They are finally here.
Yes, I'm talking about our first boat shoes . I know you're waiting for them, given the number of questions we've received about them:
Here is a small selection of comments just on these shoes. And I haven't put everything yet!
It's true that we were also looking for it a bit because we've been showing them on our shootings for two months without talking about them. 🤫
Did you spot them?
I am very happy to present to you these commando sole boat shoes, being myself a fan of this shape.
I've had them since 2020 and I wear them a lot. They fit into many of my outfits. Better yet, they add a good pinch of style. Their shape is different from what we're used to seeing, but not to the point where it stands out. Simply put, they have that something extra.
And that's what I think caught your attention about this pair: this side that is both differentiating and stylistically accessible.
Our interpretation of a boat shoe in the fall-winter version
Over the seasons, we have explored different forms of shoes in our collection: sneakers, derbies, boots, loafers and even espadrilles.
Our product team wanted to offer you something different and thought of the boat. But not the one you imagine, in smooth leather and with a light and thin sole.
For the cold season, you need something more robust and weather-resistant. Hence the approach of equipping it with oiled leather and a notched commando sole.
Suddenly, the shoe takes a step up in style : it becomes more imposing, material and is ready to face capricious weather.
A water-repellent, robust English oiled suede leather, ready to acquire a patina
The leather comes from the English tannery Charles Steads , which has been around for over 100 years and specializes in very sturdy leathers.
More specifically, it comes from their Waxy Commander range. For the record, it is a leather ordered in the 90s by Doc Martens from Steads, because the brand wanted a leather that would withstand intensive wear while being resistant to London weather.
This leather is suede and oily : it is a suede so on one side you have a slightly downy appearance with light hairs that stand out on the surface. But it is also an oily leather, which has therefore been enriched with fats during tanning. This fat allows the leather to be more resistant and to repel water.
A suede and oily leather, that's what it looks like!
Steads adds something extra, its “ one more thing ”: a specific tanning that shrinks the leather by 25%, making it denser and therefore even more water-resistant.
It is therefore a leather with a strong potential for patina , which will darken or lighten depending on how you wear it and where it creases.
All you have to do is wear these shoes again and again, come wind, rain or snow, until they reveal their full potential.
An all-terrain Vibram sole
Where do you go to find a good sole? At Vibram, of course.
An Italian family business founded in 1936, Vibram was the first to produce vulcanized rubber soles. The company specializes in making reliable, robust and grippy soles for trail running, mountaineering, sports or the working world (firefighters, military, construction workers).
Over the decades, Vibram gained in reputation and its soles were now used in shoes intended for urban use.
We have chosen a cleated sole from the Gumlite range which has the particularity of being lighter than classic rubber while being very resistant.
It is therefore a durable, very grippy, lightweight and very comfortable sole with soft cushioning.
Visually, this Vibram gives a real cachet to the pair , which clearly differentiates it from a traditional boat shoe.
Little bonus info : for people near Paris, know that there is a Vibram Academy store in the 2nd arrondissement where you can customize or re-sole your shoes with a sole from the Vibram range.
Details that aren't details
The charm of this shoe also lies in the attention we pay to the small details that contribute to giving it its soul, its singularity.
Leather lace
As with traditional boat shoes, you will find a leather lace here.
Yes, I said “a” lace and not “several” laces. Here you have a lace that goes all the way around the shoe.
On the one hand, you have its slightly different visual aspect, with the visible lace around the ankle. And on the other hand, when you tighten the shoe, the ankle also tightens, ensuring better support for the foot.
As an aside, this lace was originally placed this way for practical reasons : it allowed sailors to tighten the shoe on their ankle as the leather relaxed with the water.
Grosgrain eyelets
Small element that you may not have seen: the four eyelets at the front as well as the eyelet at the back are in grosgrain.
It’s the little touch of technicality dear to our co-founder Benoît who adds another “little something” to this pair:
In addition to being a very resistant fabric, I really like the texture of grosgrain, because I find that it bridges very different worlds that I really like. We find large grosgrain in the world of tailoring, luxury, but also on military clothing and accessories!
Hand-stitched seams
We finish in style with the presence of hand-stitched seams in two places on this shoe:
- On the seams of the tray, at the front
- On the seams at the heel, at the back
Shoes to wear with all your looks
Let's talk little, let's talk style.
These boat shoes fit naturally with many styles: casual, casual chic, workwear or streetwear.
They are a great replacement for derbies , especially with jeans and chinos, thanks to their slightly more workwear look. In a way, you could almost say that they are the new derby , in line with the new suits we recently told you about.
By the way, these boats would go very well with our Soncino and Bergamo sets. :)
In terms of color associations, wear them with beige, blue, green, white or gray for example. There is plenty to do!
Here are four examples of outfits in different styles where these shoes easily find their place:
Left : A rather casual outfit with the timeless t-shirt , jeans and cardigan combo. A small overshirt and a hat finish it all off.
Right : A silhouette at the crossroads that I would describe as casual chic and slightly workwear, with the fullness of the chinos and the raw textures of the coat and the hat .
On the left : An outfit that tends more towards casual chic with the funnel neck sweater and the woolen jacket with a refined shape. We add small seasonal accessories to enhance the whole thing ( cap , gloves, scarf ).
On the right : A slightly more streetwear silhouette with loose jeans, a hoodie and a thick, straight cardigan .
Karysta Shoes Identity Card
Material: 100% cowhide from the English tannery Steads. Oiled suede leather from the Waxy Commander range
Origin: New Zealand and Argentina
Calfskin lining from an Italian tannery
Vibram Gumlite sole
Sewn moccasin
Hand stitching on the platform and at the heel
Made in Italy by the Colletti workshop
Price: €330
Size advice: take your usual size!
