Shoe Maker Beckett Simonon Is An Industry Disruptor: Review

Ryan Sprance

In this day and age of e-commerce, we hear about more and more companies acting as a disruptor in their respective industries. Beckett Simonon is no different. Instead of producing massive inventory and cutting corners to drive a higher profit, they function as a made-to-order, on demand footwear company.

Each month the company produces a handful of designs with the mindset of creating the highest quality product at an affordable cost. Pre-orders are taken from the company’s website. Beckett Simonon’s artisans hand make the shoes in factories in Europe and South America. Once the manufacturing is complete, the shoes ship directly to you from the factory. They also do a nice job of keeping you informed about the production process each step of the way.

For the price point of under $200, I was expecting a nice shoe with a mass market feel. I was pleasantly surprised to see the construction. These shoes rival $400-$500 shoes in design and construction but are a step above in comfort.

Packaging

The shoes came in a high density box. If you are like me and prefer to keep them in the original boxes, you will appreciate the construction. An extra pair of waxed cotton laces and logo emblazoned travel bags are also included. The insoles are placed in the box on top of the shoes with a heavy duty plastic shoe horn. The bags are a nice touch, especially if you travel. Unlike most pairs today, the box is not packed with inexpensive tissue paper.

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.