Summer Solution

The summer solution found by Armando Cabral

Each and every Summer I encounter the same problem, what do I wear on my feet? When the sunshine is squinting-ly glorious and the capital becomes all too sweaty, most footwear options fill me will trepidation. All because I just don't like naked feet. Exposed toes irk me at the best of times but in most instances the sight is downright intolerable. Most people's feet are hideous. Mine are. Where appropriate they should be covered at all times, not revealed in all of their beastly glory the moment the mercury exceeds twenty degrees. In recent seasons I have found solace in the espadrille but I am always on the look out for a new option. This season, Armando Cabral has provided the perfect Summer solution with the gift of his huarache sandal. Thank you Armado!

The huarache sandals in all their glory.

Back in September, Cabral's debut offering brought some much needed summer sunshine to a typical grey Sunday.  The range includes modern takes on classic shapes, all the while showcasing attention to detail and a vibrant colour palette. I was an instant fan. The SS11 collection offers a full range of season classics including desert boots, boating moccasin and woven sandals, all with an individual design signature. The huarache sandal typifies the success of the collection. This Mexican classic has been updated with the addition of a vulcanized rubber sole, to combine the sophistication of the traditional upper with the flexibility of modern technology.

The huarache sandals worn with tailored trousers by Reiss, gingham Basil shirt by b Store, neckerchief from Labour and Wait and Alisdair rucksack from Ally Capellino. 

Given the spate of beautiful weather, the most recent addition to my footwear arsenal were given their first run out much earlier than expected. As people waved their flags and raised a glass for the royal wedding, I road tested my summer solution. Cool but covered toes make me happy, the perfect combination. They passed with flying colours.

A closer look at Armandal Cabral's huarache sandal.

A happy ending

Baartmans and Siegel x Grenson Brogue

On the 28th January 2010, during an evening packed with emerging design talent at the LCF MA showing in the ornate surroundings Raphael Hall at the V&A, I caught sight of a very special brogue indeed. Wouter Baartmans' Great Depression era inspired heady mix of tailoring, sportswear and fur was one of the real highlights from the class of 2010 and it introduced me to my dream footwear. The combination of leather and suede that strode past left me reaching, longingly from my seat. But they passed me by. A few months later and I encountered them for the second time during Amber Siegel's Oil Slick Birds inspired exploration of tailoring and texture in the LCF BA show. I fell for their charms all over again. Like all crushes, I needed to know more about them.

These beautiful brogues were indeed a collaboration between the two talented LCF graduates and  long standing British shoe maker, Grenson. A wonderful combination of craft, tradition and  innovation. With a history spanning more than one hundred and forty years you would forgive Grenson for resting on its Goodyear Welted soles. However, when compared to other classic English shoe makers, they been making the most positive and interesting moves in recent years. These brogues are certainly one of the finest examples. 

During a Baartmans&Siegel studio visit, I slipped my eager feet in to the suede tipped brogues. Words are not able to describe how good they felt and looked at this time. Reluctantly, I returned my treated feet to their now insignificant, hollow leather home. And that was that for a number of months. On occasion, I thought I had seen them from across the street, attached to a passing stranger or behind the window front of a store where my eyes would light up shortly before the realisation of my mistake would surface. All other similar shoes paled in comparison. Oh the heartache.

Fast forward to this weekend and I received a very special treat from the design duo. My very own pair. Wow. As Gabrielle once sang, "Dreeeams can come true." Well, it didn't take me too long before my excited feet forced themselves in to their new favourite home. 

For those of you who, like me, fell head over goodyear welted heels for the fruits of this Baartmans&Siegel collaboration, you'll be pleased to hear that a range will be released for SS12.

Time to Slack

T&F Slack's five eyelet Derby used by Matthew Miller during Menswear Day.

Over the course of the last few months I have found myself admiring a kaleidoscope of brogues and derby shoes but have failed to note down the name of their maker. Blog readers, I have failed you but I will now make amends. The first time I came across the brand, T&F Slack Shoemakers was during the most recent, hectic Menswear Day as Matthew Miller collaborated with the Notting Hill based shoemaker to stunning effect. Now, I really should have followed up with the brand the moment my heart returned to its natural beat after the strain of fashion month but the name was lost somewhere in the deepest, darkest corner of my blogging mind. More recently I have seen the designs on the shop floor at both Selfridges and Liberty's and the final nudge to feature the SS11 collection came from Kuni Awai, who is undertaking an ongoing collaboration with the label. No more slacking on this brand.

