Shoes Of The Week - Aubercy

To reiterate on my theory of brands that don't really get thought of when mentioning a certain aspect within the shoe realm (i.e. Bespoke shoes, Italian makers, American shoe companies etc.), one brand that comes to mind is Aubercy. They make some of the nicest shoes I have ever seen but are often masked by the thought of Corthay and Berluti when thinking of French shoemakers. It makes you think that it is companies like this that should be respected, because they simply must live off good word-of-mouth from their loyal clients, as you never see any advertising of them nor can hardly find them anywhere outside of their shops in Paris. But believe it or not, they date back to 1935, and have been going strong ever since. With the way the world is working right now, where men are again starting to appreciate good quality on their feet, it would not surprise me if Aubercy was to get bigger and become more in demand, but then again, I feel like many of the Parisian shoe lines actually enjoy being small and exclusive......who knows.

Spat Boots Available At: Leffot

On another note, I am off to finalize my 7th pair of shoes that I started a little while ago (which you can see here). I can't remember if I get internet access at the B&B that I stay at so if you do not hear from me until Monday of next week, this is why. By the way, for those that keep up, I have decided to dye them green and give it a go at my own little personal patina.

Until next time,

-Justin, "The Shoe Snob"

Today's Favorites - Random's

I am in a bit of a rush this morning and could not think of a specific maker that I wanted to write about so I thought that I would just filter through my 'random' pictures folder. That being, I am will put up some shoes here, but may not 100% sure about who the maker is. For example, I believe that the stunning spat boot above is made by Aubercy, but also have this feeling that it may be a japanese maker (Correction, a reader told me that it was made by Otsaka M-5)? So, if you know, please feel free to leave a comment so that I can give credit to the maker. Nonetheless, enjoy the shoe porn, have a great Wednesday and I will be back tomorrow for a stronger post. Now that the Paris trip posts are done, I will get back to doing my "Shoes" posts on Mondays, next week explaining everything about the term 'brogue.'

Above: Ivan Crivellaro 

Above: Christian Louboutin

Above: Officina Patina

Above: Mario Rubinacci

Above: Olivier Guyot For Walter Steiger

Above: Tom Ford

Today's Favorites - Customer's Shoes

While I feel like it has been forever since I have written, really it has only been almost exactly 48 hours, which is not that long, in fact, to go without a post, especially considering that I am currently in Paris....yup, Paris! Taking a short trip, seeing the sights and doing a couple of things here and there, that you will see and hear about in the not-so-distant future. But as always, I have to keep up my wonderful blog and give to all of you the shoe porn that you so desperately yearn for. And for today, I have decided to honor my comment of putting up the shoes of my readers who send me pics of their collections. So, to lead the pack, I have added a most beautiful spat boot, that would put most boots to shame, and was made by none other than French shoe house, Aubercy. And while I appreciate putting up my reader's shoes, I find myself a little jealous at some of them, especially since I don't own a spat boot, and may have to wait awhile, as no one really makes them, especially not for a ready-to-wear collections. Anyway, you can see the interesting shoes that were given to me via picture and think about the one's that you want to send me to show for future posts!

Wait until you see the shoes that I had commissioned a patina for....simply amazing!!!!

Enjoy.......  -Justin, "The Shoe Snob"
 

 Custom-made green cracked leather balmoral boot -- unique!

Custom-made scorpion medallion toes -- very interesting..












John Lobb (2), Corthay & G&G -- Not as unique, but nice nonetheless.. (clockwise from top left -- below)

Shoe closets....

High Toe Shine -- Good job!

Shoes Of The Week - Anthony Delos

When you look at and appreciate pieces of art, such as these boots, it comes as no surprise that Anthony Delos has just recently won 'Meilleur Ouvrier de France', which translates to 'Best Artisan in France.' The guy is simply a shoemaking genius! There are not enough of adjectives to describe the beauty and elegance of this boot. From ever little single detail of what looks like hand-stitched button holes, to the piped borders of the upper fabric, to the three different constructions, to the bevelled waist and the nailed outline of a rose on the heel. Simply amazing!! This is the beauty of bespoke, being able to create something in your mind, something that is unique, one of a kind, beautiful and timeless. If I could just make shoes all day, but not have to sell them, yet be able to pay all of my bills, I would be a happy guy. But unfortunately, life is not always so simple, so I will leave it up to the artists, such as Delos, to create beautiful shoes that should go down in history as works of art....


