craftsmanship. From what I gathered on the website, these were a custom made shoe for the company, Harley Davidson, by Anthony Delos, who is a French shoemaker. If you look at the close-up picture, the way in which they were able to color it black, in the lines between each scale of orange colored crocodile, is just simply amazing! The vividness of the color is what attracts me to this shoe and while I am on the fence on crocodile shoes as a genre (sometimes I love them and sometimes I hate them) I have to say that this one right here is something that I would love to own just for the beauty of the work itself.

Adidas + Ransom Collaboration

In case you haven't heard yet, Canadian shoe design company and retailer, Ransom, has recently created a line of shoes in collaboration with the one of the original pioneers of sneakers, Adidas. From my research it would appear that this collaboration is in it's second season, starting in F/W '09 and has just released their S/S '10 package. Based on what I have seen thus far and what I am showing you here it goes without saying that this collaboration is going to become the next big thing in sneaker footwear. As you can see, they have put out everything from casual sneakers to winter boots to boat shoes and who knows what F/W '10 will bring next! All I know is that I am excited!


















What I like about them is the fact that they have a simple styling but are somewhat unique in their color combinations/accenting and the material pairing. The very top shoe (blue w/ white laces) is some sort of canvas/hemp material that feels rough like straw on the outside but with a normal leather/faux leather lining. Obviously they are not the first to do things like hemp outers but what I have seen in the past from other brands trying to be all different was just not that great looking where as these on the other hand have stuck to what is simple and what sells but with little irregularities that sets them apart.




















While these boot styles resemble styles that have been done by the likes of Timberland and Mountain Gear you can see that they have added little details that make them different like the teal colored laces in the black boots or in the case of the upper left ones that look exactly like a cross between a Sorel and a Timberland but Adidas/Ransom used a navy leather (it's hard to see) that makes it look very cool and different. In a day and age where pretty much everything has been done before, it's the little details that will set you apart from the rest and this collaboration has seem to do just that, capitalized on styles that are popular and sell well while at the same time giving them something different than the predecessors. I only look forward to their expansion and the new styles that they come out with!

Website/Blog: http://ransomholdingco.com/
--Here you can read their blog, shop for their shoes and find out the nearest retailer, under stockists.

Shoe Of The Day

While I may never wear this color combination I think that the idea is absolutely fabulous!! It definitely brings a new element to your outfit having the sole of your shoes being in entirely different, contrasting color than the rest of the shoe. It makes me think all of my favorite color combinations and how I would pair them together with this idea to make some very cool shoes. I only hope that these become more mainstream so that I will be able to find them easier and buy a pair. They are by Rachel Comey, a designer based out of New York, who initially started a menswear line in 2001 that was so liked by women that they started to purchase the clothes for themselves in smaller sizes. The menswear line apparently became less important as the creation of the women's line grew but the shoe division for both sexes stayed strong and in-demand, creating shoes like these that seem to have a conservative look with a modern twist.

The Whole-Cut Shoe

If you look up the word elegant in Dictionary.com the first definition that it gives is:

"Tastefully fine or luxurious in dress, style, design, etc."

To me, the whole-cut dress shoe sums this definition up to a 'T.' The fact that it has no stitching (apart from the heel) leaves it completely refined and flawless. Obviously not every whole-cut ever made has fit this description but when they have been made properly, with a beautiful last shape, they are second-to-none on the stunning scale!!













Left Shoes: Gaziano & Girling
Right Shoes: Koji Suzuki

In a modern day, where dress rules are being broken all the time such as not wearing white until after labor day or only wearing patent leather shoes with a tuxedo you see that the whole-cut shoe is bending this tuxedo rule slowly by becoming the 'new' tux shoe for those who do not wish to wear patent, which is becoming the majority of people. While I love clean-looking patent leather shoes, many people (that I have had experience in helping) unfortunately do not see the practicality of buying a shoe that THEY can only wear for special occasions and therefore opt to something else that is within the same elegance level but has a larger range of functionality. Being that stitching brings out the casualness in a shoe and the whole-cut has virtually no stitching it becomes the top contender for replacing a tuxedo shoe.











Left Shoe: Saion
Right Shoe: Pierre Corthay

Coming from a shoe-making standpoint, the whole-cut style is one of the hardest, if not the hardest, style to last. For those that don't know what that means, 'lasting' is when you take the upper leather (all sewed together) and attach it to the wooden form that represents your foot. The reason why it is so difficult is because of the fact that it does not have any stitching to allow some give when pulling the leather over the last. If not done properly, it can leave gaps of space in between the upper leather and your last and when having a pair of shoes made for you it can create a spot of loose leather. However, if made properly, the way the leather of a whole-cut shoe follows the shape of the form becomes a sight of appreciation that, in my opinion, is more appealing to the eye compared to shoes that have stitching. So if you are an avid fan of dress shoes and do not have a whole-cut shoe in your wardrobe, I would say that it is time to re-evaluate your chosen styles and find yourself a nice pair!



Both Same Shoe By: Gaziano & Girling

Shoes Of The Day

Something about unique colored shoes just intrigues me. Probably because 90% of the time you tend to just see the same boring colors day in and day out and every blue moon you catch a glimpse of someone who happens to wear something outside of the boring spectrum and that person just seems to stand out like a sore thumb. I would love to see the owner of these shoes wearing these on the streets to see what kind of outfit he could create. Anyway, the shoes are by Pierre Corthay, from France, and are among some of the most unique colors combinations that I have seen.

Shoe Of The Day

While I was apprenticing in the workshop of Stefano Bemer, my friend Matteo was making this shoe for a client and because of it's uniqueness and beauty I just had to take a picture of it. In case you can't see color very well, it is a deep emerald green and the leather is cordovan. The fact that it was cordovan was what intrigued me due to the fact that you usually only see this leather type in black or burgundy. Like always my camera did not do much justice for the photo but it was such a sight to see upon completion.

Minimalist House Design and Simple

Minimalist House Design and Simple: Minimalist House Design

Minimalist House Design and Simple

Minimalist House Design and Simple: Minimalist House Design

The Nothing Office

With the help of Alrik Koundenburg and Joost van Bleiswikj, the Amsterdam based creative agency Nothing took the idea behind the company name (turning nothing into something) and applied it the design of company’s office.  Using a ‘no screw, no glue’ technique the office features walls, tables, shelves, beams, and even a staircase, all made from nothing but cardboard!

The Nothing Office

With the help of Alrik Koundenburg and Joost van Bleiswikj, the Amsterdam based creative agency Nothing took the idea behind the company name (turning nothing into something) and applied it the design of company’s office.  Using a ‘no screw, no glue’ technique the office features walls, tables, shelves, beams, and even a staircase, all made from nothing but cardboard!

Red Bull Headquarters London

There are few offices in the world that are as visually stunning and just plain fun looking as the Red Bull headquarters located in London.  The office was designed by Jump-Studios, and features everything from floating staircases, pin pong table meeting rooms, a sleek lounge area, and best of all a massive slide to transport you between meetings.  Some amazing pictures after the jump!

Red Bull Headquarters London

There are few offices in the world that are as visually stunning and just plain fun looking as the Red Bull headquarters located in London.  The office was designed by Jump-Studios, and features everything from floating staircases, pin pong table meeting rooms, a sleek lounge area, and best of all a massive slide to transport you between meetings.  Some amazing pictures after the jump!