The (20) bespoke shoemakers I have known

The Ugolini workshop in Florence

This text was initially written in 2014, then up to date in 2021, and is now freshly up to date for 2026. It seems like a great time to take action – I’ve 4 new shoemakers so as to add, however no plans to strive new ones quickly.

I additionally really feel extra optimistic about bespoke shoemaking usually. Wanting again on my early footwear, the expertise was patchy and the match hardly ever higher than ready-to-wear. The product was usually stunning, however the match allow them to down.

Previously 5 years, I’ve had a second pair from Yohei Fukuda, which have been simply nearly as good as the primary. I’ve had a great pair from Seiji McCarthy. And I’ve had a wonderful expertise with Canons, which is especially helpful given they’re in London and so extra accessible.

Listed below are the 20 shoemakers I’ve tried, now divided into sections for these I’d advocate, these with important caveats, and the manufacturers which can be extra akin to made to measure.

Please word that when these posts are up to date, the historic feedback are carried throughout from one replace to the following. So a few of the feedback beneath date again to 2014. You possibly can change the order from oldest to latest, if you wish to see the latest feedback.

This are companion articles to this together with the ‘Tailors I have known’, which does one thing comparable however with 61 bespoke tailors. There may be additionally one on shirtmakers (21) here, and one on made-to-measure.

TOP RECOMMENDATIONS

Canons

I’ve had one pair of bespoke oxfords from Canons up to now, however they had been probably the most comfy bespoke footwear I’ve ever had. Elegant and properly made, however roomy with out being unfastened, I used to be impressed and we are actually engaged on a idler.

Canons are primarily based in North London however grew out of Foster & Son when it was on Jermyn Road. The Foster & Son title is being re-used, however extra on equipment and ready-made footwear that will probably be constructed in Northampton.

The Canons workforce – led by proprietor Simon Bolzoni – can be one of the forward-thinking I’ve come throughout, each by way of manufacturing methods and managing the enterprise. They provide me hope for bespoke shoemaking as a complete, in addition to their explicit enterprise.

Yohei Fukuda

I now have two pairs of oxfords from Yohei, with the first pair 5 years outdated, and so they have been excellent. The form is sharp, even chiselled, however they’re extra comfy than any ready-to-wear oxford on me (that may not look like a giant declare, however belief me it may be, at the least on a primary pair of bespoke).

With the primary pair that Yohei made, we didn’t actually have a becoming as I solely met him as soon as in Japan. The second pair concerned a becoming, and the match improved, as you’ll anticipate.

I’d extremely advocate Yohei, particularly for this barely sharper fashion of shoe.

Seiji McCarthy

Seiji is a Japanese/American residing in Tokyo, and is especially identified for making bespoke footwear in an American fashion – basic penny loafers, longwings and so forth. He made me a pair of cordovan loafers impressed by Alden full straps, and so they have been nice. Not fairly nearly as good a match as Canons, maybe, however very shut and it’s normally tougher to get an ideal slot in a idler.

Seiji is a smaller operation than both of the 2 above, and has had some issues assembly demand in recent times. However he does provide a made-to-order programme that might work properly for some folks, with minimal adjustments to suit of the shoe however the identical wonderful make.

ALSO RECOMMENDED

Roberto Ugolini

Roberto made me a pair of suede boots, a course of made simpler by the truth that though he’s primarily based in Florence, I go to there twice a yr for Pitti. (He additionally travels to New York, however not London.)

The match was good, which was a aid as a result of one or two associates had had points. Partly I really feel this is perhaps a matter of expertise – with the ability to inform a shoemaker the way you need a shoe to suit is an underestimated a part of the method, and one that will have been a cause my experiences with footwear from Stefano Bemer and Gaziano & Girling, for instance, weren’t nearly as good.

Masaru’s footwear, with little points across the joints

Masaru Okuyama

Masaru Okuyama is a Japanese shoemaker, primarily based in Hong Kong. He made me the dark-brown oxfords shown above (a recurring fashion, however it’s the one I put on probably the most). They had been beautifully made, and I believe replicate at a broader degree the excellence that Japanese shoemakers have dropped at the business – whether or not working in Hong Kong, Italy or England.

The match was additionally good. Not one of the best, however then a primary pair of bespoke usually isn’t – one thing that I believe ought to delay most readers which can be not sure about committing the money and time. The final was additionally a bit of lengthy and there was a bit an excessive amount of room within the vamp, each of which I’d have modified had I commissioned a second pair.

Stefano Bemer

I’m moderately emotional about my Stefano Bemer footwear, given I used to be measured and the primary pair ordered from Stefano, earlier than he handed away. I had three pairs in complete: tan oxfords, tobacco-suede oxfords and hatchgrain oxfords (above).

