Design and Details
The appearance of the shoe is striking. Unlike other shoes in this price point, it can hang with your high end suits. It has enough detail to catch the eye but some very traditional characteristics needed if paired with business attire.
I found the fit to be true to size with enough space in the vamp of the shoe for extended wear. You will see other shoe companies adjusting the size on their site telling you to either add or drop a half size from your normal shoe size. This has always concerned me as I never felt comfortable ordering shoes in other sizes. Not the case here, my 10 1/2 fit like my best 10 1/2 shoes.
The throat of the shoe is sewn closed with a lighter thread. It’s subtle, but just enough to set it apart from other shoes in its class.
The most impressive eye catching design element is the stitching. Expertly crafted around the edge of the entire shoe. The back of the shoe (known as the topline) has a small leather flap which adds a nice detail. The placement is one that won’t be seen often but just shows you the effort that went into making these shoes unique in every way.
The softness of the exterior and interior calfskin leather provides a comfortable fit. The insole provides enough cushion towards the back heel without making it too bulky.
Heel and Sole
The leather outsole is exquisite. The embossing with the company logo along with details of its origin, puts this shoe at the top of it’s class. It you plan to make them part of your daily rotation, consider adding a rubber pad to extend the life. If you work in a major city and are required to walk a lot, the rough terrain will take its toll on all leather outsoles.
The heel is nailed by hand which is another indication of its high quality production. There is also a rubber tipped heel which will take the majority of the abuse from day to day.
With Beckett Simonon you will be getting a higher quality product that is not mass produced. They do a good job of keeping you in the loop on the production status with a Kickstarter-esque transparency.
