A1923 / Adiciannoveventitre (Augusta)

[BSR]

The straps with velcro just dont fit in with the whole a1923 concept.

you mean, this time it's difficult to track down the original product he got inspiration from?

[cowsareforeating]

^first impression was rafstros in feel but not in physical resemblance lol

[Peasant]

I think the old-world aspect lies more in the hands-on approach and the fact that he makes every pair than the actual design. In the earlier years he was likely developing his skills and abilities.. doing what he knew. Further development means growth and reaching out to the unknown. Curiosity is a good thing in a young designer. As long as the quality and attention to detail remain I'd say the soul of Augusta is still prevalent.

[Chinorlz]

I think the old-world aspect lies more in the hands-on approach and the fact that he makes every pair than the actual design. In the earlier years he was likely developing his skills and abilities.. doing what he knew. Further development means growth and reaching out to the unknown. Curiosity is a good thing in a young designer. As long as the quality and attention to detail remain I'd say the soul of Augusta is still prevalent.

This is debatable... A subject gone over when that hlorenzo interview came out. Augustas are not scarce and with everything that goes into running a line, that scale of construction and production by one set of hands is not possible. Aside from that, I agree with you. I like what he has developed and how he has evolved the line what with the fabrics and leather textures even though with the last few images it's giving the brand a little more of a street wear vibe.

[theetruscan]

This is debatable... A subject gone over when that hlorenzo interview came out. Augustas are not scarce and with everything that goes into running a line, that scale of construction and production by one set of hands is not possible. Aside from that, I agree with you. I like what he has developed and how he has evolved the line what with the fabrics and leather textures even though with the last few images it's giving the brand a little more of a street wear vibe.

I enjoy the mentality, i enjoy some of the aesthetic. I really wish he'd spent a bit of time studying under a classic shoemaker. His lack of grasp of some of the basics probably contributes to the time it takes to make many of his shoes, and definitely contributes to some common fit issues. I think, for instance, learning how to make a heelcap (cup? whatever, the bit your heelbone goes in) well would be hugely beneficial to him.

[zamb]

I enjoy the mentality, i enjoy some of the aesthetic. I really wish he'd spent a bit of time studying under a classic shoemaker. His lack of grasp of some of the basics probably contributes to the time it takes to make many of his shoes, and definitely contributes to some common fit issues. I think, for instance, learning how to make a heelcap (cup? whatever, the bit your heelbone goes in) well would be hugely beneficial to him.

Ive owned two pair of his shoes and they fit fine.......... well maybe Im lucky, but if you are gonna say this, what about CCP, where your heel is falling out of the derby every time you make a step. I know some will argue 'but oh, its the aesthetic, its CCP' but the aesthetic would not be compromised if the shoes were made fit better..........

I own five pair of CCP boots/ derbies and don't be surprised if one day I just get mad and list everything for sale (well, except the boar leather), not because dont love them, but because of certain fit fell issues I have while wearing. Oh Altieri, you have my vote for making the best shoes/ boots in this niche

[Peasant]

There may be small aspects in production that are done out of house but for the most part it's just Simone and Luigi (use to work at A). I think he had to buy the sneaker soles but was working on making them himself.
"But when I produce the collection for stores, I make maybe 800 shoes all myself and all by hand. So it’s a very long process for me."
READ MORE KIDS!

I find it hilarious to hear people comment on old-world styles when dude use to work for Rick.

[Faust]

/\ I hope you are joking here. This interview has been dissected and disproved already. Luigi has been gone for a while, by the way.

[Prezens]

/ This interview has been dissected and disproved already.

aww man i think thats a bit sad really, because if i remember correctly 1 of the key points he stressed in that interview was the effort and labour of making every pair himself. why lie?

would be interesting to see how exactly the interview was disproved. any links, or was it discussed on this site?

