Stoser:

Foot-gear speaks of its owner no less expressively than a wrist-watch, a fountain pen or a suit. As the French haute couture master Jens-Paul Gautier likes to say, a man may content himself with only one suit for all occasions. The point is in selecting it correctly. The same can probably be stated about footwear. Together with all other attributes such as wrist-watch, fountain pen and clothes it becomes a defining feature of the owner’s life style which develops on each step of his business career. In short, choosing a pair of shoes is a delicate and complicated matter. An unenlightened person could easily get lost in such a foot-gear abundance and variety. This topic is aimed to help you to choose exactly the footwear corresponding to your image and life style. I should note here that we shall speak about the expensive and prestigious models because these shoes will be able to emphasize your individuality.

John Lobb.

Suppose, John Lobb Company – one of the oldest English footwear factories – can boast of the most expensive serial low shoes in the world. Its history dates back to the nineteenth century and since the middle of last century it had become the Royal Family supplier. Though the footwear of this brand doesn’t give itself out with its appearance they use only the most expensive and the best quality materials in its manufacturing. Such a concern bears its fruit – foot-gear by John Lobb is sold with 10 years guarantee. Its distinguishing feature is light and soft leather and at the same time such shoes keep their shape for a long time. The Company doesn’t produce many models, only about forty. They design both prestigious and sporty shoes. The prices vary from 500 up to 5000 dollars. Tenfold cost sparseness is basically connected with different materials used for its manufacturing. New shoes design is being put to production twice a year but its range is not too wide. They’d usually add new leather tint in their collection. And their new models will seem awfully familiar to you. This is the Company’s policy.

Barker.

Barker’s shoes have a simpler design but the same conservative British style can be traced here as well. A 120 years success can be explained by their adherence to high quality natural stuff. Every leather lot is exposed to scrupulous tests. And one more remarkable fact: 137 workers and 137 inspectors toil at the factory!!! The company worked out its own technology bettering the sole flexibility. Besides, heels and sole have a special quality making them almost non- amortizable. Low shoes are supplied with hygienic cork lining which softens the walking. The prices do not exceed 300 dollars.

Regain.

Footwear by Italian Company Regain is considered to be the symbol of elegancy and excellent British style quality. This first class foot-gear is famous for complete hand work. Each of the 50 shoe-makers produces 3 pairs of shoes every day at most. The secret of their success lies in the fact that Regain directs its wares both at clients preferring conservative and special Italian fashion design. One can easily recognize Regain shoes by their glossy leather which keeps shape for a long time due to special treatment. Obviously, it’s not by blind chance that the world famous Prada footwear factory places its orders at Regain factory.

Gucci.

A famous Italian brand Gucci put its first model on the market 50 years ago. And it hit the mark at once as they say. Footwear by this brand has been an incredible success for many years among the most famous and noble Italian people. Its success lies in democracy. The design is always laconic, it’s never burdened with any unnecessary details and it perfectly suits the clothing by different elite Fashion houses. Its high prestige has told upon the prices – a pair of shoes may cost you a thousand dollars and more.

Artioli.

Artioli footwear Company has placed itself as party footwear. Its characteristic features are: narrowed boot-tree, exotic sorts of leather and comparatively high prices reaching a thousand dollars. Traditional leather design is cheaper – it would make about 600-800 dollars. This brand shoes would match a cocktail suit or a tuxedo. That’s why among their usual clients there are diplomats, musicians and artists.

Mauri.

Mauri has been well-known for thirty years for the rarest materials used in their production. In particular, they use crocodile and ostrich skins, applications made of lizards’ skins. Though their design may be called conservative the combination of expensive stuff with the delicate hand work makes it highly fashionable. Prices ranging about 300 dollars make Mauri even more attractive for the most of their customers who prefer unusual exclusive models.

Alberto Guardiani.

If you have fixed your choice upon Alberto Guardiani footwear you can be proud at least of the fact that it is hand made. This Italian brand is 60 years old and manual labor has been used there through all those years. This is probably one of the reasons of its success. As for the design Alberto Guardiani counts on business people who follow the fashion. Everyday business style certainly includes fashionable details and attributes. The prices are moderate, up to 450 dollars.

Fabi.

Fabi footwear is very popular in Italy. Pope himself orders his shoes there by individual measurements. Experts give their due to the quality making and the materials among which there is much exotic stuff like kangaroo and python skins. Fabi collection which is being renewed twice a year offers both the last word in fashion and classical design for everyday wearing. They direct their wares to different age groups and different social statuses. Prices vary between 200-300 dollars.

Bruno Magli.

Maximum comfort, exclusive design tending to classics – this is what you can expect from Bruno Magli shoes. Their collection represents two design lines – classical and country style – for everyday wearing. Producing more than a million pairs of shoes for everyday wearing yearly this company became the arbiter of world fashion tendencies. That is way their prices never go lower than 200 dollars and they never rise higher than 500.

Bally.

Bally – a Swiss company appeared about a century and a half ago. Their adherence to manual labor and individual approach has remained the basis of their success till nowadays. Their footwear is being sold exclusively through a special store network spread over 70 different countries. What is Bally footwear? This is comfort plus classical design. Their designers take new ideas from old times at the unique Bally footwear museum. Nonetheless, the company doesn’t rest on its laurels – at present it realizes a big project aimed to measuring their clients’ feet with the help of laser and computer because North America inhabitants’ feet differ from South European feet. The results may correct currently used boot-trees.

Lloyd

Lloyd shoes represent a true German quality. Lloyd footwear designers constantly follow the customers’ changing tastes but at the same time they keep to their traditions. Here is one more distinguishing feature – they pay special attention to the clients with problematic feet. Lloyd footwear offers them their special models with orthopedic insoles and amortizing heels. Such footwear doesn’t only better the gait but it also prevents the spine from some diseases.  Comparatively low price (180-200 dollars) and high quality, traditional color palette has made this brand popular not only in Germany but also in Scandinavia and Russia.

Do you know that...

...it’s more reliable to purchase the shoes with glued and stitched soles because needling spoils leather and cotton threads tend to thinning over moisture exposure. You can test the glued sole quality with a paper-clip: if the clip doesn’t go through the sole and the upper part of your shoe even in half a millimeter that’s a good quality. 

...if possible do not wear the same pair of shoes, even your favorite one, every day. Leather doesn’t have enough time to dry up in natural conditions during one night.

...when buying a pair of shoes pay attention to their leather quality. To test it you can crook the shoe so that its toe could touch its bottom. If you make it then the shoes are really comfortable to wear. But bear it in mind that such comfortable soft leather loses its shape sooner than firm leather. If there appears a fold in the bend place this is low quality leather. If you still have doubts repeat the procedure several times – there should be no folds left.

...when buying shoes abroad take into consideration national boot-tree peculiarities. Thus Americans and Englishmen are the owners of narrow and long feet, Germans have broad feet with high instep and the Asians have even broader and short feet.

...party footwear, as a rule, has a narrower and tenser foot-tree. It feels a bit unusual but looks elegantly.

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