Today I want to talk to you about shoes !
I know that people don't expect much from me in this field, especially after having done a Let's Talk Clothes and a Gimmick on techwear, but I want to, especially because it's a field with a lot of passion and know-how.
Here I want to talk about dress shoes only, and not about sneakers or workwear shoes, and even less about flip-flops or espadrilles.
And I'm not going to talk about shoemaking either : shoemaking is the act of making custom shoes , so the opposite of ready-to-wear, which is also called ready-to-shoe. It's exactly like a tailor for a custom-made suit versus a ready-to-wear suit. Here's the video.
My rant against dogmas
There is fundamentalism among some shoe lovers and that is what annoys me the most.
Namely dogmas, where any deviation in thought is violently punished !
And the Internet has only made things worse, by fostering unrealistic expectations among some people about the budget they have to spend on a pair of shoes .
As for me, I see myself more as a “seeker” than a “knower” because I believe that one life would not be enough to know everything about shoes .
But be careful, there are also those who pose as bigwigs denouncing dogmas, but only to erect another in their place.
Anyway, whatever your knowledge, whatever no matter what pair you wear, you'll always have one to tell you that you got had or that you have no taste .
And I am convinced that in everything I am going to tell you, the brands I am going to mention, I will be told in the comments that I have terrible taste , that there is 100 times better for less, etc.
You might think that this is a very dark picture that I am painting, but it is not. Because now, it is time for my cry of love…
A world of enthusiasts
Because shoes are also super lovely and generous people !
I still remember my trip to Northampton with the team from the Point de Paris brand , a lovely brand of enthusiasts who wrote a long article on the genesis of their brand in our columns .
And frankly, even though I was the one in the group who knew the least about it, they were very educational with me .
I learned a ton of stuff, and it was a pleasure to see them discussing it on an etched or pasted wall.
And for me, shoes should be about this: passion and sharing, and respect for others who have different tastes and knowledge.
And that's a bit of what I want to share with you in my video , this love of know-how, pretty shapes, small niche brands.
What I look for in a pair of shoes
There, you will be disappointed...
Actually, now I do my research work on the internet well before.
With all the information available, the brands recommended in recurring ways , honestly it becomes easy to choose a reputable brand and a shape that you like within your budget.
I know that with these brands, there is no risk of having a fake Goodyear for example and I know generally what to expect.
As I said, I have been to Northampton outlet stores that sell pairs that have not passed quality control. In 95% of cases on these pairs, the defect is really minor, you have to be very passionate and seasoned to see it.
And in 99% of cases, it is a defect that does not change anything in the durability or shape of the shoe, it is purely an aesthetic defect.
My thought was this:
Even on shoes that haven't passed quality control, I have a hard time seeing the flaws, so I might as well focus on simple things, like the quality of the leather, the stitching, the finishes that I like, the shape that I like and let's go!
For me, choosing the right brands, knowing them and knowing what to expect in your budget from these brands and what NOT to expect is 90% of the job when choosing a pair of shoes.
Am I saying that you have to go with your gut feeling without worrying about technique? NO !
Because rejecting the technical aspect of the shoe, for me, is rejecting part of the pleasure of this area .
Unfortunately, the real indicators of the care and quality of a manufacturing process are often hidden, I am thinking in particular of the cleanliness of the seams, or the quality of the mounting wall.
And because I, even if I accept a chaos factor and imperfection , I still want to understand what I buy, how it is made, why, the limits of my budget, etc.
So I have an approach that mixes “that’s life, there will always be little flaws” and “I want to understand why life is like that”
What I think about leather defects
Either you live in anxiety, saying to yourself “oh my god I’m going to choose a pair with a tiny defect on the leather, everyone will think I’m useless for having made this choice”
Either you tell yourself that life must continue to live, the sun must continue to rise, and that even if there is a trace of vein on a leather, a small scar if you stick your nose on it, it does not necessarily affect the durability of the shoe, and that once on your feet, it is no longer visible.
And if you want zero defects, you either have to pay the price, or you have to choose suede or grained leather, quite simply.
I say it again and again, the race for the pair with zero defects in the leather, you can't win it, in any case I've distanced myself from it, because it's endless.
The walking folds in question
Let's talk about it!
We are so used to seeing photos of absolutely perfect shoes on social media, brand new, or custom-made shoes, with exceptional leathers that crease very little that as soon as creases appear on a pair at €300 we feel like we've been had.