Now, to the best of my knowledge, T&F Slack Shoemakers is the only shoe brand able to offer classic English styles made in the heart of Notting Hill. In a bit to revive shoe manufacturing in London, the brand began crafting shoes in their own five hundred square foot factory in  March 2008. Today, they make about one hundred and fifty pairs per month.  For SS11, the collection consists of an impressive array of vibrant Derby with two sole options, either colourful lightweight micro soles or stitched leather soles, Oxford Brogues fit for any playful Sunday Best outfit, loafers and even a punch Derby for an extra statement of lively intent. All are perfect to add a splash of vibrant colour to an outfit. I am reminded of a famous Matisse quote, "With colour one obtains an energy that seems to stem from witchcraft."  There is certainly some truth in this observation from the great master. Even if the weather is dark and gloomy, wearing colour rather than blending in with the clouds is much better. Escapism even. A splash of colour can really help lift your mood so why not start with your feet?

Oxford Brogue

 Derby Five

 Punch Derby

Derby Two.

Over the course of the coming weeks I will certainly pay a visit to T and F Slack's Notting Hill shop where in addition to showcasing their fine collection of men and women's crafted English styles, they offer a unique made to order offering. The service takes up to three weeks and designs are available in a wide range of colours and materials. Their highly skilled craftspeople, both within their Notting Hill factory and East London workshop keep the art of British shoemaking alive and well in London and I cannot wait to pay them a visit.

H?Katsukawa from Tokyo for AW11

Better than any medicine, a look at H?Katsukawa from Tokyo for AW11

The last few days have seen me bedridden with the worst type of flu I've ever experienced. A symphony of moans and groans accompanied by a percussion of sneezes and wheezes with the odd fever induced soliloquy have echoed around my bedroom. This morning I could check my emails for the first time in days and was treated to a batch of images from Eiichi Katsukawa that made me feel instantly better.  Now, Katsukawa makes hand made, eye poppingly colourful and patterned brogues, along with wonderfully textured distressed Nibe leather brogues from his studio in Tokyo. His carefully crafted leather creations are far better than any spoonful of medicine.

Last June I was fortunate enough to meet the craftsmen at Pitti Uomo and it was an absolute pleasure to talk through his label and be introduced to his designs in person. After gaining experience in Tokyo, he moved to Northampton to study shoe design and production methods at the Tresham Institute’s Practical Design and Shoemaking Course. It was there that he had the opportunity to meet the great Paul Harnden. Following his graduation from the Institute, he studied further under Paul as a intern at Brighton before returning to Tokyo in October 2004. His passion for shoe making has since evolved whilst working at the Shinjuku Isetan men’s shoe repair center and through his participation in a number of successful collaborations. Katsukawa is currently focusing on his eponymous collection and his offering is growing with each season. Knowing that I missed out on Pitti this season, he has sent through a few images that he'd like me to share with you. Let me introduce you to his smile inducing yet stunningly beautiful, hand crafted designs...

 A look at H?Katsukawa from Tokyo's AW11 presentation.

 The Symmetry derby alongside the Nibe leather brogues and boots.

 A closer look at the texture rich distressed Nibe leather.

 Silkprint houndstooth, check and star prints.

Paint splattered Nibe leather brogues.

Eiichi Katsukawa at his AW11 presentation wearing a pair of his Armylast Torico's. 
All images by Ogiwara.


"I express the avant-garde style as new viewpoints and the day-to-dayness as enjoyments by creating a form of shoes. And the essence of that form is intangible love."

Katsukawa on his leather creations.

For Eiichi Katsukawa shoes should be enjoyed. In addition to being well crafted, they should bring a smile to the face of the wearer and the people who encounter them throughout the day.  His collection of bold designs certainly does both. His collection is currently available at United Arrows only but I'm hoping he picks up a few more stockists this season and I'll be able to update you during Pitti 80.

Sebastian Tarek Studio Visit

Sebastian Tarek at work in his studio

Earlier today, we took a closer look at Sebastian Tarek's debut collection of beautiful, bespoke and handmade men’s shoes. We chatted to the craftsman about his work, the evolution of the label and heard about his experiences at Menswear Day. Here, we continue the discussion and learn more about his trade before offering a serving of studio porn...

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SS: I'm instantly struck by the sheer number of rasps, files and hammers. Is it difficult sourcing your tools?

Sebastien Tarek: Really hard. Most of the tools on the bench is long secondhand. The rasps are all new. However, there is a particular rasp which I use more than any other which I went to reorder recently only to find that the the company no longer makes it. This happens all the time. It is my excuse why I go to Spitalfields every Thursday, the hope that I might find old tools, more often than not I find an old jacket but I always keep my eye out for tools. Some of the tools, you'll have for life. When it comes to my pattern hammer I just hope that I never have to replace it. There's a story about my heel hammer actually. My Father came over from Oz and had a few appointments in Paris, one of which was with the Master Bootmaker at Hermes. My Father told him about me and my need for tools and as he was soon to retire he amazingly gave him his heel hammer which clearly he had used for well over fifty years. From one old craftsmen to a newer one. These tools are built to last.

