George Glasgow Jr. for Cleverley, Interview

As I promised, I will be providing interviews once a month (consider this the one for February) from people in the shoe industry, both known and unknown, who make a considerable impact on what comes out as well as shape the trends, ideas, and styles we see today. For this month, as you may have noticed from the title, I have George Glasgow Jr., who is the son of the owner (and heir to throne) of historical shoe firm, George Cleverley. Enjoy!

1. What is your role with Cleverley?

I am the Creative Director at George Cleverley but I have several roles. When I am in London I spend time with our last maker and am leaning the last-making process. I also measure clients. I have been traveling with my father on U.S.A. visits since I was 13 years old, so most of the clients have become friends. I also design new styles, which I speak with clients about and get their feedback on.

Unfortunately, most of my time is spent traveling, so it is a slow process.  I design our new styles and cover the U.S.A. & Asia markets by holding trunk shows.  I'm off to Asia in 3 weeks for about 3 weeks to visit Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul & Beijing to hold Cleverley trunk shows.  Additionally, I visit customers who are unable to meet with us on our regular trunk shows.

2. What's the most exciting thing about being at the top of a niche, bespoke/RTW shoe company?

I'm very lucky to meet some wonderful gentlemen and some very interesting characters in this business.  You just never know who is going to walk into our London shop or worldwide trunk shows. We could start the day off with a university professor followed by a movie star, but both have the same appreciation of fine footwear.

3. Being that you are the son of Mr. Glasgow Sr., you were relatively pre-destined  to be in the shoe trade but did you ever want to do/to be something else? 

I grew up around the Cleverley workrooms and used to make regular family trips to our workshop which we have in Cornwall, so I guess I was in the business by default. However, I went to the University of London where I studied Economics & Politics. After graduating I moved to Los Angeles to work in finance as an investment analyst, which I did for 3 years. I would use my holidays to work with my father on his U.S.A. trunk shows, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Eventually I moved into the business full-time. During the trunk shows I could see that most of the clients that would come by had developed good friendships with my father, many of which he has known for many years. It was delightful to see how much my father & our whole team enjoyed the business and working with such great people seemed fun, so I had to pursue my father to hire me.

4. Can you describe the most unique shoe that a client has ever ordered for bespoke? 

It's very tough to say the most unique shoe that a bespoke customer has ordered, because even now I see many one-of-a-kinds going through our workshop. I would say the most unique for me would be an old Edwardian button boot, which we made for David Beckham. When he visited our London shop, he chose a boot that was on display which was over 60 years old and had all working buttons (sewn on by hand) which you needed a special tool to open. We designed the boot to have a zip on the other side which was covered in leather, so he could get in & out of them without opening the buttons and spending 15 minutes putting them on & off. This was pretty unique as the style of boot was Edwardian but we added a modern feature to it.

Me (The Shoe Snob): that sounds amazing, I am so jealous!!!! I have yet to learn how to make a boot, let alone design one from the Edwardian era.

5. What's you favorite model out of all of the shoes that Cleverley makes? 

My personal favorite is the "Churchill" (pictured above). It is a classic shoe with covered elastic sided features and imitation lacing. This was really a George Cleverley invention and he made it for Sir Winston Churchill. His farther & him used to make this style 60+ years ago at Tuczuc on Clifford Street. I loved this shoe so much that I designed a boot version which has imitation lacing as well, which has been well received. It's great because with the boot version it's a nice travel option as you can wear it with jeans or a nice suit. Our friends at Leather Soul (Tom & Bryan) both have some very cool bespoke boots in the works.  I think the changes they made to my boot will look very cool.

6. Can you describe the creative process for RTW (Ready-To-Wear)? 

Firstly, all of our RTW styles are derived from our bespoke shoes. By this I mean if we feel a particular bespoke styles has become popular or very admired, we will make it in our RTW range. I guess you could say our clients help us design our new RTW styles. John & Teemu are very involved in cutting / designing new styles for the RTW range. We also pride ourself on being very selective on the calf hides we buy for our RTW shoes. It is important for us that a RTW customer still gets an excellent quality shoe while incorporating some of our bespoke features like the Cleverley toe or the covered elastic sided feature. We try to make approx 10/15 new bespoke styles a year, which we take from our achieves and make a slight alteration. The ones that we feel turn out the best then get patterns made up and we do a small run in our RTW range. We also have a small workshop in Kent, which we finish shoes in that Dominic works in a few days a week.

