The Podcast - Episode 11 - Your Shoes Are Not Handmade

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The misuse of words and ideas to sell products is absolutely rampant. This became even more so when globalization occurred and allowed online brands to come out of nowhere and sell European shoes at the drop of a dime without needing to show a product in person. They could create crafty videos online that fantasized the reality of the factory production line and thus trick the consumer into believing the product was more artisanal than it actually was.
In the US, this is heightened by the salesmen's commission-based structure at most department stores. That gives the salesmen the incentive to say anything to 'make the sale'. And due to all of this constant bombardment, we have people running around thinking that everything is handmade when it could not be further from reality.
Sadly, this is the same for the word 'bespoke' in the men's suiting industry. But as this blog focuses on shoes, we will keep it shoe-related. Chances are, your shoes and not handmade, and your suits are not bespoke. Of course, some of you watching/reading will have both of those things, but the majority of people who think they do, most likely won't. And that is okay, as long as we know the difference and do not go around peddling the misuse of words that at the end of the day is an insult to the people who actually took the time to learn the beautiful art of handmade shoemaking and bespoke suit making.
Watch my other Podcast Episodes here: • The Podcast
Check out my other websites:
theshoesnobblog.com/
theshoesnobmarketplace.com/
www.jfitzpatrickfootwear.com/

[@nk7144]

You did your point and it is well understood that. I bought my first drees shoes from Carlos Santos. It is well made for the price that I paid for. It is not a handmade shoe. As you said, I liked them and I bought them. End of story😉

[@theshoesnob_official]

Thanks for sharing 🙏

[@Kwork.]

amazing video, thank you!

[@theshoesnob_official]

Thank you! 🙏

[@teekue]

Agree 100%, salesman and also manufacturers are to blame. They call all of their factory products handmade while there are real artisans producing real handmade shoes.

[@theshoesnob_official]

Thank you for sharing!

[@Molach101]

I always heard growing up that my great grandfather wore "handmade shoes" (UK) but I am pretty sure they were bespoke shoes. He had very small feet so the story was he had his shoes made for him and only owned two pairs of shoes. This was in the 1960s

[@theshoesnob_official]

Back then it was more likely that a shoe would be handmade and locally made too. And if they were bespoke then they definitely must have been handmade ;-)

[@Molach101]

@@theshoesnob_official I wish I knew where he had his shoes made, he lived in London at this point but he wasn't a wealthy man. He was a factory foreman. Probably a less famous shoemaker that no longer exists

[@4747da]

An idea for an episode I would love: best cities to shop for shoes. I don't like to buy shoes online, I prefer talking to a salesman, trying things out, having that experience. But aside from London and Berlin (very different dress shoe cities) I don't really know which city is a good destination for seeing and buying shoes.

[@theshoesnob_official]

Thanks for the suggestion. Thats probably more of a blog post and I probably have to visit Tokyo before making it ;-)

[@rogerp4612]

Preach! I've grown tired of correcting people, so it's nice to have this video to point to.

[@theshoesnob_official]

Happy to help Roger ;-) 🙏

[@user-sf3os2xb9d]

Some important points you have raised about customer expectations. You are doing a great service to the industry and public through these educational segments. Certainly, as you’ve mentioned, despite something being factory produced, there’s still a human element, and often some very skilled workers, that partake in the manufacturing process. Maybe you can elaborate on what goes into truly handmade products. There’s lots of good KZbinrs that are showcasing their craft in making bespoke products, including shoes. Just have to be curious. I have some beautiful and great quality shoes and boots made in Portugal and Spain, and I don’t think of them as anything less. Keep these segments coming. I enjoyed your previous one on pre-ordering. Great case study on retail.

[@theshoesnob_official]

Thank for sharing and the kind words. I do appreciate them very much and am glad that you are enjoying the Podcasts

[@johnet22]

Great points and great video. Thanks for posting this!