SS: How has the industry changed over the years?

Sebastian Tarek: There has been a recent backlash against the over saturation of the high street and I hope that it can help to sustain these dying crafts. Bespoke shoemaking is a dying craft. The average age in this industry is stratospheric, around sixty sixty years old. In the 1970s, the West End Master Boot makers Association had something like twenty six menders, now there are only four. Hopefully there can be a turnaround. In this time frame, it has gone from being expensive to being truly luxurious in price which makes it difficult to contemporise the market. I lament the fact that very few of my friends own a pair of my shoes but I cannot make them any cheaper. In terms of materials, equipment and just the labour involved.

SS: I appreciate that it varies greatly depending upon the style and finish but how long does it take on average?

Sebastian Tarek: Generally speaking a full week of man hours and that is devoted man hours. There is of course fittings, drying times, if the pair has hand stitched uppers then that takes a full day in itself. I quote three to six months. It is a laborious process but it is such an experiential retail opportunity, the fact that you get a beautiful pair of shoes that you know you've had a direct involvement with and will fit you in a way that you've not experienced before. You have a relationship with this item before you even have them on your feet.

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It was an absolute pleasure spending an hour with Sebastian Tarek. In the true spirit of his trade, he worked away on his latest design, trimming leather and wielding his pattern hammer as we talked. As he did so, I duly snapped away and explored his studio...

Sebastian Tarek at work and the finished product.

Sebastian Tarek Shoe Maker

This season saw the debut collection of Sebastian Tarek’s beautiful, bespoke and handmade men’s shoes. It was in the eclectic surroundings of the NEWGEN MEN and Fashion East Installations that I first caught glimpse of this carefully crafted designs. Alongside the latest designs from exciting, emerging design talent including Agi & Sam, Astrid Andersen, Baartmans & Siegel, Matthew Miller and William Richard Green to name but a few, Tarek's shoes placed on a simple workbench really captured my imagination> I was keen to learn more.

A closer look at Sebastian Tarek's display on Menswear Day.

Tarek is an Australian born shoemaker based in East London who has worked for London’s finest shoemakers since 2003 – where he has spent years refining his skills of fit, and creating work of the highest standards to satisfy the clientele of Savile Row and beyond. Cleverley’s (Royal Arcade, Piccadilly) and James Taylor & Son (Marylebone), for whom he still works, are two of the last remaining members of the West End Master Boot Makers society and have been making shoes for the Royal Court since the nineteenth Century. For his eponymous debut collection, Tarek took up the challenge of fusing his traditional skills as a maker of a timeless artisanal product with a more contemporary and relevant aesthetic. The result is a collection that is an exploration within the bespoke market. An idea conceived and developed with his private clients in mind, a marriage of personalised service, comfort and luxury with a more relaxed and informal feeling.

Now that the dust has begun to settle on Menswear Day, I could not resist visiting the shoemaker at his East London workshop. Over the course of my lunch hour, we discussed the release of Port magazine, the business of fashion and the beauty of bespoke shoes...

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SS: What attracted you to the wonderful world of shoe making?

Sebastien Tarek: The truth is, I was bombing out of high school and I was over here on a rugby tour and I watched the story of Hans Christian Anderson and fell in love with this way of life. To start with, I went to evening classes for two years during the twilight years High School. It was during the first year of these studies, that my Polish grandmother informed me, in her thickest accent that my great, great grandfather would be so proud of what I was doing. Why was that I asked? Was he fond of shoes. "No he was a shoemaker you idiot!' It turns out he was eighteenth generation. Shoemaking, apparently dates back in my family to making shoes by appointment only to the Tsar of Russia at some stage.  I had no idea when I was growing up! From my perspective there didn't seem to be such an inclination in my family, I come from a family of fashion editors, both my Parents were at some stage and neither were crafty in any way.

 

SS: From this revelation, did you know that you wanted to make bespoke men's shoes?
Sebastien Tarek: No it was a total evolution. I started out making women's footwear, fashion shoes and even worked on show shows for a while in Australia. It was only when I returned here, which at the time was only meant to be a short stay, that I began working for a woman called Georgina Goodman making couture shoes and this introduced me to the West End Masters Bootmakers Association. It then evolved from there. From a creative point of view, I've always been driven by process and I became absorbed in the men's bespoke process. Every shoemaker makes shoes in a different way, there is always so much to learn.

SS: What was the catalyst for the collection? Has this been on the cards for some time?

Sebastian Tarek: It has. There are aspects of it that I've been on working for time, for example one or two lasts, but there are also newer elements as well. The catalyst were actually the pair of shoes that are in that bag. I made something for myself, inverted burnished leather and I had a client come in, described the idea and then made them for him.The whole collection developed from there.

