Showing posts with label saddle shoes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label saddle shoes. Show all posts

Saturday, 29 June 2013

Visiting shoemakers in Budapest - Buday shoes - part two

As I said in an earlier blog, visiting Budapest was a pleasure (however not planned) and I was not going to miss the opportunity of getting by some of the other lesser known shoe artisans. So my first visit was to enter Buday shoes of Budapest (Hungary). In the shop I was met by Madame Susanne or Zsuzsanne if I am not mistaken (apologies Madame If I missed the name), a very polite, charming knowledgeable lady when it comes to the Hungarian shoe industry and shoemakers and shoemaking.

I have to admit looking, viewing and touching, and having the shoes in my own hand changed my perception of the shoes made in Central Europe (Hungary and Austria in particular). Both countries have a long standing tradition of making good shoes.
I think the general mistake most of us make, is to compare the English made shoes, especially the English lasted shoes to other shoes made in other countries for example Hungary. I appreciated the lasts and designs of the Hungarian shoes as they are unique to the region and the artisans do respect and have paid attentions to the old traditions of shoemaking. It would be odd if they merely reproduced English designed lasted shoes. 

At Buday shoes, it was in the air, not really mentioned but their Cordovan made shoes was indeed their pride. If I recall correctly, Madame Susanne mentioned the welting on the Cordovan shoes and I was left speechless. 
Buday shoes offers different lasts such as Budapest 1928, Budapest 1939, Pilis, Mako, Velence, Frakno, Tokay, Solt, Sio, Tisza and more. If and when visiting Budapest, do not miss paying a visit to Buday shoes it is worth the time and you may end up picking a pair or two of shoes. 


Buday shoes (Budapest - Hungary) logo from outside the street 
From the window display outside of the shop
 A display of various offerings by Buday shoes
In the centre a braided leather Oxford and a Derby, far right a two toned braided brogue Derby
Two toned winged tipped Derby's, nice touch
Two Derby brogues, one in Tan and the other in Mahogany colour
Punched cap toe Oxford in burgundy and one in black calf hide
 
Cordovan two/three toned Derby shoes as renditioned by Buday Shoes of Budapest, note the triple welt stitching on these shoes. 
The sole details of the Buday shoes
A closer view of the Cordovan offerings in details

 Green piped edges on a tan grained three tier Derby
 A typical Hungarian lasted Oxford made of Ostrich hide, a beautiful shoe elegantly done
Some other offerings from Buday Shoes on display
 A saddle Oxford laced shoe in two tones
Photos sourced from me (The Shoe Aristo Cat)

Wednesday, 21 March 2012

Viennese Bespoke Shoemaker (Saint Crispins)

Living in the Nordic and being A Shoe AristoCat can be a challenge when looking for good, elegant & stylish shoes. Local shops tend to carry nothing.  Well, with that being said, does not mean, there are no good quality shoes. Yes, there are, Crockett & Jones (hand grades - yes), Church's (not my cup of tea), Santoni (not me) and lately I read about a gent offering G&G's.

Well, not much for me, but there more South of the cold Nordic, a Gent ventures, many doors to real good shoes open up.

Take Vienna (Austria) for example, besides the venerable Scheer Bespoke shoemaker, the city has other very good and well reputed Bespoke shoemakers, for example, Balint, Maftei (blogged about here), Materna, Petkov (blogged) & Saint Crispins. Just to mention a few. I will invite you into the world of Saint Crispin's, a name well chosen for the company. The Patriot Saint of Shoemakers.

Looking at SC shoes, one can see that special attention has been given to the details and the products are spectacular.

The usual suspects line up - love the colours

Brown and Black Full brogues
 Two tone slip-ons with side gusset and a brogued oxford boot

 A full brogue oxford and full brogue oxford boot
 More boots please, I am a sucker for boots, perhaps due to the long Winter days with snow. It be Balmoral boots, chukkas, booties, Chelsea's. Boots and more boots, please.


 Double strapped monks on crusted leather


 Quater brogued Oxford in two tones


Chukka boots and the sole details 

Full brogue and the little details of the sole and back

 Saddle shoes and the details of the back and side

Sole details of a Full brogue
 One tier Derby

 Two toned tassel loafer

Green double monks with an apron

 A brogued loafer

 A two toned antiqued punch cap toe oxford
 The hollowed shoe trees

 A brown Full brogue

Photos are sourced from: Home of Saint Crispins, Styleforum for information, Leather Soul Hawaii & lastly from The Shoe Snob