7. Assuming that you are heir to the throne, where would you like to see the company in 15-20 years? 

In a similar place to now. My father has always run the company like a "club".  He generally loves what he does, as did the original George Cleverley. We are not interested in having our shoes in every store around the world because it takes away what is special about Cleverley.  Take Japan for example, my father started working with BEAMS (which stock our RTW & Semi-Bespoke shoes) when they only had a few stores 25+ years ago. Today they have over 100 stores and we are still as close to them as before but it has just grown organically. We get approached often from stores wanting to carry our shoes but we only like to work with other retailers that have a love and passion for shoes, as this is very important.

8. Other shoemakers/companies that you admire?

Unfortunately, I don't get to see many other shoes but the last few JLP (John Lobb Paris) that I saw were nice so it is tough to say. I like John Lobb Paris, Dimitris Gomez and Fosters & Son. Although they are not around anymore I admire Anthony & George Cleverley a great deal. We still have some of their original shoes in our London shop which are beautiful and extremely well made and keeps us on our toes in terms of quality.

9. Being apart of the trade since you were 13, how many pairs of shoes have you made/acquired for yourself? 

I have worked with Teemu learning some last making over the years but given that I am always on the road it has been difficult to devote enough time to master it. I have approx 10 pairs of bespoke shoes, 5 AC's (Anthony Cleverley) and over 25 RTW in my collection.  I can never make up my mind on my next pair because with bespoke the options are endless.

10. What's the scariest shoe trend that you see today? 

The scariest trend is how pointy / narrow some shoes are becoming. It just does not look like a comfortable fit and people are buying shoes that are too long for them to accommodate this. The other is I am seeing the words "Hand Made" on alot of products that are not but the general public think they are buying a hand made product.

Me (The Shoe Snob): I also hate seeing "Hand Made" written on the insole or sole of a shoe that was obviously made by machine. It is unfortunate how this word has been slandered over recent years. 
 
11. What advice can you offer to aspiring shoemakers/shoe designers?

I would say focus on one part of the shoe and become an expert at that. It takes on average 3-5 years to learn one part of the shoemaking process with Cleverley. For example, Adam joined Cleverley from Rolls Royce and it has taken him 4 years to become a last maker. He has also been working with John Carnera learning clicking, which he is becoming very good at. Have a house style that separates you from others. Make sure your heart is in the business more than your pocket.


---Thank you George for that wonderful interview. To all my readers: I hope that you thoroughly enjoyed the interview and learned something during it.

All the best,

Justin, "The Shoe Snob"

My Shoes #13 & #14 - Converse Chuck Taylor's

Considering that I missed last week of taking pics of myself to show the world my shoes, I figured that I would give you all a double-whammy this week.

An all-American classic, the Chuck Taylor All-Star by Converse is probably the most recognized shoe in the world and rightfully so. I wish that I had statistics for how many people own a pair of these. In the States, I would be confident saying that 75% of all men have a pair, especially since their history goes back to the early 1900's. And due to that history, you will find that not only is their popularity ever-increasing with my generation and the one after mine, but is also a staple piece for the people of the generations before. Their extensive presence in the basketball and grunge/rock industries have helped to solidify the power of their stability in the shoe industry.

So for this week, I figured that I would show you two of the four (or five) color variations that I own. And while you can probably find a Chuck Taylor in every color ever created, I tend to stick with the relatively common colors such as gray, black, and navy. It's just such a great shoe to wear casually and because of it's relatively sleek and low profile, it looks good with many things.

Shoes Of The Week

What's funny is that I used to hate red when I was younger, but now I cannot get enough of it! Living in England, I just discovered  that most men will wear conservative outfits (when dressing in suits) but will have a bit of flair in their socks, whether it's bold purple, royal blue or the crowd favorite, bright red. And while I don't ever follow any trends, I had to jump on the band-wagon on this one, and so I purchased a pair of bright red socks and absolutely love them.

Red is just a great color. While it can be bright, it is still subdued in a way especially when comparing it to other abnormal shoe colors, like yellow or teal. This bespoke pair by Koronya, is a beautiful example of the perfect red shoe: clean, simple and full of color without any distractions. If you are going bold, might as well go all of the way!

As you can see by the pictures, Marcell, the shoemaker of Koronya, added what's called a German welt which essentially is a welt with hidden stitching. I had never seen this before, but I find it quite appealing. It helps to focus your attention on the shoe and not be distracted by the sole. It is his latest creation and he plans to release it in NYC with his limited 'Color Collection' in the near future.

To see how he constructed the shoe, visit Marcell's blog, called Handmade Shoes.