Original article and pictures at Parisian Gentleman, have a look!

Today's Favorites - J.M. Weston

I know that I usually will do a full post on Mondays, but today I moved the majority of my stuff from Brighton to London and am simply too tired to write a 2-3 hour post. I promise, though, that tomorrow I will be back on track with a full post on driving loafers, so be on the look out!!

That aside, I wanted to share with all of you this beautiful spat boot by J.M. Weston. It's not everyday, or any day really, that you see one of these in a store's window, or in the store period for that matter. I mean, obviously, they are not really practical in today's work environment and most people don't have the gumption to walk down the street in a pair of these, so I can't really blame most makers for not actually producing some for their collection. That's why it's nice to see that J.M. Weston, albeit did not commission a line of them, will at least make one on a MTO basis, as they did for the owner of the boots in this top picture.

It's a shame really, that we do not see more dress boots on a normal day-to-day basis, as they used to back in the Edwardian/Victorian era. I do think that they are slightly coming back, but I am still awaiting the day that every shoemaker has a pair in every single fall/winter season that they produce. They can be just as elegant as a regular oxford yet can be even more versatile, as they might go better with your average pair of jeans or more casual outfit where as some oxfords are simply just too dressy. For that reason, I am awaiting the day of their return, and will promise to at least try and make them more popular with my line. But in all honesty, it will only help if there is demand, so if you, the readers, want to see more of these, be vocal about it and it will happen!!

Today's Favorites - Unique Designs

Two Pairs Above: Gaziano & Girling

Three Pairs Above: Olivier Guyot for Walter Steiger

Boots Above: Mr. Hare

While it is hard to create something that has never been done before (and looks good) it never stops a maker/designer from trying his best to do so. These notable styles above represent a bit of fresh air from the usual stuffy styles that are created by every other shoe company in existence. While I really do love classic models (albeit with a twist) I think that I become more excited when something new is created, put into production and comes out actually looking like a respectable shoe and not something that belongs in a circus. But it is not easy to do so and I applaud any maker/designer that is able to accomplish this feat.

Shoes Of The Day

All I have to say is Edward Green, WOW, and I am envious of the guy that owns these!!

The Return Of The Classics Part 1 - Spats

There was a time when dress codes very much encompassed our societies. A time where almost everyone dressed elegantly and cared about how they presented themselves whether it was for a job interview or to just take a stroll in the street. Many of the most original and intriguing designs came from these time periods, classics that set themselves apart from the norm of what we see today yet that are somewhat forgotten in time and rarely seen anymore. One of these styles was 'The Spat'.











The term, spat, was derived from an accessory that attached to the shoe, covering the instep and ankle to protect people from soil and mud, back when there wasn't much concrete. This accessory then developed into a fashionable article of clothing that denoted the likes of the wealthy and stylish. You often saw spats in either white, gray or some sort of tan/beige. A gentleman wearing high-polished black shoes accompanied by white spats, a black cane and black top hat was usually a gentleman of wealth as this was their staple uniform. This style of fashion lasted from the late 19th century until about the 1920's where it slowly faded away from its hold on society as an elegant form of dress and sifted its way into the likes of the military, being worn by soldiers of all kinds.

















Its rare today that you see people wearing spats or even brands making any but there still are a handful of shoemakers that have preserved this style. However, it is now done in a more modern look. There is still the option of this two piece type set, as you see Johnny Depp utilizing, but now a spat boot all in one shoe is more common (as shown below). There are also versions of shoe spats where the shoe is low cut and does not have the buttons but has the idea all the same (also shown below). A return to this look would be a pleasant surprise. It is tiring seeing so many people out there dressed like bums, not caring about their appearance. Not that everyone needs to be vain but at least they should give a shit especially if they want to be taken seriously. This idea of comfort has made us all lazy and it shows! If we don't see a sudden surge in the return of spats in modern day society you can believe that I will make a whole line of these when I start my company!

(Clockwise From Top Left: Dimitri Bottier, John Lobb, Anthony Delos, & Marc Guyot)