BESPOKE SHOES

In shoe artistry for our Men's Dress collection we offer 3 methods of handmade shoe construction: Blake Stitch, Goodyear welting and Goodyear flex. Each of them has its advantages, and defines how the sole is attached to the upper. Goodyear welting is the oldest, most labor intensive, and most durable of these 3 methods of construction. When we are talking about high-end and superior footwear, the Goodyear Welt is often contrasted with the Blake stitch. If we have the Blake stitch, the upper is sewn directly to the sole, and it generally creates a more flexible type of shoe. On the other side, Original Goodyear Welting process has been associated with excellence and superior workmanship.

 

Genaio™ Goodyear welted double monk shoe. Captoe finished with woolen fabric with Pied de poule pattern

Bespoke service

We offer a bespoke service and fully scan your feet to create the perfect fit. In styling you can have a diversity in models and a wide range in styling options.

The models we offer to make are:

In classic:
Oxford, Derby's, Double monk, Saddle, Loafers and Full broque

In boots:
Chelsea, Yodhpur, Octavian, Military, Chukka, 

In casual chique:
Slip ons, Driving shoes and Belgian slippers or even Golfshoes, 

In sports:
Golfshoes

These styles will add a touch of elegance to your ensemble.

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The handcrafted tradition

The first part of the process is preparing the insole for stitching. This is done by creating a perpendicular “rib” that runs across the insole. The second step is to last the shoe. This is done by stretching the outsole over the last and attaching it, along with the insole, to the last. Part three is the actual welting. At this point shoe-specific thread is sewn through the welt, the upper, and the insole rib. Through a separate stitch, the welt is attached to the outsole.

A vast repository of materials: Box Calf, Polished Calf, Patent Leather, Baby Calf Suedes, sartorial and velvet, linen, Hand Painted Leathers, Hand Made Patina Crust. In superior luxury we offer exotic leathers like Croco, Python and Ostrich. We have partnered with the best leather suppliers in the world to provide the best raw materials. For our bespoke collection we offer haute couture fabrics, hand embroidered in India. These shoes are finished with 24 carat gold plated and personalised with your name or initials.

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Genaio™ Goodyear welted double monk shoe. Captoe, patina done by hand with a burnished finishing in production.
Genaio™ Goodyear stitched Oxford shoe. Captoe, patina done by hand with a burnished finishing.

Goodyear

For more than 300 years, the Goodyear Welting process has been associated with excellence and superior workmanship. 

In 1872 Charles Goodyear invented a machine capable of stitching the welt to the insole, thus revolutionizing the quality of footwear worldwide. Due to its longstanding heritage, little needed maintenance, waterproof durability and clean aesthetic, Goodyear method is highly valued in the high-end shoe market.

To create our luxury footwear more than 60 craftsmen are involved in the process of manufacturing one of the Genaio Goodyear shoes, and they use between 25 and 50 different elements and pieces. All this involves a process with more than 120 handcrafted phases, from beginning to end.

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The Blake stitching

This technique was named after its inventor, Lyman Reed Blake, and is dated 1858. Thanks to the famous Blake machine, the upper is mounted on an insole and fixed with glue.

In the Blake construction: the sole, the insole and the upper are sewn together. The main specificity of this shoe construction is that the lining is wrapped around the insole and attached between it and the outsole. A single stitch attaches everything together that is visible inside the shoe.

Genaio™ blake stitched Derby shoe. Captoe, patina done by hand with a burnished finishing.
Genaio™ handfinishing art patina done by hand with burnishing

DID YOU KNOW

The Art of Handmade Patina

Patina is an art crafted and designed for shoes by Olga Berluti in the 80’s. She thought nothing was more beautiful than a shoe burnished by time itself, a shoe whose color was partly worn away. “Only those possess a soul,” she said.

Our patina technique starts with a very specific type of crust leather. Colors are given by hand, applying natural pigments, and using different types of handmade techniques, to create different textures.