Easily Suede, Our Custom-Made Footwear Programme
by Murray Crane
When it comes to making a call on my favourite shoe fabrication I am easily suede.
The word suede comes from the French word “gants de suede,” which means gloves from Sweden, but these days it describes any kind of leather with a napped surface and it is this smooth finish that makes it so perfect for footwear. It is lighter than standard leather yet incredibly durable and contrary to what many people say can be worn all year round.
This week I am in Milan and due to issues with international travel I made the call to pack very light and limit myself to carry on for a two week trip. I packed a suede loafer (from our Made in Italy programme) and so far I have worn it nearly every day. In terms of comfort it cannot be beaten and it is versatile enough to wear with any outfit, in any situation, be it meeting suppliers or having dinner with friends. It really does perfectly cross the bounds between sartorial and casual.
I have developed two programmes for our footwear collection, much of the development has been influenced by my own tastes and experience. The pinnacle is our Made in Italy offer, hand made in Tuscany, it represents the very best of Italian craftsmanship.
Our second programme is Made in Spain; after 35 years of selling shoes I have found that New Zealand men are hard on their shoes and tend to wear them relentlessly rather than rotate between a few pairs so having a more robust and durable good year welted shoe is an essential thing. I like to compare the two programmes to making a decision when choosing a car.
The Made in Italy footwear is a little special, lovingly made by hand and a joy to wear (drive) like a classic Ferrari or Lancia but some days you just need to get where you are going a little quicker and be reassured that the handling won't let you down so Made in Spain is more like a Mercedes or an Audi, still great to look at but also incredibly reliable.
In addition to our stock selection, which is available in store and online, we have also developed a comprehensive custom made selection that allows an incredible array of leather (and suede) options all fully customisable.
It's a great programme - well worth a test drive.
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