The Marquess Full Brogue in brown

For the day I have sampled a typical full brogue laced Oxford shoe from Master Shoji Kawaguchi aka "Marquess". However this shoe is different, as it encapsulates in its design, form, shape and rendition the big three within English bespoke shoemaking. The below shoe has all the trademarks, beauty, artisanship, perfection and respect for details as in shoes made by Master Nikolaus Tuczek, The Cleverley's (Master GJ Cleverley and Master Anthony Cleverley) and Master Eric Cook. 

Master Shoji Kawaguchi kept the below shoe very simple, proportion wise well done, sleek, elegant, square chisel toe and lastly in a simple brown colour. Just so perfect, classical and timeless. 
If it was not of the "Marquess" on the pictures, I would have said it is a Cleverley made shoe or Master Nikolaus Tuczek and even Master Eric Cook creation. Well done Master "Marquess". 

Again it is the beauty of going bespoke, a perfect rendition of a brown full brogue laced Oxford from Master "Marquess". May the owner wear this beauty in good health.

Brown full brogue laced Oxford with a square chisel toe.

Photos sourced from Marquess Bespoke

Saion - creations for the day

Today I have picked up a few creations from Saion, a Japanese bespoke shoemaker, who tends to take the classics and give them a dash and spicy splash of a modern twist and get a great big bang. Take a note on the first shoe, a brogue, adelaide, but then the colour. Wow! Move on and look at the third pair, the Derby, simply stunning and lastly the quarter brogue in reddish. Master Saion does perform wonders. Okay, no more talking, lets look and the more we look we will be able to see. Enjoy.

Blue Adelaide Oxford. Very interesting design, colouring and pattern. The Heel!

Black stitched Balmoral oxford with stitched cap toe. Very classic.

Two tier Derby, very sleek, elegantly done. Look at the proportions of the shoe. The heel is a killer. A very different approach to renditioning a Derby. A beauty. Piece of art.

This Derby reminds me of the works of Master Tuzcek and Master Cleverley. I reckon that Baron De Rede will not mind bespeaking a pair from Master Saion.

 A quarter brogue Oxford in reddish toned colour. Hmmm.....magnificent

Photos sourced from Saion

GJ Cleverly - The Anthony Cleverley shoes

Mr. George Cleverley had an estranged relative known as Anthony Cleverley, who was also a bespoke shoemaker. Anthony Cleverley designed and created some very interesting shoes, amongst the shoes he designed and produced is the "De Rede" loafer, which today is offered as part of the Anthony Cleverley line at G.J. Cleverley house. No doubt that Mr. Anthony Cleverley had learned the bread and butter of the shoe making trade from the hard-core masters like Master George Cleverley and or Master Nikolaus Tuzcek himself. Some really beautiful pieces of art. Enjoy and have a nice weekend.

Master George J. Cleverley himself

Black brogued oxford as renditioned by Anthony Cleverley

 The "De Rede" loafer which was made for Baron Alexis De Rede and later named after him.

 The Anthony Cleverley brogued Derby

Photos sourced from Tumblr

More Japanese beauties - Master Daizo Emori

Master Daizo Emori Japanese bespoke shoemaker has made a rendition of a semi brogue cap toe with medallion, on a square chisel toe last. This shoe resembles some older bespoke W. S. Foster and G. J. Cleverley made shoes, not to forget Master shoe designer and shoemaker N. Tuzcek and Eric Cook. I suppose the inspiration for this shoe is from the afore named bespoke shoe masters and houses.

I like the shoe because the lines, decoration and perforations are well balanced and the dark brown colour shows the attention to small details.

Master Emori himself in working attire.

 The semi brogue oxford with cap toe with a medallion

Side views of the shoe

The back of the shoe

The sole of the shoe

Upper view of the shoe

Client fitting, probably final stage of the fitting process.

