Monk Strap: August 2010

One of my fav.

A tour of the Berluti store in London by Finchs Quarterly. Finch is kinda like The Rake magazine found in local bookstores. Check it out!

About Monk Strap

I have to admit that a pair of monks strap is next on my shopping list!!

No. I am not just after the style. I am equally interested about the origins behind each shoe style be it monk strap, Oxford or Derby. Do you know the origins of monk strap??

To take it one step further, I learned what a last is, the various traditional shoe construction techniques like what Goodyear-welted, Blake, Blake/Rapid, Bologna, Novergese etc. with each style almost synonymous with either a Italian, British or American style,

Over time, I have learned to appreciate the painstaking processes that goes behind in constructing a great pair of shoes, especially the bespoke ones. It has been an interesting learning journey for me.

It's not about being a shoe snob but having an appreciation of what goes behind an aesthetically pleasing pair of shoes is going to make your next shoe-hunting trip so much more fun and exciting and rewarding!

Imagine owning a pair of classic, stylish Berluti, Corthay, Cleverly, Santoni, Hall & Marks (and the list goes on).

I remember the lyrics from a song - "these boots are made for walking,.....". Well, to me, these shoes are meant for watching. I am not trying to romanticize the whole darn thing but really, a nice pair of shoes is also for your eyes, not just the ground. And no. Shoes is not just a thing for women!

I believe people in Asia is beginning to appreciate the finer things in life be it timepiece or quality footwear. It's high time for Asian men to learn more about what goes behind their soles and revisit classic elegance. In the words of Yves Saint Laurent,

"Fashions fade, style is eternal."

So expect to find information beyond mens' shoes on this blog!

Well, enough said. If you have made it this far with this bloody lengthy introduction, keep "walking" around and feel free to comment or share!

Happy "Walking"!

Monk Strap

Thursday, August 19, 2010

How mens' shoes are made

Berluti