The match of the primary pair was fairly good, however we did have points with the in-step and the best way the elongated toe-cap bent the vamp. These was checked out on the second pair, which had been higher. And the third demonstrated a manner that bespoke could be extra accessible – they had been partly machine made, on my bespoke final, underneath the ‘Blue bespoke’ providing from Bemer.

Total I’d say there was a bent to make the footwear too tight, which has affected how a lot I put on them immediately, however as famous it is a communication subject as a lot as an execution one.

The Templeman footwear with hand-sewn apron or ‘lake’

Nicholas Templeman

Nicholas Templeman is an ex-John Lobb shoemaker, and his strategy is greatest regarded as grounded in that custom, with a barely wider appreciation of kinds elsewhere.

He made me a pair of grained derbys with a wonderful chain sew across the apron (above). The match was good, and cozy instantly. I additionally preferred the delicate styling, with no work missing within the waist or heel, however much less excessive form than another makers.

The facings wanted to be tweaked a few instances, to get them to line up higher when laced on my foot. Looking back the fashion was additionally a mistake – a reasonably elongated shoe in an off-the-cuff materials. However that’s the shopper’s duty – the one factor the maker might do higher usually is have extra kinds out there to see earlier than ordering.

Nick has now moved from the UK to Vancouver, Canada.

My G&G footwear on a daily G&G adelaide fashion

Gaziano & Girling

I had three pairs of bespoke from Tony, Dean and co – a seamless slip-on in hatchgrain leather-based, an oxford adelaide (pictured above) and a suede slip-on (beneath). The adelaides had been made within the fallacious color initially, and had been subsequently patinated to the dark-brown you possibly can see right here.

These footwear are amongst my best-fitting bespoke. But it surely helped that the fashion is kind of a normal G&G one – this was not ranging from scratch on a brand new design. The seamless loafers had been stunning, and one in all my favorite pairs from a method standpoint. However the match was trickier, and I finally needed to give these away. Extra on the suede slip-ons beneath.

As a facet word, I’d advocate the made-to-order service from G&G, which is usually all a buyer must get an improved match.

A becoming for the Daniel Wegan slip-ons

OTHERS

Daniel Wegan / Catella

These suede slip-ons had been made whereas Daniel Wegan was at Gaziano & Girling, and they’re Gaziano & Girling footwear. Nevertheless, Daniel made a brand new final for them, in addition to making and becoming them all through. So now that Daniel is ready up on his personal, they do present some expertise of his service as properly.

The loafers had been in all probability probably the most stunning by way of the only real and heel work I’ve had, with a skinny sculpted waist and pitched heel. The form was additionally very elegant. The match wasn’t one of the best although, and regardless of a few tries at stretching them to repair that, I not put on them.

Cleverley

I had three pairs of bespoke footwear made with Cleverley – brown cap-toes, black imitation brogues and Russian-reindeer monk straps (above). The method of constructing them was coated in detail, over 13 posts, so there isn’t any lack of understanding on them.

Nevertheless, I had a couple of points with the match of the primary couple of pairs, particularly across the outdoors joints and my little toe. This was mitigated with stretching, however they nonetheless weren’t one of the best match. I solely have the black ones now, and principally as a result of they’re fantastically made. I put on the Yohei Fukudas much more, as a result of they’re a greater match.

The recommendation on fashion might even have been higher, with the monk straps, for instance, not made within the extra informal final form I had requested.

Stivaleria Savoia

Savoia is a Milanese shoemaker, and an outdated, storied one. ‘Stivaleria’ means bootmaker, and the corporate was based by the makers of trainers for the Savoia, or Savoy, cavalry. They’ve modified possession over time, nonetheless, and now focus extra on ready-made and clothes extra usually.

The shoes that Savoia made me (above) had been OK within the match, however lacked one thing within the fashion. This wasn’t simply the absence of bespoke touches like superb waists or heels; Lobb and others do this too. It was extra the truth that the footwear seemed like old style and maybe even characterless. I do like rounder, wider footwear usually (resembling Aldens) however these weren’t to my style from a method standpoint.

Carreducker’s properly designed boots

Carreducker

Carreducker are the completely pretty Deborah and James, primarily based in London, who make bespoke footwear but additionally spend loads of time educating shoemaking and different common leather-working courses. (They taught me here, fairly how exhausting it’s to do saddle stitching!)

They made me a pair of bespoke boots, with the precise intention of growing a bespoke system that might work remotely – measuring and becoming executed at dwelling with the assistance of James over video hyperlink – and be cheaper due to some components stitched by machine.