It's a real problem between the gap between a shoe imagined on Instagram and reality.
So I will never repeat it, there will always be creases on a shoe worn regularly, end of story.
And even on shoes made by shoemakers or costing more than €1000, it creases too!
Yes, the quality of the leather can come into play, and again, but it is especially whether the shape of the shoe is adapted to the foot that will cause more or less marked creases.
Here too, the race for the shoe with zero walking creases cannot be won, it is futile!
I'm just trying to get a shoe where my foot doesn't float at the toes and that's already 80% of the work in limiting walking creases .
So the walking crease that will appear on your shoe, let's consider that it is an opportunity to work on letting go!
The correct shoe shape
I have a foot that is fairly easy to fit, with a normal width and an unsurprising instep, so I've never really had any trouble finding shoes that fit me.
But it's true that there was a time when I really liked very tapered shapes, whereas now I prefer when it's more balanced , a little more rounded, surely because I'm influenced by friends who really like English shoes.
And it's completely OK to have tastes that have evolved, that evolve and that will evolve, it's just called life.
But if you have a foot that is a bit difficult to put on shoes, for example very wide, short, with a strong instep, it is essential to go for brands that cost €300 a pair. and you try several shapes until you find and understand what suits you best.
English, French or Italian shoes?
As you know, I am a great generalist and very curious, so I will say that I like all three !
Moreover, this is illustrated by the fact that we have our shoes made:
- in England and at the same time
- in Italy
- and in Portugal for sneakers
In the English shoe, I like:
- the robust and comfortable side of the English shoe,
- with the Dainite sole that fears nothing,
- the gentleman-farmer side of a pair of brogues.
And I also like the more racy, more flamboyant side of an Italian shoe.
By the way, my first "real" pair of shoes was an Italian brand called Dario Dodoni that I bought when I was 19, on sale at -50% at Printemps de Tours. A pair that I still have , a glued one that has held up incredibly well, especially considering the bad reputation of this glued one. Like what!
French footwear is a fair balance between the two, I am thinking in particular of Aubercy which is the brand that best expresses this French DNA, but we will come back to that
For the record, during a rather epic evening with the merry fellows from the Point de Paris brand, we were at Philippe Atienza's, a great French shoemaker, and after a few drinks, I asked him what he considered a beautiful shoe shape with French DNA.
He simply replied: "It's a shape that's not too pointed, and not too round." And I think he couldn't have summed up the French spirit better!
What color to choose?
So first of all, I'm not going to make any friends, but I'm not a big fan of black shoes, I think life is too short to live it with black shoes.
So you might say that it's a huge masculine classic, and it's true !
But I would always prefer a very dark navy blue shoe to a black shoe, I find it more original , more distinguished , while being just as easy to wear, unless you are in an environment with very strict dress codes.
My favorite brands
1. Between €100 and €150
Between € 100 and €150, there is Rudy's. At this price, you still have Portuguese manufacturing and leather. For me, if you have a bit of a budget, I am thinking in particular of students who are going to do their first internship, and you want to test new shapes, or simply buy a shoe that you will wear occasionally, for example to big events three or four times a year, it is a very good option.
Here, however, you will have to be vigilant about maintenance, particularly the presence of shoe trees, because that will have a huge impact on their aging, for better or for worse.
On the other hand, below €100, I don't see what you can buy that still holds up in terms of manufacturing and country of production, you might as well look for second-hand goods .
2. Between €150 and €250
Between €150 and €250, it's a price range where you start to have a lot of choice, I'm thinking of Meermin , Orban's , Bobbies or Velasca.
Well, it's clear that there are no miracles, you will only have rather simple shapes , very consensual, and without risks, the same for leathers.
We can also see this from the positive side and say that it is a price range where the offer is simple and effective, and easy to wear .
And again, if you don't ask for more, or if you're not a big shoe enthusiast, you can definitely find satisfaction in these price ranges.
This is the range where you have "nice" shoes, period.
But this is not yet where you will be able to experience your first big thrills.
3. Between €300 and €400
In the range of 300 - 400 €, things start to happen, there the first thunderbolts can appear...
I think it's the right sweet spot for a young working person who wants to buy their first real pair of shoes, one where pleasure is part of the purchase and where the shoe is not (only) seen as a utilitarian object.
I like Septième Largeur, a veteran of “accessible” shoes with whom we did a collaboration a long time ago.
By the way, I have a pair, aubergine color that I often wear for weddings because it is very pretty. and very comfortable .
