Christophe Corthay, one of France’s acclaimed bespoke shoemakers, joins us in this episode of Shoesperk Podcast for a conversation about shoes and art. Listen as he discusses why he left Maison Corthay, why he finds most bespoke shoemakers produce dull products, and his goal with Tranchet Vif: creating shoes people …
Samuel Owen 
Shoesperk Podcast – Ep. 7, Kostas Mandilaris, The Noble Shoe, about selling shoes digitally
Today’s world is increasingly digital, and more marketing and sales activity happens online exclusively. An example of an entrepreneur successfully exploiting various digital possibilities for marketing and sales purposes is Kostas Mandilaris of The Noble Shoe, we spoke to him about the advantages and disadvantages associated with selling relatively expensive …
Shoesperk Podcast – Ep. 6, André Simha, about collecting shoes
In this episode we meet Andre Simha, an avid shoe collector with over 300 pairs from across the globe. We discuss what drives him to purchase new pairs, storage and care considerations as well as his experience with various shoemaking countries and brands, plus much more. Andre Simha hails from …
Shoesperk Podcast – Ep.5, Maslow So, Mori, about merging bespoke and factory made
Bespoke shoe lasts, construction and finishing differ significantly from that found in factory-made footwear. But how can parts from bespoke shoemaking become accessible to more people via cheaper factory-made RTW shoes? Episode 5 of the Shoesperk Podcast explores this question with Maslow So from Mori of Shoemakers. Maslow So hails …
Shoesperk Podcast – Ep. 4, Seiji McCarthy, about revamping a shoe brand
American-Japanese shoemaker Seiji McCarthy recently updated his brand to combine classic American style with precise Japanese craftsmanship. We discuss his journey towards merging both styles; from finding himself as a shoemaker, loving traditional US styles with relaxed elegance, finding his identity as a shoemaker, the revamping process and more. This …
Shoesperk Podcast – Ep. 3, Steven Taffel, Leffot, about the classic shoe scene in the US
USA is one of the primary markets for classic quality shoes, and no one has observed it as closely in recent decades than Steven Taffel of Leffot in New York. Here he shares his knowledge on this important subject on this episode of Shoesperk Podcast. Leffot was established 16 years …
Shoesperk Podcast – Ep. 2, Ben Robinson, Stitchdown, about the workwear boot scene
At present, one of the hottest segments in quality shoe production is workwear boot culture. Traditional players remain as successful as ever while new brands and workshops enter this realm every year. No one knows more about this aspect of quality footwear production than Ben Robinson from Stitchdown; who was …
Shoesperk Podcast – Ep. 1, Jim McCormack, about life as a freelance bespoke shoemaker
Jim McCormack has spent five decades as an outworker for various shoe companies across England. Listen to him discuss life as an outworker and the system it works within; also learn more about the evolution of bespoke shoe culture since 1950, among many other topics. Jim McCormack has become one …