[Master shoemaker Seiji Miyagawa working on a shoe pattern] There is an iGent test: Explain how John Lobb operations are related. I thought of the test, when visiting Mario Bemer’s shop in Florence. The firm is intervined in a story, which is equally confusing seen from the outside. [Last, fitting shoe, and finished shoe] It ...

Burgundy derby shoes Blake-Stitched oxford shoes Cognac semi-brogue shoes Burgundy tassel loafers Black monk shoes My leather shoe collection consists of bespoke and made to measure shoes mainly, and I can have hard time relating to ready to wear shoes. That could sound snobbish or ridiculous, I know,  but I tend to imagine, how my feet will demolish ...

I was about to leave Florence, when Shoko Matsuoka’s shop surfaced at the beginning of an alley. I thought I knew all bespoke shoemakers in Florence, but this one I had never seen before. There was reason. Shoko Matsuoka has opened her shop just earlier this year. She comes from Maninna close by, where she has had ...

Florence has a relatively large amount of bespoke shoemakers, probably due to a strong leather craft tradition. I have mentioned that before. Roberto Ugolini is one of seven or eight shoemakers. He is situated on Via Michelozzi just opposite Chiesa Di Santo Spirito. I entered his shop one morning. Unlike other shoemakers I have met in Florence, ...

Maestro was abroad serving Japanese customers. Instead his assistant showed me the small workshop situated on a 3rd floor in the center of Milan. Everything was like it should be. No shallow show, no fake luxury but a place dedicated to pure shoemaking by hand. I hesitate to use the bespoke word, because as far ...