Then comes M alfroid , where I really appreciate a certain originality, and I really like the fact that he dares to go for very very casual designs, like this boot that I didn't see coming.
And finally, my little hidden tip is the Monsieur Chaussure brand, a store that originally sells shoe polish and brushes .
They have their own little line of shoes, made by the workshops of Carlos Santos,
Charles, the founder, is a huge shoe enthusiast, he loves them, he likes the sleek shapes, including the eagle claw.
And I think it's great value for money if you want visually stronger shoes with a nice visual patina.
There is also Carmina, which is famous, but for me it is a bit too classic. For 2 years, TLB Majjorca has started to have its audience of loyal customers, always in this price range under 400€ .
4. Between €500 and €600
Honestly, for me, it's a bit of a complicated price range, because this is clearly aimed more at enthusiasts, and I would be hard-pressed to answer what justifies it costing twice as much. expensive than what we have just seen, apart from the country of manufacture.
But that said, I cracked. Yes I cracked, because two years ago I bought myself a pair of C rocke t t and Jones, the Islays , the ones James Bond wore in Spectre because I found them comfortable.
And frankly, I don't regret it : I wanted a nice shoe, very comfortable, with which I can walk for hours even in the rain, with an English flair and a little casual, and I got it. I'm super happy with it, and seeing on the forums how the leather ages reassures me a lot about its longevity.
But at Crockett it's perhaps the only pair that I like, because I find the rest really too classic.
And let's mention Jacques et Demeter , who manufacture in France, with specific shapes, and above all, who has a great blog.
5. From €800
Around 800€, I find that there are quite few brands, apart from Point de Paris . I have already talked about it, this article by Charlie tells their story, it is super interesting and inspiring.
6. More than €1000
Then we enter the zone of €1000 per pair.
Well, this is a must-have purchase! This is the real thrill, and it's a price range that I like best for Italian shoes, because you'll see things with a lot of personality like at Di Bianco , Bonafé , or Paolo Scafora.
And in France, there is Aubercy, and it is important that I tell you about it.
Aubercy, when I settled permanently in Paris, after my return from Montreal, in 2012, it was this address that gave me a great deal of interest in shoes again.
We had a mutual acquaintance and, above all, the shop was just a stone's throw from our first offices in Sentier.
Between the stitched welt and the leather buttresses at the arch, I was amazed.
And I understood why it is a passion for some. Because with an Aubercy shoe on your foot, you want to behave like a gentleman, to be very elegant. But a real French elegance. And it is this unique balance that I like a lot at Aubercy.
I said to myself, finally a French brand with a bit of originality and some very classy shapes.
Look at this pair! Look at this balance that will still be perfect in 30 years.
I'm anti-black shoes, but I'll take them right away.
In short, Aubercy will always have a special place in my heart.
And I can never thank Xavier enough for making me question everything I thought I knew about shoes.
I remember in particular when he showed me a pair of Blake stitched shoes that were 20 years old, resoled for the third time, an anomaly in my little head of a guy who had read that Blake was not good and not durable.
On the English side, there was another brand that I tried , it was Gaziano and Girling. There too, when I put the shoe on, something really happened and I quickly understood why it was a cult brand all over the world.
It's unlike anything else I've seen in English footwear: it's sleeker, stronger, more daring.
But here too the price easily exceeds €1000
Buying shoes for €1000: heresy?
By the way, I would like to tell you what I think about buying shoes for more than €1000.
If you earn a very good living and you don't have any worries about it , it's a good thing because it allows small houses to survive outside of the big luxury groups.
For the others, I would say that it is not all black or all white .
Yes, it's true that it's an investment, but don't expect to be able to wear them three times longer than a pair of workwear shoes that costs three times less.
That's not the point at all.
But obviously , you are buying a re-soleable pair that can last you 20 years if you look after them well, so yes, there is quality behind it: these are the most beautiful selected skins, you probably have the best possible industrial assembly, in short, you have a product of undeniable quality.
But above all, it is an enormous pleasure that you buy, that of having a very beautiful shape, and a unique fit , in short a truly unique shoe.
And finally…
Finally, it is impossible to end this video without mentioning Hugo Jacomet's book, "Shoes: a masculine passion" , which is a magnificent book to have for Christmas that aims to photograph the most beautiful shoes in the world, which every shoe lover should have in their library.
In this video I am wearing our Steven cardigan and a Barbanera shirt.
