Saint Crispin
Bespoke
Brown Cap-Toe Oxford
Euro 480

Saint Crispin’s, in Brasov, Romania, began making hand made, bespoke shoes in 1985. It remains one the smallest shoe manufacture in the world, producing only 1500 pairs per year. What distinguishes this shoemaker is that all its shoes, ready made or bespoke, are hand lasted, hand welted and hand sewn.  Moreover, unlike most manufacturers who receive leather from the tanners already dyed, Saint Crispin start with natural-coloured crust leathers, and dyes them individually, and only after the leather has been cut into the shoe’s component parts. These individually stained leathers achieve a lovely patina far more quickly than tannery vat-dyed leathers.

In spite of their proximity to the Vienna-Budapest-Munich Axis of shoemakers, Saint Crispin’s styles tend more toward the English tradition, even as their lasts vary between a standard shape comparable to Edward Green’s traditional 202 last (as in this case) and a dramatic narrow-wasted spade sole, very much their own. Since most of their shoes are either full-bespoke or semi-bespoke, single client orders, lasts vary according to the client’s wishes, and the amount of hand work in each shoe produces not only a more supportive, closer fit but a more flattering stream-lined waist too.

Saint Crispin takes its name from Saints Crispin and Crispinian, twins, the Christian patron saints of cobblers, curriers, tanners, and leather workers.  Those unfortunates were beheaded in the 3rd century during the reign of Diocletian, The date of their execution is thought to be 25 October 285 and is remembered for the Battle of Agincourt fought on that day in 1415 and made famous by the St. Crispin’s Day Speech in Shakespeare’s Henry V.

Saint Crispin’s prices off the shelf begin around Euro 1400. Special orders and full bespoke, as is this shoe, rather more.

Size Details:

Shoe Condition:

All original and very modestly worn. Sold without trees.
COLOR: this is a very fine grain "scotch" calf in dark brown with contrasting stiiching.