SS: What was your initial inspiration?
Sebastian Tarek: The thing that I kept on going back to when I was designing this collection was your favourite pair of jeans. You want them to fit fantastically but you also want them to show signs of the journey you've had together. You might want some that are box fresh and others that tell a story. I wanted to create a body of work that was based around fit and the notion that they could show the signs of love, wear and age. That they could look relaxed quickly. A lot of people consider bespoke shoes to be stuffy and I wanted to step away from this idea.

SS: Was it difficult balancing this collection with your other projects? Were you working around the clock?

Shoemakers don't really retire. If they do, they tend to do shortly afterwards. They usually die in the chair whilst they are working. In order to make a living from it, you really do have to work hard and I've grown accustomed to working hard all of the time. I had a day off last Sunday but before that, I cannot remember the last free day I had. Last week I went back to college as well, I teach at the Royal College of Art and I needed a day to prepare for that. I like being busy.

SS: How would you like to see Sebastian Tarek, the brand, evolve?
Sebastian Tarek: It was only when I became with Fashion East that I began to think about this very question. I want the brand to evolve but in an organic way. It might be a cliche statement but that is how I see it.

SS: For me, the Installations are always a highlight of Menswear Day. They really demonstrate the diversity of menswear design talent that exists in the capital...

Sebastian Tarek: Initially they didn't have space for me but I think that it was this desire for a representational presentation that saw me take part. It was a great experience.

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Clients are individually measured and fitted for their own personal set of wooden lasts. The range is based loosely on classic styles, with specific detailing updated and refined to fit his relaxed aesthetic. Silhouettes are pushed into stronger, more architectural forms and have a modern look. Anachronistic extras are lost and a purity of form, and the importance of provenance is rediscovered. Tarek uses two of the oldest pittards still working, and the soles and heels of the shoes are all hand made from leathers produced by the last remaining Oak bark tanner left in Britain. Hand stitching details, and laces are all exclusively made from Irish linen thread. The distinctive finish of the shoes is a result of a specific burnishing technique traditionally only used for cavalry boot legs. Elements such as the facings of styles such as Adelaide’s, Derby’s, and Saddle shoes are applied in new surprising contexts. Without further ado, let's take a closer look at the collection...

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Whilst being talked through his designs in his Sunbury Workshop, I could not help but take a few photos as the shoemaker wielded his pattern hammer. However, I feel that they deserve a post of their own so, come back after lunch and we can all watch a true craftsman at work...

Sebastian Tarek in his East London Studio.

Details: New boots aged beautifully

James Small wearing a pair of his AW11 show boots by Aldo.

Armando Cabral AW11

Last season, after one of my many visits to the Showroom Next Door, I reported on a new shoe find that captured your attention. The name Armando Cabral might have been familiar to you at the time, but the debut of his eponymous shoe collection made you see him in a fresh light. Now, Cabral is quite simply one of the most recognisable male models but having already made his mark on the catwalk, his namesake shoe range was the next step. The footwear line sees Cabral team up with Rucky Zambrano who spearheaded innovation and technology at Vibram before serving as Head Designer for shoes and accessories at Hugo Boss. Together, they make quite a team. The combination of Cabral's innate style and Zambrano's eye for design and attention to detail has created an elegant addition to the men's footwear market.

The SS11 debut offered a full range of summer classics including desert boots, boating moccasin and woven sandals, all with an individual design signature and a colour palette that longed for the sunshine. For its sophomore collection, Armando Cabral takes inspiration from traveling, with a focus on Europe. Marking a continuity with the past season, there are classic sneakers, but these sit next to brand new designs which include boots inspired by the traditions of Northern Europe, and classic mountaineering styles that are ideal for the cold winter that no doubt lies ahead.

The reworked oxford. The style is much more subtle compared to some hybrids already on the market.

The leathers are, just like last season, stunning.

Reworked desert boots with flashes of colour. I have my eye on the Arsenal red pair above.

Mountaineering inspired boots.

Winter friendly boots that looked to Northern Europe for inspiration.

Hand-made in Italy out of the finest leathers, the collection introduces a fresh perspective on traditional styles, ranging from re-worked oxfords to hybrid desert boots. In only two short seasons, there is a sense that Armando Cabral is close to creating a fully rounded collection. The SS11 collection was devoted to the sunshine months and the AW11 collection prepares for a long, varied winter.

Earlier this week, I flicked through Tommy Ton's selection of LFW snapshots over at GQ and was instantly struck by the parade of fresh, out of the box shoes. Was I the only person who didn't and instead preferred to wear an old favourite (my Kudu boots). Did I miss the memo? If I follow the masses in September, don't be at all surprised if you see me marching through puddles in a fresh pair  of Armando Cabral desert boots.