Making shoes for the King: An interview with Tony Gaziano

[@shanghaining3987]

Such a brilliant interview and fireside chat as always, Tony Gaziano really comes across as an immaculate, thoughtful and articulate gentleman, the perfect ambassador for both his brand and products.

[@JS-shim]

In a world where quality and standards are declining, it is vital that companies like Gaziano and Girling survive and thrive. They are easily the best shoes I have ever owned.

[@PermanentStyleLondon]

Nice to hear

[@4747da]

Wonderful interview. Would love to have been there in person. Interesting and concerning issue tony raised regarding the scarcity of qualified staff and training. Hope this precious craft and indeed equipment finds a way to sustain.

[@PermanentStyleLondon]

Thanks, lovely to hear it came across in that way

[@tcn0199]

Wonderful interview, I thought it was a very honest and real take on the industry. One minor point I take some issue with is the implication that Brexit has impacted the availability of skilled immigrant workers in the UK. If you look at the actual numbers however, the UK let in twice as many immigrants last year than they did the year prior to Brexit.

[@PermanentStyleLondon]

Thank you. Yes, obviously a complex subject, but I think those numbers have largely been an increase in non-EU that outweighed the decrease in EU - eg from Hong Kong. Workers can of course come from anywhere, but generally the easiest has historically been from locations inside the EU.

[@richardichard4237]

Constructive criticism....Simon has a very regular bad habit of asking his guest a question, then as they pause midway through their answer, he butts in, and answers it for them. Very unprofessional, very rude, very arrogant. If you read this Simon, rewatch any of your interviews, and stop doing it....! The real art of conversation is learning to listen.....

[@aeptacon]

I think you could have stated this nicer lol. This IS his channel and he reads your comments. But immediately after I read your comment, I saw exactly what you mean lol. Great point you brought up though. And it is a compliment that you watch his videos. So props.

[@TheTerryE]

If someone watched the entire coronation and only looked at the shoes the whole time I'd suggest they immediately get to an analyst because there is something seriously wrong with them.

[@PermanentStyleLondon]

If you made the shoes for the King and were worried he might slip over, I have to say I'd be thinking about that a lot!

[@AntF.]

Such a big G&G fan generally; but also for Tony himself. It's skill, personality, quality, team, belonging - which you are paying for. I've only met Tony once (had a good chat about Cheltenham races), but have met the rest of the guys loads. There is a thread of humbleness and class that runs through them all. And what an honour to make something so personal and tactile for the King.

[@russelldavidson8010]

I wear orthotics due to an old army injury and told Tony I needed a pair of fairly traditional bespoke Oxford style boots making which would accommodate my unusual feet shapes (with a soft, low cut ankle section - something I could discreetly wear in wet weather under black tie or white tie trousers), but still I wanted to see something of a modern twist to the old-fashioned plain Oxford vamp. In thirty seconds he interpreted my thoughts and sketched on a sheet of paper a lovely twist on the traditional design - exactly what I was looking for - remarkable. I’m really looking forward to seeing the finished product.