While these shoes, by St. Crispin, are not necessarily anything out of the ordinary, what struck me as unique was the fact that the bands across the vamp area are part of the rest of the upper leather and not a separate piece like you would usually find in the average slip-on with a band. The only thing that I can gather on how it was constructed is that on the other end, that you cannot see, the band must be attached by stitching because it would not be possible to have that just be one piece of leather without any other seam beside the heel connection. Nonetheless, the shoe is great! It has a great color, a great style and would be a great addition to any man's wardrobe!
These shoes, by St. Crispins, represent the same ideas I have for when I start my own line. This idea of taking relatively classic styles and giving them a twist with multiple fabrics, colors and other little details has always captured my interest. For me it really just sets the shoe apart, especially a black pair. Without the extra detailing, black shoes are relatively boring. Adding the smallest detail, such as a giving the brogueing a different color, really enhances the shoes' appeal. If you took out the red in these shoes, they would be just like a million other models by a bunch of other makers. I wish that more makers did this but until the becomes acceptable in a working society, I feel that it might continue to be the few who create shoes to this appeal.
While this isn't the most exciting shoe in the world, what I really love about it are the details: the brogueing at the top of the vamp and around the heel; the fact that the shoe is constructed with only one or two pieces of leather (it's hard to tell by the picture) and has a smooth vamp; the burnished toe; and the fact that the brogueing on the wing tip and around the vamp is a darker color than the rest of the shoe. The shoe is made by St. Crispins, a Austrian brand who does very beautiful work, which you will definitely see more of in future posts.
