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Footwear: Special Editions

From Crockett & Jones to Bontoni; all new models have just dropped in one time only runs unique to the shop. As we strive to continually bring you the very best- beyond quality is exclusivity. These runs are made in only 12 unit orders with typically only one size of each style available.

Bontoni:

Bontoni operates one of the last casa e bottega in Italy. Until the middle of the past century, “case e botteghe,” or in-house artisan workshops were the staple of luxury craftsmen throughout Italy. When Guido Gazzani first started making shoes 70 years ago, it was common for tailors, hat makers, picture framers and other craftsmen to maintain their workshop in their home. 


Bontoni shoes are still made in a workshop in our family home, just as they were when Guido Gazzani first started making shoes over a half-century ago. In 2020, in response to the need for a roomier workspace, we moved some of our operations nearby. Of course, part of our operations remains in-house; in our casa e bottega. Our nine-person bottega sits among the rolling hill overlooking the medieval town of Montegranaro. At Bontoni, we are

deeply aware of the intrinsic link between our superb craftsmanship and quality and our family bottega. One could not exist without the other.

The craftsmen who have made each pair of Bontonis are not just about shoes. They come from long lines of Italian craftsmen and artists who made everything from dresses to violins. Bruno, who was our last maker, did more than that. He also made ornate violins by hand in our bottega. This is the Italian bottega as it has been for hundreds of years—a sanctuary for creative and passionate craftsmen. This legacy of artistry continues to resonate in each of the hundreds of distinct steps that go into every pair of Bontoni shoes.

It takes a Bontoni calzolaio, or shoemaker, years to master the different phases that bring a Bontoni shoe to life; precisely cutting the leather, hand sewing the seams, and attaching the welt. First, before shoe construction can begin, the leather is precisely cut into patterns to create a given model. The pieces are sewn together and reinforced with a lining and stiffeners to create the upper. In order for the upper to take on the elegant shape of the last, the calzolaio painstakingly pulls every centimeter of the upper over the last using a pair of pliers. The upper is then nailed in place along the perimeter of the insole. In between nailing, the calzolaio uses a warm hammer head to compress the upper’s leather fibers to ensure a perfect contour. Next, he pierces the upper, welt, and insole with an awl. Two hand-twisted wax threads enter each hole from opposite sides. The threads are then forcefully pulled to create a lock stitch. After the welt, upper and insole rib have been attached with one stitch, the welt and the outsole are then attached with another stitch.


A BONTONI SPECIAL MADE TO ORDER EVENT WILL BE HELD NOVEMBER 20 & 21 IN SHOP.

CROCKETT & JONES

Founded in 1879 in Northampton, at the heart of England's most famous shoemaking town, Crockett & Jones specialize in the manufacture of high quality Goodyear welted footwear.


REAL PEOPLE WITH SKILLED HANDS


The manufacture of high quality Goodyear welted shoes remains very labour-intensive, requiring a highly skilled workforce to carry out more than 200 separate operations during an 8 week period. This method, originated by hand-makers centuries ago, gives the shoes an exceptional degree of strength, durability and comfort in wear.


The Goodyear welted process spans several production departments, each necessitating a multitude of different skills and experiences to ensure the shoes are completed to our exacting standards. Many of the operations, relying on excellent hand-eye co-ordination, take years to learn and a lifetime to master.


Appointed to the Royal Household and HRH the Prince of Whales; C&J are also featured in the last several 007 movies & Daniel Craig personally vouched for the brand as one of their biggest personal clients & a fan of their comfort and quality.


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