This was made to order by a customer who was considering purchasing formal shoes. She was going on a cruise on the luxury liner Asuka II, and was looking for shoes to wear to a formal dinner. She was thinking of making patent leather opera pumps, but...
Although Arch Kelly's HAND MADE shoes allow freedom of design, the lasts and gauges are fixed. Unlike bespoke shoes, which measure the feet, create a last, and make a temporary shoe to check the fit, I was reluctant to make a pair of opera pumps with a wide opening for the first order.
So, we recommended a plain toe with an inner wing. For this customer, opera pumps are the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of formal shoes. However, these patent leather plain toe shoes are also popular. These shoes with laces can be made with confidence even for customers who are new to Arch Kelly.
Well, the current interpretation of patent leather shoes for formal use is the lineup of opera pumps, inner wing plain toe, and these two plus straight tips. Going back to the 1960s Johnston & Murphy catalog, opera pumps and inner wing plain were introduced as formal shoes.
Even older, the 1918 Stetson catalog lists patent leather boots as a formal item, which is not surprising given the prevalence of boots at the time.
The 1924 Stetson catalog also features a plain-toed oxford shoe, the same type as the one I ordered this time, which appears to have been around for at least 100 years.
The change from boots to short boots occurred about 100 years ago, and since then, shoes for formal use have remained almost unchanged in style. Compared to the major changes in fashion over the past 100 years, it makes you realize how strict formal style has remained.
As for patent leather, the material is listed as patent leather in the above catalog. Leather with a surface protected by enamel was developed, and the leather was patented, so it came to be called patent leather. It is surprising to know that patent leather already existed at the beginning of the 19th century.
When you look at patent leather shoes from foreign brands, they are always labeled PATENT LELATHER, so it may be that calling leather material "patent leather" is a Japanese term.
The patent leather used for the uppers of these shoes is domestically produced. The enamel treatment may not be noticeable at first glance, but choosing high-quality leather before processing makes a big difference in the way the shoes wrinkle and their durability.
Since it is a formal item, the visible parts are all black. The back of the waist and the half-padded part are made of black calf leather, and of course the sole is also finished in black.
The laces are made of silk satin ribbon to give a dressy look. The contrast between the gloss of the patent leather and silk on this all-black shoe is interesting! The result is a luxurious formal shoe.
Thank you for the wonderful order.