Luxury shopping is not necessarily found at the premier big brands. DH and I love shopping at Leffot, where i can order MtM sneakers at a twice yearly trunk show from Hiro Yanagimachi, and DH can order sneakers and customized (still less involved and less expensive than bespoke) chukkas from hiro; belts from Duret; loafers and lace ups from Corthay; Norman Vilata; and a longtime favorite Edward Green (292 last). There are also gloves from Thomas Reimer, and other fun things that can be revisited seasonally. You don’t need champagne or snacks when you have the full attention of Steven Taffel, the Leffot proprietor, as well as the guest artisan who happens to be the best brand representative to personally fit you. You can also meet the person who will personally make your shoes (in the case of Hiro sneakers). You can be confident in your choices as they will be discussed and vetted with you by the professionals.
Last time I ordered white leather sneakers with black spectator thread and black soles, a combination, Steven @Leffot had also independently come up with ( so now we have the same lol). This time I ordered fauve barenia type leather with white stitching and a beige/natural sole ( inspired by an h leather jacket) DH ordered white sneakers with blue stitched cap toe and a blue stripe. And he also ordered a more customized ( yet less involved and less costly than a full bespoke) pair of gray purple / anthracite suede chukkas with a light gray sneaker sole. I was tempted by the same anthracite combo ( seen worn by the sneaker maker in the pic below), but I’ll wait until next time, so DH and I don’t match more than we already do Lol. Hiro also offered cute and practical mini travel shoe horns in an attached leather case that I picked up to carry in my bag. pics include the barenia type leather ( vegetable tanned, i think, and sourced from Italy); the anthracite sneaker worn by the artisan who makes Hiro’s sneakers; and the mini shoe horns ( they aren’t on the Leffot site, so perhaps only available at trunk show). Prices are 1600USD + for sneakers up to 2700USD for the chukkas. A friend who came with us observed that the curious thing is, when you order like this, you arent even really aware of the shoe size. Hiro and Steven simply size you up; fit you with try on models; and then make adjustments ( my friend wanted a closer fit on her narrow heel; a looser fit on the ball or side of her right foot; and, a lower or shorter sneaker tongue). All of this is not only possible, but easy. the only down side is waiting. I think my last pairs came in after four months for one and two more months for the other. so, it’s best to forget about your orders while you wait. Thanks to @Christofle for all the tips and support on my nascent shoe journey.
. while I do tend to follow DH eventually into shirts and gloves, I did need a little push into shoes. (and I may not ever be ready for custom glasses or full bespoke tailored clothing lol).
True luxury was having the undivided personal attention of both Steven of Leffot and Hiro Yanagimachi, as well as the assurance that we will end up with gorgeous, handcrafted shoes that we will want to wear every day.
ETA: If you cannot get to Leffot, the only other option may be to visit the artisan’s workshop. Hiro is in Tokyo. If you are in Paris, Corthay’s lovely atelier is a stones throw from place Vendome and charvet. Duret is in the 8th arr., but is very communicative via Skype or other means. (See @Tasha1 ‘s thread for all of the wonderful Duret visuals here,https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/duret-bag.1040839/
After a couple of pairs of Hiros sneakers, I haven’t worn my golden goose, Hermes, Vince, chanel, or other fashion sneakers, and rarely wear my old standby Birkenstock sneakers ( with my custom insole). I once wore my black hiro sneaker as my only pair of shoes for five days straight in Paris, and DH and I walk a lot
for these kinds of customized purchases, made to your specifications, it goes without saying that they are final sale. That is why a lot of time is spent making sure you are perfectly satisfied with your choices. Fit can always be adjusted or tinkered with post purchase. That is another difference between buying a pair of shoes here, versus a pair of orans or chanel ballet flats.
Last time I ordered white leather sneakers with black spectator thread and black soles, a combination, Steven @Leffot had also independently come up with ( so now we have the same lol). This time I ordered fauve barenia type leather with white stitching and a beige/natural sole ( inspired by an h leather jacket) DH ordered white sneakers with blue stitched cap toe and a blue stripe. And he also ordered a more customized ( yet less involved and less costly than a full bespoke) pair of gray purple / anthracite suede chukkas with a light gray sneaker sole. I was tempted by the same anthracite combo ( seen worn by the sneaker maker in the pic below), but I’ll wait until next time, so DH and I don’t match more than we already do Lol. Hiro also offered cute and practical mini travel shoe horns in an attached leather case that I picked up to carry in my bag. pics include the barenia type leather ( vegetable tanned, i think, and sourced from Italy); the anthracite sneaker worn by the artisan who makes Hiro’s sneakers; and the mini shoe horns ( they aren’t on the Leffot site, so perhaps only available at trunk show). Prices are 1600USD + for sneakers up to 2700USD for the chukkas. A friend who came with us observed that the curious thing is, when you order like this, you arent even really aware of the shoe size. Hiro and Steven simply size you up; fit you with try on models; and then make adjustments ( my friend wanted a closer fit on her narrow heel; a looser fit on the ball or side of her right foot; and, a lower or shorter sneaker tongue). All of this is not only possible, but easy. the only down side is waiting. I think my last pairs came in after four months for one and two more months for the other. so, it’s best to forget about your orders while you wait. Thanks to @Christofle for all the tips and support on my nascent shoe journey.
. while I do tend to follow DH eventually into shirts and gloves, I did need a little push into shoes. (and I may not ever be ready for custom glasses or full bespoke tailored clothing lol).True luxury was having the undivided personal attention of both Steven of Leffot and Hiro Yanagimachi, as well as the assurance that we will end up with gorgeous, handcrafted shoes that we will want to wear every day.
ETA: If you cannot get to Leffot, the only other option may be to visit the artisan’s workshop. Hiro is in Tokyo. If you are in Paris, Corthay’s lovely atelier is a stones throw from place Vendome and charvet
. Duret is in the 8th arr., but is very communicative via Skype or other means. (See @Tasha1 ‘s thread for all of the wonderful Duret visuals here,https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/duret-bag.1040839/After a couple of pairs of Hiros sneakers, I haven’t worn my golden goose, Hermes, Vince, chanel, or other fashion sneakers, and rarely wear my old standby Birkenstock sneakers ( with my custom insole). I once wore my black hiro sneaker as my only pair of shoes for five days straight in Paris, and DH and I walk a lot
for these kinds of customized purchases, made to your specifications, it goes without saying that they are final sale. That is why a lot of time is spent making sure you are perfectly satisfied with your choices. Fit can always be adjusted or tinkered with post purchase. That is another difference between buying a pair of shoes here, versus a pair of orans or chanel ballet flats.
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