Benjamin Klemann Shoes – part 4 (final)

by

Bespoke_handmade_shoes_Klemann_The_Journal_of_Style_1

Final shoes from Benjamin Klemann in Hamburg. I have to say that I’m happy with the result. I have several pairs of bespoke shoes from the Warsaw shoemakers Kielman and Januszkiewicz. The shoes from Benjamin clearly comes from a more refined category of bespoke shoes. The fit is better, and to my eye the shape and the finish are more elegant (which doesn’t mean that Kielman and Januszkiewicz don’t make fine shoes). I guess the internal make of the Klemann shoes is better as well, however that I cannot know for sure.

Bespoke_handmade_shoes_Klemann_The_Journal_of_Style_2

The Klemann price is different from the price of bespoke shoes in Warsaw, of course. Four times Januszkiewicz and three times Kielman. You feel it. Compared to the famous London shoemakers you get Benjamin’s shoes at a significantly lower price though.

Bespoke_handmade_shoes_Klemann_The_Journal_of_Style_3

Bespoke_handmade_shoes_Klemann_The_Journal_of_Style_4

Bespoke_handmade_shoes_Klemann_The_Journal_of_Style_5

Bespoke_handmade_shoes_Klemann_The_Journal_of_Style_6

Bespoke_handmade_shoes_Klemann_The_Journal_of_Style_7

Bespoke_handmade_shoes_Klemann_The_Journal_of_Style_8

Bespoke_handmade_shoes_Klemann_The_Journal_of_Style_9

Bespoke_handmade_shoes_Klemann_The_Journal_of_Style_91

Bespoke_handmade_shoes_Klemann_The_Journal_of_Style_92

I went for a brown Adelaide model, which Benjamin calls “a Lingwood”. I’m a heavy user of oxford shoes during weekdays, either brown or black, so adding another pair of oxfords made sense. I find myself spending a lot of time thinking about the better choice, before going to a bespoke maker, that is: I think about, what I really need the most in my wardrobe. I don’t allow myself the decadence of shopping bespoke by inspiration. Next shoe pair will be either split-toes, loafers or welted sneakers. We’ll see.

Bespoke_handmade_shoes_Klemann_The_Journal_of_Style_93
Read the first parts:
Part 1 – Background
Part 2 – Ordering
Part 3 – Fitting

Photos: The Journal of Style

My Red Shoes

by

Red-oxford-shoes-men-The-Journal-of-Style-1

Black and brown shoes inhabited my shoe racks. Something new had to happen. Red shoes were the choice. I sent Italian leather to my shoemaker in Warsaw, and, as always, he made me a pair well-fitting of shoes, which were a very red pair of shoes too.

Red-oxford-shoes-men-The-Journal-of-Style-2

I expected that though, and I had a plan: black shoe wax. I new it would change the colour significantly but I wasn’t exactly sure of the result. Here it is, a much more subtle colour, although you still have that dandy touch, which red tends to produce.

Source: The Journal of Style

Shoemaker Shoko Matsuoka in Florence

by

Shoemaker-Shoko-Matsuoka-Florence-The-Journal-of-Style-1

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.

Shoemaker-Shoko-Matsuoka-Florence-The-Journal-of-Style-2

There was reason. Shoko Matsuoka has opened her shop just earlier this year. She comes from Maninna close by, where she has had her apprenticeship.

Shoemaker-Shoko-Matsuoka-Florence-The-Journal-of-Style-3

Shoko Matsuoka makes both men’s shoes and women’s shoes. She builds her shoes around patched plastic lasts instead of wooden lasts. I have noticed this practice has become common among shoemakers. I guess plastic lasts have reached a level that make them just as fine as wooden lasts.

Shoemaker-Shoko-Matsuoka-Florence-The-Journal-of-Style-4

Her price of 1200 Euros for a pair of traditional oxford shoes, which includes trial shoes, is almost a bargain in Florence. Other shoemakers there are in the range of 1500 to 2500 Euros for a pair of classic shoes.

Shoemaker-Shoko-Matsuoka-Florence-The-Journal-of-Style-5

Shoko Matsuoka is located at Ramaglianti 6. She has no website yet.

Source: The Journal of Style

Berlin Shoemakers

by

Berlin-shoemaker-The-Journal-of-Style-1

Berlin-shoemaker-The-Journal-of-Style-3

Berlin-shoemaker-The-Journal-of-Style-4

Berlin-shoemaker-The-Journal-of-Style-5

Berlin-shoemaker-The-Journal-of-Style-2

I’ve never heard people talking about Berlin mentioning the shoemakers there. Berlin is associated with so much else than crafts. However, the city do host a bunch of real shoemakers, who know the art of hand welting classic leathers shoes.

While in Berlin a few weeks ago, I paid a visit to two of them.

At first, I first went to Enrique López. He comes from Cuba. He learned the craft in his father’s workshop in Havanna. Enrique López made his first pair of handmade shoes, before he turned 15.

Although, he is a very skilled shoemaker, shoemaking by hand in Berlin is difficult, he told me. Few people are aware of the special quality of handmade shoes, and the rent in Berlin is just going up.

However, you have to be close to the potential customers, he had concluded, so he was now about to close his current location on Levetzowstrasse northwest of Tiergarten to move closer to the expensive city center. It was unclear to me, though, where this new place will be. His website will announce it, I guess.

Enrique López quoted me 2.000 Euro for a pair of handwelted shoes.

Berlin-shoemaker-The-Journal-of-Style-6 Berlin-shoemaker-The-Journal-of-Style-7 Berlin-shoemaker-The-Journal-of-Style-8

I said goodbye to Enrique López, and I went down Levetzowstrasse passing the Spree, before I entered Tiergarten. On the right, I nudist camp appeared, which somehow didn’t surpise me. Shortly after, I arrived at the roundabout with the victory column Großer Stern. I went on, and I came to a diplomat or business district. I turned left, and after a few hundred meters I was walking among hookers. At a traffic light, the neighbourhood changed again, and another shoemaker, Jürgen Ernst, showed up.

That is, only his shop showed up. Jürgen Ernst was away. I could only do a little window shopping. His shoes on display looked promising.

Berlin has five or six shoemakers more, who make welted shoes by hand, which I didn’t have time to drop by. Among the remaining, you’ll find Meier & Schöpf, Meisterschuh, Kirsten Hennemann, Liblingsschuh, and Posh Schuhe.

Source: The Journal of Style

Warsaw meetings

by

At my short stay in Warsaw a month ago, I met  Wojtek, mr. Macaroni Tomato. Together with a friend, Tatiana, he recently opened a small shop specializing in classic, yet modern menswear.

I also said hello to brushmaker Khaja, who makes all sort of brushes by hand. He is located on Poznanska.

My stay included a visit to a few shoemakers, among them Jan Kielman.

Source: The Journal of Style

Get new posts by email