Enjoy the pics and the weekend! Stay tuned for more, as usual!!!

Today's Favorites - Edward Green

Green nubuck is not something that you see often, but is surely appreciated when you do! These two pairs, by Edward Green, are amazing to say the least. And while I am not crazy about the penny loafer I would probably buy and wear it just for the fact that it is green nubuck and you know damn sure that you won't see anyone else on the street with a similar pair. I have to give it to Edward Green, as always, for being innovative yet classic, and forever creating shoes that are fresh and unique. Could you just imagine wearing one of these shoes with a crisp pair of jeans? Picture perfect!!

Pictures Courtesy Of: Tassels of Hong Kong

Today's Favorites - George Cleverley

Cleverley's favorite pastime: hidden side-gore slip on's! And why not? They look good and not many other makers actually make them. I quite like the top model and even though it is listed as being espresso in color, with the camera trickery going on, I prefer to see it as some shade of gray.

Being that the shoes at hand are both suede models, let's switch the subject onto that. With my conquest of shoe purchasing, I feel that I have neglected suede as 'something to buy.' Not saying that I don't have suede shoes, because now that I think about it I have plenty of them but not nearly as many as my calfskin alternatives. I think that I have acquired a calfskin shoe for every color there is with the exception of pink and orange, which I am afraid I will most likely never get. But now I feel the need to do the same in the suede market. I have always appreciated them but have always lived in super rainy places and even though I still live in a very rainy place, I can no longer let that be an excuse. Here's to suede, Cheers!!!

Pictures Courtesy Of: Leather Soul

A Shoe's Shape

Up until recently, I always focused my attention on design (i.e. pattern - wing tip, cap toe, color, details etc.) when deciding whether or not I liked a shoe, not ever really paying attention to the shape, even though it played a big part (if not the biggest) in my decision making process. But now, having made shoes and with my introduction into self-taught shoe design, I have come to appreciate shape on a whole new level. It's funny how one could have never come to this realization until they started to actually play around with the design or construction aspects. I could have been a shoe enthusiast my entire life having not ever attempted to get into the construction side of things and I may have never come to know, that I truly like a shoe because of it's shape, not because of it's pattern, color, style etc. 

Shoe At Top: Foster & Son
Shoe Above: Vass 

You start to notice when you begin drawing on paper, that a shoe can turn out real ugly and disproportionate if the shape is not drawn perfectly. And it is truly difficult to do so. The slightest variation in pencil movement can be a deal breaker. And the same goes in the world of last making, which is essentially design in 3-D. Every little curve on the last is monumental when it comes to the form of the final product. And more importantly than getting a nice shape, is creating the correct proportions, because if the proportions are off, then the shoe will never look nice, no matter how elegant the curves are. This being said, I have been wanting to change the shape of my last for some time now because I am growing quite bored of the shape that it is, considering that I will have made 6 pairs on that same last. So when I do finally finish my 6th pair, hopefully in February, I will change the shape of my last before I continue on with my 7th pair. Ideally, I would love for it to look like the shoe at the top of the page but I am not sure if my last-shaving/adding skills are quite that good. We shall see!

Shoes Above: Anthony Delos

If you were like me and never really thought about how important a shoe's shape is, then I am afraid that after reading this you might become a shape snob, just as I have. These days I won't even give a shoe a second look if it's shape is not specific to my standards. But I am happy that I am now like this because in the past I feel like I bought/acquired shoes based on their looks (you know what I mean) and now have shoes sitting in my closet that I wish I could tear the soles off of, take apart the upper and remake them!

Shoes Below: Gaziano & Girling

Interesting Shoes - Close But No Cigar

When you try too hard, the end result usually does not come out quite right. For me, this Giuliano Fujiwara shoe represents just that. I mean, the upper paired with the Norwegian stitching was absolutely amazing, but then he had to completely ruin it by adding some chunky-ass, Red Wing looking sole. Maybe I missed the memo, but to me smart shoes just don't go great with 2-inch (5 cm) platform, white-cushioned soles!! Had this had a normal leather or even rubber type of dress sole, it might have been ranked No.1 in my top shoes of 2011. It was even pebble-grain leather!! How cool is that: BLUE....PEBBLE-GRAIN.......LEATHER!!! It's tough, but I can at least thank Mr. Fujiwara for the idea of the upper. Colored pebble-grain will now be something I look to make. CLOSE.....BUT.....NO CIGAR!!!