[@theshoesnob_official]

My pleasure and thank you! 🙏

[@reginaldgooden3495]

Thanks Justin! Great Info 🎩

[@theshoesnob_official]

🙏🙏

[@tonydeltablues]

I think your point is a salient one: for years, salespeople and the advertising industry have used terms, words and descriptions that have the purpose of giving an impression of great quality for the money/cost of the shoe. Branding is everything - it seems. Until I began the journey of aspiring to wear quality well made welted shoes, I didn't know better. Makes me laugh (or at least wince internally) when I see 'hand made' or some semblance to purport to a shoe made by an artisan shoemaker, I know better; mainly because of your channel (and Jesper's channel)! The fact many people believe the salesmen is a disappointment. There are a lot of reasons I only buy factory shoes: cost, quality, resoling option. I guess there are a lot of guys who don't understand the Goodyear welting process used in factories. As you have said, it's actually a good thing we can get a welted, factory made shoe for 300 quid - give of take. That's what we should be celebrating/promoting. Justin: I'll see you on the 4th May, in London :-) Tony

[@theshoesnob_official]

Thanks for sharing as always Tony, I do appreciate it and look forward to seeing you on May 4th ;-)

[@tonydeltablues]

Definitely! I'll say 'hi' on the 4th....@@theshoesnob_official

[@damnjustassignmeone]

I don’t think the point to me has ever been that my shoes are hand made. It’s that they’re made well.

[@theshoesnob_official]

100%

[@paulterry8373]

completely agree, I wont name the brand, but I live in Australia, and well made boot brand down here is machine made, yet the public think they are buying a hand made shoe..... clicking is done by a cutting press, stitching is by a machine, lasting by a big machine etc etc........... yes there is skill required and judgement, but it's all done by machine..................guided by hand, I like that phrase................ but they are machine made. how the hell would they produce over 500,000 a year if they didnt use machines, come on!! I have been on a factory tour.... all machines.................... deception is high............. great video

[@theshoesnob_official]

Thank you for sharing. I know juat the brand. Its madness ;-)

[@4747da]

The way I see men's dress shoes, is abit like a watch enthusiast: I don't really need it in terms of function, but I like how it looks, how it's made, and how it goes along with you. So, for me a shoe being handmade is only important if I want, as part of my collection, a handmade shoe. I want something that has that level of craftsmanship. It's not replacing a Goodyear welted shoe, it another thing to appreciate.

[@theshoesnob_official]

100%

[@pgopal6]

Love the passionate discussion. Also, love your jacket. Mind sharing what it is?

[@theshoesnob_official]

Thank you! Jacket is by www.yeossal.com/

[@jgb0017]

Cool lapels on the jacket.

[@pgopal6]

I thought the exact same thing.

[@theshoesnob_official]

Thank you!

[@koffinoir]

That’s why I am always clear to say my shoes are not handmade and choose to be transparent. I don’t say Bespoke either. That’s why it’s important to know your information.

[@theshoesnob_official]

100%, thank you for sharing! And keep up the good fight!

[@benjamin3541]

Edward Green Connemara on the 303 last are beautiful winter boots .

[@theshoesnob_official]

Indeed

[@stylishoversixty9459]

The term "handmade" is relative to everything, all products whether it be car manufacturing or the sewing together of a suit and yes putting the parts of a shoe together if touched at any point by human hands are basically handmade.

[@theshoesnob_official]

Dont agree but to each his own

[@stylishoversixty9459]

@@theshoesnob_official I appreciate your opinion definitely you are entitled to it…however we unfortunately are comfortable putting things in box, and I stick by my opinion “handmade”is term simply to elevate something not to minimize the craft of anyone who uses their hands to produce something 👍🏾

[@theshoesnob_official]

@@stylishoversixty9459 it if elevates everything touched by hand then really it elevates nothing as 99% of products in menswear are tocuhed by hands during production. So in your train of thinking everything is handmade which means using that word is irrelevant.

[@ericwalles]

Yes, some times you need to knok more than the sales a, or get fooled, so now i only know hand madre shoes that i madre for me, but i prefer the machine made

[@theshoesnob_official]

Thanks for sharing Eric!

[@KFCJones]

Beckett Simonon has the fluffy video of clicking. Are they hiding laser cutters down there in Columbia?😂 What about my Meermin Linea Maestros? Handmade or not really?

[@theshoesnob_official]

yea, their fluff is strong. Meermin are handwelted, but definitely churning out factory-made footwear. Not handmade IMHO. But an awesome price for handwelted

[@ViatoremDiEfa]

What a lovely jacket! What make is it?

