I thought putting this article here would be interesting, to at least give people some perspective on shoe-making. I think the SZ-preferred brands would probably include an extra step: "Leather Finishing" that includes hand- and object- treating the leathers to attain a look completely opposite from that which the article invokes...
From Esquire, by way of MSN.
The shape:
The eight-week process of hand-crafting a pair of J.M. Weston shoes
begins with the last-maker. This guy ? and it's almost always a guy ?
has trained for decades and can optimize the balance between form and
fit.
The leather: Cheaper shoes are made from scuffed-up
hides that have been treated, but Weston uses only unmarked, untreated
leather. The shoes are softer and more supple because of it.
The stitching:
Craftsmen stitch together the shoe's various pieces using both machine
and hand sewing, resulting in a construction that lasts longer than
anything mass-produced.
The lining: Inexpensive shoes don't have linings; the best ones, like these, have soft calfskin that's gentle on your foot.
The heel: This beveled heel contains thick layers of leather that form a supportive base for the foot.
The Process: Shoe Refurbishment
Don?t let your shoes go into early retirement. Why refurbishment can be the better ? and cheaper ? option.
Think of all the
shoes you've worn to death. That lived-in pair of loafers from your
college graduation. Those shiny oxfords that killed on job interviews.
The handy lace-ups that carried you through three promotions. R.I.P.,
the lot of them, and you've got their blood on your hands. And the
worst part is, you could've saved your shoes (and the money you spent
to replace them) by finding a good refurbisher.
Take this pair of
Allen-Edmonds oxford lace-ups, worked over something fierce by an
Esquire editor and given an overhaul by Allen-Edmonds's in-house
refurbishing team. For a fee of about $100, they added new soles,
heels, welting, foot beds, and laces before conditioning and
hand-polishing the leather. Most reputable shoemakers and repairers
offer refurbishing services, and while they're not always miracle
workers ? if your leather's cracked, you're out of luck ? they'll
usually take what's old and make it look brand-new again.
From Esquire, by way of MSN.
The shape:
The eight-week process of hand-crafting a pair of J.M. Weston shoes
begins with the last-maker. This guy ? and it's almost always a guy ?
has trained for decades and can optimize the balance between form and
fit.
The leather: Cheaper shoes are made from scuffed-up
hides that have been treated, but Weston uses only unmarked, untreated
leather. The shoes are softer and more supple because of it.
The stitching:
Craftsmen stitch together the shoe's various pieces using both machine
and hand sewing, resulting in a construction that lasts longer than
anything mass-produced.
The lining: Inexpensive shoes don't have linings; the best ones, like these, have soft calfskin that's gentle on your foot.
The heel: This beveled heel contains thick layers of leather that form a supportive base for the foot.
The Process: Shoe Refurbishment
Don?t let your shoes go into early retirement. Why refurbishment can be the better ? and cheaper ? option.
Think of all the
shoes you've worn to death. That lived-in pair of loafers from your
college graduation. Those shiny oxfords that killed on job interviews.
The handy lace-ups that carried you through three promotions. R.I.P.,
the lot of them, and you've got their blood on your hands. And the
worst part is, you could've saved your shoes (and the money you spent
to replace them) by finding a good refurbisher.
Take this pair of
Allen-Edmonds oxford lace-ups, worked over something fierce by an
Esquire editor and given an overhaul by Allen-Edmonds's in-house
refurbishing team. For a fee of about $100, they added new soles,
heels, welting, foot beds, and laces before conditioning and
hand-polishing the leather. Most reputable shoemakers and repairers
offer refurbishing services, and while they're not always miracle
workers ? if your leather's cracked, you're out of luck ? they'll
usually take what's old and make it look brand-new again.
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