The consequence was fairly good, although a bit of roomier than I had anticipated and the ending not fairly on the degree of the opposite prime shoemakers right here.

SEMI-BESPOKE / MADE TO MEASURE

Saint Crispin’s

We’re now into semi-bespoke. Saint Crispin’s do provide a bespoke service, however it’s not one used that a lot. They’re higher identified for a home made shoe made on an adjusted final – so with out a number of fittings – and being cheaper consequently.

I’ve had two pairs of shoes and two pairs of boots made, with the primary being the wing-tips proven above. The make of the footwear has been unbelievable, and I couldn’t advocate that extra extremely, given the value. Nevertheless, there have been points with the match, with the 2 boots figuring out loads higher than the 2 pairs of footwear. The latter have each wanted to be relasted, however nonetheless weren’t nearly as good.

Nevertheless if the match can be just right for you, it’s the very first thing I’d advocate to a reader trying to improve on RTW, however undecided about bespoke.

Petru & Claymoor

I put Petru & Claymoor right here within the checklist, as a result of in addition they make in Romania, like Saint Crispin’s, and are comparable in fashion as properly. The footwear above had been made for me throughout lockdown, and so measured and fitted remotely. They do provide full bespoke, however I embody the footwear in additional of a semi-bespoke part for that cause.

The shoes were very well made, though moderately stiff. In addition they fitted properly, which was spectacular given the distant course of. However that lack of direct communication in all probability affected the fashion, as they had been made in particular broad within the joints, creating a large shoe that I didn’t like a lot the fashion of.

Rivolta

Rivolta are primarily based in Milan. Their inclusion right here must be closely certified by the truth that I had boots made by them 16 years in the past, and I’m informed their course of has modified since then.

They used an electronic foot-scanning machine to make a final for me, which was then made into (fantastically crafted) suede boots. Sadly the scanning course of didn’t work completely, and so they didn’t match. They were subsequently remade, and far improved, however nonetheless didn’t work out in the long run.

Curiously, there was a little bit of a vogue for these machines again then, with outdated model Lodger utilizing one too. And this resurfaces on a regular basis – it by no means appears to assist a lot, however clearly the makers proceed to pitch it.

Santoni

I’m not a specific fan of the Santoni fashion of shoe. However I used to be excited by attempting out the service when it was supplied – as a part of work for a mainstream journal years in the past – as a result of it’s all the time attention-grabbing to see how greater manufacturers deal with a bespoke sort of service.

The shoes were nice, however I believe extra like an extension of the ready-to-wear, so semi-bespoke or made to measure. So though a brand new final was made, the match across the arch and heel was not that exact. And that goes for the make too: the welt and sole had been hand-sewn, however the look continues to be very a lot of a RTW Santoni shoe.

Tim Little

The Tim Little brand (at Grenson) used to supply a little-discussed bespoke service, with Tim doing the session in his store and the measuring and pattern-making being executed by Tony Botterill. The important thing attraction was the value, which again in 2014 when I had my boots made, was £1950 for the primary pair and £900 thereafter (as soon as the final was executed).

Tim was upfront from the start that the footwear would have not one of the delicacies of prime bespoke – the formed waists, pitched heels and so forth. However they might be hand-sewn on a bespoke final. And that delivered, in that the match was good (after an preliminary becoming the place I couldn’t get the boots on!).

Nevertheless, the supplies are nonetheless at a Grenson degree, and I really feel like it is a little bit of a mismatch. I wouldn’t use the service once more, preferring decent-fitting higher-quality RTW, or an adjusted final from the likes of Saint Crispin’s, if I needed one thing cheaper.

INCOMPLETE / HISTORIC

Foster & Son (outdated enterprise)

I had a pair of dark-brown oxfords made with Foster & Son years in the past (above), however given the store is now closed and the workforce very totally different at Canons, who took over the enterprise, it’s not that related. The match of them was OK, however there have been points with the end, the place the closely patination started to rapidly flake off.

Norman Vilalta

Norman is one in all my favorite folks on the planet – a beautiful particular person and an amazing craftsman. We began a mission to make a bespoke pair of trainers years in the past (beneath), and did get to the becoming stage, in waste leather-based, however couldn’t agree on a method. Maybe as a result of I had in thoughts one thing extra historically English, and never a lot what Norman usually makes.

Calzoleria Carlino

I attempted making a bespoke pair of footwear with Calzoleria Carlino, the Italian maker primarily based in Sassuolo, Modena, in a course of that was executed remotely throughout Covid. Riccardo was very attentive and the match footwear that had been delivered had been fairly good for distant, with discomfort solely throughout the folds of the toes. Nevertheless, that subject with the match and the fashion not being fairly what I needed meant that I didn’t put on them.