[@theshoesnob_official]

Thank you! It was made by www.yeossal.com

[@ViatoremDiEfa]

@@theshoesnob_official Thank you! It looks like very good value for money.

[@theshoesnob_official]

@@ViatoremDiEfa my pleasure and yes it is

[@mtbokor1969]

Im am the person who will ask for clarity when I see a brand use the term "handmade" for a $300 shoes. And I am amazed that when I ask, I never get an answer.

[@theshoesnob_official]

Naturally. They have no answer

[@mtbokor1969]

@@theshoesnob_official And the thing they fail to understand is that for every sale they thing they gain by misleading consumers, they lose more because people like mw won't touch their products because of their lack of ethics

[@theshoesnob_official]

@@mtbokor1969 yup exactly. Although some people love to blissfully ignorant

[@kaikaichen]

I do wonder if another reason for the misuse of the word "handmade" is the fact that there just isn't really a good alternative term that clearly evokes the difference between quality factory-made GYW or Blake-stitched shoes and cheap, low-quality cemented ones... at least to the layperson who doesn't know much about shoes. The best alternative term I can come up with is "skillfully made".

[@theshoesnob_official]

Benchgrade was a term. Simply using the construction method should suffice. But thats where education needs improving.

[@niniengineering]

I think the main problem in people’s understanding is: they actually think, if the machine is operated by a hand, then it’s handmade.

[@theshoesnob_official]

yea, you are probably right, which simply makes no sense in my mind. I doubt even Nike has 100% automated production line where no hands touch any machines.

[@niniengineering]

There is no 100% automated. It’s actually not possible. I work in a huge tractor Cooperation and there is no fully automated part in the whole factory.

[@theshoesnob_official]

@@niniengineering yea, I imagined so, which by their logic makes everything handmade. That's the issue

[@niniengineering]

BTW, I’m typing on a handmade iPhone 😂

[@theshoesnob_official]

@@niniengineering hahahha I actually laughed out loud. Good one!

[@WeltedWare]

what podcasts do you refer to, when you discuss the problems of misinformation? I should make sure to avoid those.

[@theshoesnob_official]

Huh? I dont listen to other shoe podcasts and pretty sure I did not reference that idea here. The podcasts I referenced listening to were with regards to having a preset topic to solely discuss or just freestyling the podcast with things that float off my mind. I.e. that I often don't do pocasts as I never have a topic on my mind to discuss for 20-30 mins but am sure that if I just started talking without a preset topic I might have more to say.

[@WeltedWare]

You mention it at :36 seconds into this video . From 36-60 sec in your video in fact

[@WeltedWare]

Maybe I interpreted wrong though. Based on listening again. I was attributing to shoes, but you did not mention shoes at all, now that I listen again. So so sorry for the confusion.

[@theshoesnob_official]

@@WeltedWare all good

[@urbandaniel100]

If the product is truly handmade then the description in the item would include, handlasted , hand clicked , etc etc. the American made stuff like Allen Edmonds is FINE. They are not entirely made by hand. They are mostly done by machine which is correct. In the end you will step on shit.

[@theshoesnob_official]

Yup

[@yechielhyman4888]

What's the difference between handmade and hand-welted? Where within the spectrum do you think BLKBRD shoes from India fall?

[@theshoesnob_official]

handmade means that all but the upper being sewn by machine was essentially done by hand. There are a lot of steps in shoemaking. Handwelted just means that the welt was sewn by hand. Still 100's of other process that are machine assisted in a handwelted shoe. I don't follow your last question? Are you asking if BLKBRD shoes are handmade? They do handmade processes but am quite sure they still use many processes that are machine facilitated, such as the sole stitch and therefore, in my eyes, make them simply handwelted and not handmade.

[@Taugtaug]

I disagree, not 95%, 99,5 % of shoes are not handmade. ;-)

[@theshoesnob_official]

Yea you are right ;-)

[@uchedkoloss]

All my shoes are handmade

[@theshoesnob_official]

@@uchedkoloss you must be blessed

[@uchedkoloss]

@@theshoesnob_officialsays sewn by hand. I hope that means handmade.

[@theshoesnob_official]

@@uchedkoloss that is handwelted usually unless you mean the sole stitch is also sewn by hand