It always take a while before I’m finished with the huge article coverage of all the 25 contest shoes of the shoemaking world champs displayed at the super trunk this past Saturday in London, so here’s a quick picture special showcasing the top three. Admire the work of Ken Hishinuma (1st), Hiroshi Takagi (2nd), and Aria Badia (3rd). Also on BBC News coverage of the shoemaking contest and the event.     This past Saturday we had another new visitor record with over 1,300 visitors coming through the doors at 12 Regent Street, for the sixth London Super Trunk Show. There will be much m ..read more

Here we will live stream three sessions from the London Super Trunk Show today Saturday May 4. See live from the world championships of shoe patina and shoe shining, follow the award ceremony for the world champs of shoemaking, and see a tour of all the amazing shoe and menswear exhibitors from all over the world. Will also be uploaded and viewable after the live sessions.   The schedule for today’s live streams are as follows: 11.15-11.35am (BST) – Start of the World Championships of Shoe Patina final, tour around the exhibitions 3.00-3.30pm – World Championships of Shoe Shinin ..read more

The French shoe care company Saphir has in recent years released three new shoe cleaners, which fill various voids their premium Medaille d’Or range previously had. The most recent one is the strong Reno Cleaner, we have the gentle leather Cleanser, and the fully organic Plant Based Cleaner.   All shoes need to be cleaned regularly, it’s vital for their longevity. In what way they need to be cleaned vary a lot depending on type of leather, how the shoes have been used, what one need to remove from the shoes, and so on. That’s why all good shoe care brands offer a variety of cleaners, in t ..read more

In an interesting turn of events, the ancient occupation that is cobblers which has been through many harsh decades, might now be saved by the most modern of phenomenon: the social media app TikTok. The past couple of years videos showcasing the transformation that cobbler’s can do on worn shoes has millions of views, and young people get their eyes open both for the magic cobblers can do and for the craft itself.   If you’re on TikTok and shoe interested, you’ve most likely seen them yourself. They often start with holding up the worn pair of shoes to the camera, showing what needs to be ..read more

One of the most well-known quality shoe companies in South America is Casa Fagliano from Argentina, world famous for their polo boots but who also produce a bunch of other types of footwear. Rodolfo Fagliano – the grand old man of the company – sadly passed away last week, at the age of 94.   I don’t write about South American shoe brands that often, main reason for this is that I lack knowledge of this world to a large degree, I have to admit. One company that I do know very well though, is Casa Fagliano. It was founded already in 1892 by Pedro and Giacomina Fagliano, who came to Argenti ..read more

Many shoe factories and shoemakers use plastic coverage during the manufacturing process, to protect the uppers from stains and marks. When one remove this at the end of the production, you will inevitably end up with plastic left. About this topic, and how to handle it (or not handle it), in this article.   In a shoe factory or a workshop of a bespoke shoemaker, it’s standard to protect the upper of the shoes in some way, from the harsh machines and / or tools as well as edge ink etc. that can cause issues. It varies how it’s done, everything from fully plastic covered plus extra tape se ..read more

One of the more established players that has emerged on the Chinese scene of men’s shoes in recent years is Oct. Tenth, the house brand of what’s known to many as the Xibao workshop. With the move to a new workshop location, a new website, and a new factory manager, they now enter the era of Oct. Tenth 2.0. Here’s a buyer’s guide to the brand, with a pair of Made to Measure derbies I have made as a base.   About the company Oct. Tenth is one of the more well-known Chinese premium brands of welted men’s footwear. It’s based in Shanghai, and was founded by the couple Yao “Xibao” Zhang  ..read more

The finalists have been selected. We’ll have a Chinese, a Japanese and a Swiss battling it out in the shine final, and the same Swiss (!) and two from France fighting for the patina title. Finals take place at the London Super Trunk Show on May 4. See their submissions here.   You may read all about the London Super Trunk Show in this article, and we appreciate if you visit the event’s Facebook page and let us know you’re coming and help share the event. It’s organised by Shoegazing, The Shoe Snob and Kirby Allison, and takes place on Saturday May 4, in the centre of London at the ve ..read more

Many both well-established and brand new brands have tried to offer bespoke shoes where one use 3D scans as base for the last production – all have failed. Now the industry giant Carmina steps into the game. I was one of the first in the world to get to try the service, find out if they have succeeded or not in this substantial review.   FACTS: Brand: Carmina Model: Modified 80777 plain toe derby Leather: Horween Chromexcel Colour: Natural Last: Bespoke version of Calvià Sole: Lactae Hevea rubber sole Price: €1 500 / $1 600 (These are a review pair from Carmina) Good casuals.   ..read more

The Indian brand Bridlen have always manufactured all their shoes on a Made to Order basis, to be able to offer a really wide selection of styles, sizes and widths. Now they introduce a new RTW range as a complement, for those who want to have their order shipped immediately.   I’ve previously praised the type of MTO service that Bridlen offers. Since they own their own factory they can have very short lead times on production and sell MTO without an upcharge, with delivery within 3-4 weeks, but still with the possibility of exchanges and returns. This means that they don’t need to carry ..read more