Bespoke Archives - Shoegazing.com

History - The true story of Nicolaus Tuczek

History – The true story of Nikolaus Tuczek

2025-01-18

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Nikolaus Tuczek is one of the most acclaimed shoemakers in history, with an almost mythical gloria around him. Wrongly so. The Tuczek story is not about one brilliant man, it’s about several generations of a hard working family who had to fight and overcome many challenges, until a pair of slippers finally took them down. Bespoke shoemaker and shoe historian at his leisure William Efe Laborde is here to unveil the truth in an ambitious attempt at documenting a history of that great and misunderstood firm, in this guest article that also includes some unique photos.

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Report

Report – Wataru Shimamoto / Orma Shoemaker

2024-11-03

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Jesper Ingevaldsson

Wataru Shimamoto, the masterful Japanese shoemaker behind the brand Orma Shoemaker, is an inspiring figure in the world of bespoke footwear. With a background at Il Micio in Italy, he’s now back in Japan since some years carving out a niche for himself in the competitive landscape of shoemaking, culminating in his victory at the World Championships of Shoemaking in 2022.

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Buying tip

Buying tip – Kiichiro Ozeki’s new brand Fig

2024-10-27

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Jesper Ingevaldsson

The Japanese shoemaker Kiichiro Ozeki has a background at Hiro Yanagimachi and Gaziano & Girling, but now he introduces his own bespoke shoe brand Fig. A new challenge where he for the first time will do all the steps himself, not only his famous bottom making, but also lasts and upper making. Fig now does its first trunk show in Japan.

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Shoegazing Podcast

Shoegazing Podcast – Ep. 32, Q&A Special nr. 3 with Daniel Wegan, Catella Shoemaker

2024-10-20

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Jesper Ingevaldsson

By popular demand, the Question and answer podcast special with Daniel Wegan of Catella is back for another edition. This time we talk workload, potential business expansions, what he would have changed from when he started his own business, and much more.

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The picture

The picture – Comparing during making

2024-09-27

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Jesper Ingevaldsson

Shoes are made in pairs, that’s been the case throughout history. As such, they are expected to look the same as each other. Even the cheapest shoes have rather high demands of a sync between each other, and then of course the higher the price the higher the demand. For a pair of really expensive bespoke shoes it’s expected that they are more or less identical down to the smallest detail.

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World Championships of Shoemaking 2025 - Call for competition

Contest

World Championships of Shoemaking 2025 – Call for competition

2024-09-22

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Jesper Ingevaldsson

Time for the sixth edition of the World Championships of Shoemaking, where the final takes place during the London Super Trunk Show on May 10 2025. In the prize pool we have £6,000 (€7,200 / $7,800), handmade shoemaking awls, and a chance to be showcased in shoe stores around the world. This year a double monk strap is to be made for the competition. Here’s all the info about the contest.

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The picture

The picture – Matte box calf leather

2024-06-09

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Jesper Ingevaldsson

Normally box calf leather is associated with a nice shiny finish, but one can also do box calf in an almost matte finish. This was more common back in the days, which this pair of bespoke Yohei Fukuda made in a vintage Ilcea leather is evident of.

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Shoegazing Podcast

Shoegazing Podcast – Ep. 31, Jim McCormack, about life as a freelance bespoke shoemaker

2024-05-26

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Jesper Ingevaldsson

The legendary British bespoke shoemaker Jim McCormack has worked five decades as an outworker for various big and small bespoke shoe companies in England. Hear him talk about life as an outworker and how this system works, about the development of the bespoke shoe scene in the UK the last 50 years, and much more.

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The picture

The picture – Contrasting sole stitch

2024-03-31

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Jesper Ingevaldsson

To make a well-executed contrasting sole stitch is an artform. Normally, you either darken the entire sole edge and seam, or you leave all natural coloured. When one do it the middle way and darken the edge and part of the welt but leave the stitching light coloured, it’s tricky to make it neat looking – which makes it all the more lovely when achieved well.

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Picture special

Picture special – Calzoleria Carlino lizard derby

2024-03-10

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Jesper Ingevaldsson

Usually exotics aren’t really my thing, but this exquisite vintage lizard leather in a subtle dark brown really spoke to me. The pair is made by the Italian shoemaker Calzoleria Carlino, who currently runs a campaign with no upcharge on orders of lizard leather for their MTO, MTM or bespoke.

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