Saint Crispin’s might be the closest thing to bespoke shoes without actually being bespoke. It’s not just about their construction – Vass, Enzo Bonafé, and Meermin’s Linea Maestro line offer handwelted shoes at lower price points anyway – but rather the shaping. Saint Crispin’s puts a lot of shape into their shoes. Whereas other companies just sharpen the angles on their toe boxes, Saint Crispin’s cuts a tighter waist, higher arch, lower vamp, and curvier heel. As a result, their shoes look a lot more refined – which is why they go so well with tailored clothing.
On the downside, there’s also much less room for error. Most ready-to-wear brands build a little more room into their shoes, which allows them to comfortably fit a wider range of customers. With Saint Crispin’s, however, you’re painfully made aware of every bump and misaligned angle if your shoes don’t fit perfectly.
This problem must have been obvious early on because the company has an ingenious made-to-order program. Along with being able to change the leather and any design details, they can also customize their lasts. That means rasping off parts for a closer fit, or building up places that need more room. You can see one of Saint Crispin’s workers modifying a last in the video at the end of this post.
The process isn’t too unlike how bespoke makers adjust their lasts, except with one key difference – Saint Crispin’s isn’t building you a completely new last, they’re just modifying their standard ones. That means you have to like their overall shape in the first place, as any adjustments are mostly for fit. In that sense, the customized last program is maybe more akin to a MTM suit or shirt, rather than “true” bespoke. Of course, they also have a “bespoke” program, but that’s really just their modified last offering with a fitting guarantee (and a much higher price point).
The customized last program isn’t perfect. I recently ordered these Mod. 105 oxfords in the company’s CRU 609 leather. The right shoe has been modified, but it still needs about a dozen wears before it’s comfortable. I talked about this with Phillip, the owner of the company, at his recent trunk show in San Francisco. He said he I could build more room in the vamp, where mine are tightest, but then I risk having them be too roomy. Best, he said, to just break them in naturally.
Not the best news for a guy who wishes his shoes were comfortable out the box, but I think the results are worth it. Few makers are able to achieve the look of Saint Crispin’s ready-to-wear – partly because it requires a lot of handwork, and partly because they then have to solve the problems stated above.
For those who aren’t able to try Saint Crispin’s on in-person, order from a company that gives good service and offers easy returns. I buy mine from Skoaktiebolaget (an advertiser on this site) and M Classic 101, but they’re also available in the US at Leffot and Wingtip. If you’re ordering a customized last, you can get a pair of trial shoes for insurance. Those will be made from waste leather, but will give you an idea of how the new last feels before your final shoes are made. And if all else fails, Saint Crispin’s can also re-last something, which ensures you won’t be stuck with something you can’t wear.