Picture Courtesy Of: The Shoe Buff

Shoe Of The Week

Of all of the ways that one could make a wingtip shoe, I truly appreciate this version. It has the feel of a brogue, yet does not have the actual brogueing, which for me, means that the designer actually put some thought into it instead of just saying, 'let's make another full-brogue.' And while it's not that far off, it's enough to appreciate the simplistic final outcome. Yet almost more importantly than being creative with the design, this shoe by Lodger, has a shape to die for! And even more importantly than both of those, is the fact that it is currently on sale!!! So if you happen to love this shoe as I do and might be in the West End neighborhood of London anytime in the near future, pop into Lodger to check it out and the other wonderful shoes that they currently offer on sale.

Today's Favorites - Random's

Shoes Above: Martegani

Shoes Above: Tricker's

Shoes Above: Tom Ford

Shoes Above: Allen Edmonds

Shoes Above: Crockett & Jones for Brooks Brothers

Well, I figured that I would give you a little bit of color that I don't usually put on here. I actually really like it when makers create something in green. It can really look good if done properly. The Tom Ford is particularly nice, not only because of it's deep, forest green but also because of the aesthetics of it: large tassel, tight waist, long split-toe etc. I own one green dress shoe by Silvano Sassetti and I am anxiously waiting to acquire another, either by creating one or getting one of those olive colored Edward Green boots! 

White shoes on the other hand, I have not been such a big fan of lately. I like the look of them but have always been hesitant to wear them. This could very well be that because before I lived in rainy Enlgand, I lived in rainy Seattle. So, in reality, I have never lived in a place that would give me ample opportunity to put them to use, which most likely subconsciously put me off. But I really do like the two styles above!

Pictures Of Green Shoes Courtesy Of: Style Forum

Today's Favorites - Rider Boot Co. Sketches

Looking at these, makes me feel bad about my sketches. Not that I couldn't draw something this well. I am sure that I could (well, almost as good) if I actually put my mind to it, but I just don't think that I have the patience. My simple sketches take me long enough. Drawings like these would take me like 4-5 hours, minimum. But I cannot deny that they are absolutely amazing! If you go to the website, you will see how the shoes look IDENTICAL to the drawing, that's impressive! I have always been curious about how companies translate idea to final product and whether or not it is done by sketches or has been taken over by computer imagery. Finding these images gave me a breath of relief to know that some still do it the manual way of free-hand sketching. While computers make amazing imagery and graphics and have paved the way for many industries, sometimes things done the old-fashioned still have the one-up in the wow-factor! Drawings of shoes, for me, is one of them!

Pictures Courtesy Of: Rider Boot Co.

On The Way To Lorsdship: Edward Green's & Three-Piece Suits

 
There are two things, both quintessentially British, that I have always wanted but have never come across the perfect opportunity of getting. When I say this, I mean in the sense that all the pieces of the puzzle did not fit. While I have never been rich, there were definitely times where I may have been able to splurge on some Edward Green's offered on eBay or something of the sort. But simply buying them in the States at retail price might set you back at least $1000 and unfortunately I never wanted to use my limited disposable income on something that costly. The same goes for a three-piece suit. Many a time, there were opportunities but the suit was off or the price just did not correlate with my net cash flow. But now that I live in England and earn in the British Pound, things are going to change!

I always tell my wife (jokingly), "now that we live in England, I want to work my way up to Lordship like Lord Alan Sugar". Considering that I am not British there is no way this will ever happen, unless of course I follow in Schwarzenegger's footsteps and sell 20 billion British Pounds worth of movie tickets. Only then, as we did in America, might they appoint a non-national to a seat with the knights of the round table. But until then, I can at least look the part by getting my hands on these two quintessentially British, staple pieces of the stylish man's wardrobe! My biggest dilemma will be deciding which Edward Green shoes I want to buy, because I am in love with like 50 of them! I at least know that since they offer shoes in the colors of midnight and olive, the shoe (or boot) that I do get will be in one of those colorways.

A nice three-piece suit is something that I have always been enamored with, particularly a heavy tweed, prince of wales type. But it is one of those things that needs to be perfect, you know! And almost more importantly then style and look, all of the details and fit need to be spot on. Because of this, I have come to the conclusion that due to my pickiness, I am going to have to go down the MTM (made-to-measure) route. You might ask, why not go bespoke then? Well, I am still not rich, at least not yet! And to be quite frank, if I did have that kind of money to make a one time purchase, it would be on shoes, hence the blog title. While it still might be a little bit down the road that I actually acquire both of these things, I can feel their presence gravitating closer to me. And you can believe that when I do get them, I will post many pictures of the two put together!!