An Adelaide Oxford by GJ Cleverley RTW Adelaide well polished

For the day, I have sampled from my own GJ Cleverley "RTW" ready to wear collection, an Adelaide as renditioned by the GJ Cleverley house. The depicted shoe is on the Crockett & Jones 337 last, which is a last from Crockett and Jones hand graded selection. The 337 last is designed by Master Dimitri Gomez in Paris, who also runs a bespoke operation. So what? You would say, okay. Cutting a long story short, I got these about three years ago and they came in antique chestnut colour. But over the years, I have been polishing correctly, but inappropriately (regards to colour selection), the shoes ended in a much dark colour almost black burgundy & with no movement in colour, and I was not pleased. 
So had to do something. Finally got some kind of bleaching product manufactured in Sweden, recommended by Rolf Hansson's son (Malmö) and tried the stuff out. End result, got the shoe back to a colour I liked and here is the result. Apologies for the many pictures of the shoe.

 A GJ Cleverley Adelaide Oxford from the ready to wear offer, nicely polished.

Photos sourced from me

Crockett and Jones "Clifford" in tan and polishing skills

Some of you may remember that I blogged about the Crockett and Jones "Clifford" in tan about a year ago here. At that time I was trying out my polishing skills, now a year gone and I am still working on the pair. I humbly think that my skills are getting better, but far from the Masters. I want to thank all of the patina Masters, Grand Dukes, Artist, Designers who with their creative patina artisanship works/creations have inspired me. 

The Crockett and Jones "Clifford" in tan colour, well polished. Am I getting there?

Photos sourced from me

Sloop loafers spoiled by marinated olive oil

I simply adore the lightness of the Spring/Summer loafers, more the latter, when it is very hot. Over the past days here in Southern Sweden the weather moved from plus 30 degrees celsius to just below twenty and paired with rain. 
So my good intentions whilst hot was to bring out my few Summer loafers out and air them. 
It is funny that I have had the three Sloop loafers as seen below, but only used one pair bottom right and that was like two years ago, as I simply forgot that I did own these three Sloop loafers.

Loafers for the Spring and Summer from top: Sloop (dark brown suede) and Sloop dark brown, bottom: GJ Cleverley (left) and another Sloop (tan) bottom (right) which I have used a few times until I got caught up in rain in 2010 and simply forgot about this.

Here the Sloop, my favourite Summer shoe paired with Gammarelli red socks

 The Sloop with water markings from a down pair in 2010. 

Now, three days ago, I was wearing the same shoe (above Sloop), when in a Supermarket, the trolly behind me had a drip of Olive oil and just happened to end on my right foot Sloop loafer. The trolly lady was apologetic, she was not aware that her shopping trolly had a drip, I offered to clean as she was "so big" meaning pregnant and later offered to push her trolly to her car. I felt good as a Shoe Aristo Cat and a Gent. She was grateful and that made my day, but ended up with a shoe touched by marinated olive oil. Maybe will make a good patina. Hmmm not sure. Looks terrible anyway. May have to discard this Sloop, time will tell.

Photos sourced from me

Dandy Shoe Care - making dreams come true

The Russian/Italian Grand Duke, Master Patina Designer Alexander Nurulaef aka "Dandy Shoe Care" can make shoe dreams come true. I mean when a gent needs a "splash and dash" and revival of the shoe or just "pimping" the shoe to higher levels. Now I am aware that "pimping" is not the right word, but.....let those shoe dreams come true and a big thanks to "Dandy Shoe Care" that he can make it possible. 

Dreams coming true, a full brogue Oxford, a quarter brogue Oxford and a wing tipped Derby. Hmm...candy for the kids or Christmas for the grown ups.

The Grand Duke, Master Patina designer in deep conversation with a client.

Photos sourced from Dandy Shoe Care

GJ Cleverley - Edwardian button shoe with side gusset in heavy hide

For the day I have sampled a very interesting shoe, not seen on a daily basis around town, a button shoe with side gussets made of very heavy weight hide. The Balmoral button boot is rare, but the shoe version is almost instinct, then add a side gusset to it, it is becomes so individual and rare as rare can get. However a gent commissioned a button shoe, with the distinctive GJ Cleverley chisel square toe and then topped it of with a heavy duty hide from elephant. The beauty of this shoe is in the minor details, the design, the adding of the gusset and lastly the hide selection. Ultimate result a beautiful, elegant, classic and timeless shoe. Again GJ Cleverly opened the magic shoe box.

Bespoke buttoned side gusset GJ Cleverley shoe made of of elephant hide

Photos sourced from GJ Cleverley.

John Lobb - bespoke -Oxford cap toe with brogue vamp

The venerable London based bespoke shoe and bootmaker John Lobb is well known around the world for their shoes, a symbol of classical English shoes, a trademark of the connoisseur, the ultimate shoe lover, so stylish, elegant and timeless. I have been going through their on-line catalogue of bespoke shoes and boots and I recall stopping a few times at the below depicted Oxford laced shoe with a cap toe and a brogue (perforated vamp) no heel counter perforation. 
In my opinion this is the most beautiful rendition of a half brogue Oxford laced shoe with a punched cap toe. Simple, elegant and timeless. The mahogany / cognac colour adds sophistication to it. I do not know many houses that carry this shoe, but it is in my humble opinion a beauty. The cap toe is not darkened as expected but lighter in  colour than the rest of the shoe. Simple yet elegant and refined.

John Lobb's Oxford laced punched cap toe (with medallion) and a brogue vamp. Chisel square toe. 

Photos sourced from John Lobb Bootmaker

GJ Cleverley - Butterfly loafer made of 1786 Russian Reindeer leather

It is Summer and shoe talk it's about loafers, loafers and more loafers in all colours, hides etc. For the day I sampled a very elegant, hardly seen loafer - a butterfly loafer from GJ Cleverley made of the exquisite 1786 Russian Reindeer leather in black...nothing fancy, colourful, just old simple plain black colour.  The beauty of this shoe lies in the design, squared chisel toe and, yes guessed right the unmistakable GJ Cleverley square chisel toe and from the salvaged 1786 Russian hide. Yes, not crocodile or alligator.

Going bespoke need not be peacock and bling and here "I am thing", just kept simple, elegant and classic. Wow what a shoe!

Butterfly loafer in 1786 Russian Reindeer hide. A beauty

Photos sourced from GJ Cleverley