[zamb]

does it really matter if he makes every shoes himself or does it matter if the end product meets the desired criteria of the clients?
its easy to disprove it by doing simple math...........no one man can make 800+ handmade shoes in a season, and then find time for family life, traveling, marketing, leather research etc, etc...........

even if he was only making shoes and doing nothing else, and this was production for a whole year, he would have to be making about 2.5 shoes every day of the year for 365 days to meet this quota.

I met Simone and we had dinner a couple of times, and he is a nice man, his shoes are great and I don't care if he made them himself or not...........so long as they are made to HIS artisanal specifications and designs then it doesn't matter

I know what it means to work alone, and to do everything by oneself..........its not a nice thing to do, not a nice place to be, I wish that for no one and its not something I'm gonna idolize or celebrate............

[kompressorkev]

I did the interview so maybe I should chime in briefly. I have it recorded on tape, I’ve listened to it a couple times and I think it’s all there. Do I think not everything was fully literal? Sure that's possible, I understand the room for doubt, but perhaps some of the language barrier may play a factor on some of the more dubious details. For some things, I don't know, I didn't observe the entire process firsthand. I really didn’t interject my own commentary in it, though perhaps honestly I should’ve edited some of it down. But of course I don’t think Simone was outright lying. I know he does a lot of experimentation and he puts a lot into his work and it shows. The end product is great and speaks volumes.

[kuugaia]

^ I suppose what some people are saying is: if his work on its own speaks volumes, why does he need to say more?

I agree with what zamb is essentially saying, as long as the product is good it doesn't really matter if he made it himself or had assistance. But if you're walking around everyday in a pair of Augustas, proud that the man Simone himself hand-made them, and then found out he didn't? Hmm.

[Raw]

Yeah I agree with Zamb aswell, it doesn't matter if he had assistance, think of it this way, he may hire higher skilled shoemakers than himself to help with production.

[Peasant]

I agree with what everyone is saying. As long as the level of quality is high it really doesn't make a difference where, how or who makes it.
But no.. I did not know this was false. I just couldn't imagine why he would lie about it. Perhaps he was referring to in-house production.. lost in translation.

[theetruscan]

Ive owned two pair of his shoes and they fit fine.......... well maybe Im lucky, but if you are gonna say this, what about CCP, where your heel is falling out of the derby every time you make a step. I know some will argue 'but oh, its the aesthetic, its CCP' but the aesthetic would not be compromised if the shoes were made fit better..........

In general, I think there's not really much connection between aesthetic considerations and construction. Making a shoe correctly isn't somehow incompatible with any aesthetic, it's just about making a shoe well.

I can't comment on CCP footwear construction quality. I've owned 2 pairs of CCP boots, and neither seemed especially well made, but neither had what I would consider basic construction shortcomings.But, with your sample size, I'm sure you have much more exposure.

With Augusta, there are just certain things that seem basic to making a shoe, not an artifact of "artisanal" construction, or a function of aesthetics, that are missing or incorrectly done. Again though, I have a relatively small sample size.

A few examples on the small number of pairs of Augusta boots I've owned and actually used:

The heel-holding-bit is not well shaped, it's seems like some kind of attempt to copy the proper construction from afar. On one shoe, there's an actual curve in where the top of the "heel cup" is located, that causes an aggressive point of pressure. on the other ... I can't remember, sorry. On the vast majority of my shoes, which don't all look nearly the same, this part of the shoe is made to a more standard shape.

Also, there are some issues with insteps (I think improved recently) on step-in boots, which I've never seen on any other boots. It's like he made the shape without considering the fact that you have to put a boot on.

Finally, there's something odd going on with the soles. On shoes with well made soles, the leather is tanned to harden it, and also make it rather impervious to materials. On my Augusta boots, the leather is actually still oily, causing problems with the Vibram staying attached, as well as, I suspect, durability and other problems. (rendenbach is an example of an excellent sole leather maker). The vibram halfsoles that came off were by Firm and a good shop in in California, the problem definitely wasn't with the addition.

I just feel like Augusta footwear often demonstrates some artistry, but is lacking in fundamentals. I still wear it. Maybe I'm being unfair.