The Shoes of the day - Maftei

For the day I have picked up these stunning rendition of spectators from the Viennese (Austria) based bespoke shoemaker Maftei, I have earlier written about the company here. It seems adding different colours than various browns, black, tan and burgundy is a trend beyond the French and Italian shoemakers, who are known for venturing beyond the norm when to comes to colouring shoes.
The below full brogue spectator in navy and white is so well renditioned by the Maftei house that it may well be a staple spectator for the shoe collectors. The shoe looks very stunning, appealing and tastefully executed. Hopefully even the most conservative will find the below pair interesting.

Below another rendition of the full brogue spectator in cognac brown and white. I love the warm colour of the brown, very well done from Mr. Maftei. At the end I would not mind having both pairs in my shoe wardrobe.

Pictures sourced from Maftei, later update and Claymoor

Saint Crispins-shoes of the week

Saint Crispins based in Vienna (Austria) is the new kid on the block of "Bespoke" shoemaking in Austria.  Note that Vienna has several well respected shoemakers, for example the venerable Scheer, Materna, Maftei (also a new comer), Petkov, just to name a few.
The company was first registered in 1992. Saint Crispins do produce some very elegant, classic styled shoes for their clients. Since 1992 SC has provided shoes to an international clientele of gents. 


Below you will see some very interesting colours and well made shoes. I want to own all. 

Norwegian saddle derby in blue and brown

Blue loafers with lighter blue strings

 A chiseled double monk

 A blue crocodile monk

 A derby boot that can match Berluti (art sketches)

 A tricolour brogue balmoral boot, interesting

 The artistic sole with owner initials

All pictures are sourced from Claymoor who interviewed Mr. Phillip Car of SC

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 

Viennese Shoemaker - Mr. Maftei

Mr. Maftei's tale is like a fairy tale taken from H. C. Andersen's book. He moved from Romania his home country after the changes ocurring in Eastern Europe by the late eighties (1988). He was in Hungary for a short time and then moved on to Vienna (Austria).

In Vienna whilst window peeping at the most venerable Viennese Bespoke Shoemaker's windows shop, Scheer Bespoke Boot & shoemakers. 
Mr. Maftei met Mr. Scheer himself, and the two gents had a brief conversation that drifted to shoemaking. From this shoe conversation, doors opened up........A tale...a fairy tale starts ......

Mr. Scheer took Mr. Maftei on trial onboard with his team of shoemakers. This was the start to a very happy ending story of a very talented bespoke shoemaker.  

Tribute to Mr. Maftei, with a unique and catching story, a tale of a very passionate bespoke shoemaker told in shoes.

Today Mr. Maftei runs his own bespoke shoe operation in Vienna.

Master Shoemaker Maftei and wife (children mirrored imaged)

Master Bespoke Shoemaker and his family

Exotics below, great combination

 An Ankle strap boot with an apron

 Shoe soles from Maftei I (Artistic)

 Shoe soles from Maftei II (Artistic)

The Back details of a Wholecut Oxford and the sole work

 Red Stingray Derby

 Exotic leather & suede combination

 Full brogue correspondant shoes

Mr. Maftei can be reached at: Mr. Maftei's Bespoke creations

Pictures sourced from: Blog Claymoor on Maftei