Photos sourced from the En grande pompe forum

Cliff Roberts - The Chocolate brown Bespoke Monk

It is said "all good things come to those who wait", how true. I month or more ago I received a very special pair of chocolate bespoke monks from Master Cliff Roberts of Northampton, England. The pair is very special to me, as it is offered by Master Roberts for being a patient client. Yes, "all good things come to those who wait"! 
Of those of you who do not know Master Roberts, I will give a brief history. 
Master Roberts has been in the shoe making industry for many years, working for one of the known shoemakers from Northampton and he has over 30 years of experience in the shoemaking industry. About a year and a half ago or more he decided to go on his own, becoming a "one man operation" (like Eric Cook) offering bespoke shoes to clients all over the world. Setting up business for yourself has it's up and downs and at the same time bills have to be paid. 
I encountered Master Roberts by ordering my first pair of shoes from him (more than two years ago), received a very well made pair and I was a happy client. Same year ordered another pair, and another. The last pair (brown pebble grain side gusset) took longer than anticipated and as promised by Master Roberts, but I had no issue with that. A long story short, due to the long wait on the last pair, Master Roberts made this beautiful pair of chocolate brown single monk for me on his square chissel toe last. A very astonishing shoe, elegant, simple and classic. The inner lining is "racing green" typical Jaguar and Rolls Royce colours, the sole of the shoe is different from what you have seen from his hand. The topping is the heel with red heel and gold colouring at the edges or corners of the heel. The waist of the shoe is much slender (slim) compared to the other shoes I have from him, elegant.  Master Roberts has made a unique sole for this pair that distinguishes this monk from the rest. The leather is just amazing. Could not really get good pictures of the shine, the fit is like a glove to the hand. Simply amazing. I have worn the shoe indoors several times, each time it feels better.
This pair becomes my second pair of monks, I had a pair many years ago whilst a student and since I have been thinking of commissioning a monk ....and Master Roberts made my wishes come true. I simply like this pair, as it came as a surprise from Master Roberts. It resembles a suede monk executed by Nikolaus Tuzcek, seen here. Well done Master Roberts.

Thank you Master Roberts for a pleasant surprise and a beautiful rendition of a monk. Words can not describe my gratitude.

Here I give you Master Roberts bespoke single monk in chocolate brown colour and racing green inner lining with the unique sole rendition.

The Nikolaus Tuzcek styled square chissel toe

The unique very slim waist, the red heel with the gold on the inner edge. Wow!

Simple and elegant.

 Pictures sourced from Master Cliff Roberts and myself

The Ultimate Bespoke Shoemaker Nikolaus Tuczek

The Rolls Royce, the Leornado Da Vinci of shoemaking, Nikolaus Tuczek Ltd were boot and shoe makers who traded from 1853-1970. The company was taken over by John Lobb in 1970.

Quote From Classic shoes for men : "The late, lamented firm of Tuczek of #17 Clifford Street, W1, bespoke society shoemaker, is a legend in the trade among historians and collectors. The importance of this master is only confirmed by the fact that George Cleverley, considered by some to be the finest shoemaker of the late 20th century, began his career with Nikolaus Tuczek in 1920 and remained with the firm 38 years before opening his own workshop. Tuczek’s designs are exceptionally sleek and most often feature his characteristic chiseled toe and elastic side gussets. It can be conjectured that this was Tuczek’s legacy as there is little to compare with the dramatic lasting, the intricate detailing, and the painstaking construction of the Tuczek shoe. But finally it is the overall effect of the design, the harmony of decoration and sculptural form that distinguishes this shoemaker. There is very little to be found from the last half century that possesses the stylistic boldness or charm of this present pair."

I consider Mr. Nikolaus Tuzcek, The "Leonardo Da Vinci" of Bespoke shoemaking, the Grandmaster of all masters, the sculptor above all, a Man that has inspired so many bespoke shoemakers and keeps doing so with his creations which are over a half century or more old in design and style. Mr. Tuczek's creations, are one of a kind and so was the man.

The art works I have seen from Mr.Tuzcek's hand, are quite exceptional, unique, artistic by design, harmonious, innovative and ground breaking. 

The man, the name has become a legend within bespoke shoemaking. In honour of Mr. Nikolaus Tuzcek.

The famous Tuzcek chisel toe

The insole of a Lady's shoe

 The Lady shoe itself

 Brogue slip-ons

 The insole labels from different periods in London 

 The Full Brogue oxford

 Wholecut Adelaide in blue suede

 A monk in suede

A Semi brogue

 A spectator (1)

 Full brogue side gusset with false laces in Lizard

Spectator (2)

Crocodile side gusset

Full brogue in  brown

Lizard Full brogue side gusset slip-on

 Two tier brown Derby

Photos sourced from The Centipede and Engrandepompe