Two weeks ago, we had the pleasure of visiting Gaziano & Girling’s brand new factory, located in Kettering, Northamptonshire, positioned in an area that is at the heart of historical British shoemaking.
It was a fascinating visit which we intend to expound upon in the coming weeks. Notably, we had the chance to admire and try on a few shoe models from the renowned DECO line, launched in 2011 by G & G — a line that we’ve already mentioned a few times on Parisian Gentleman.
The DECO range is a highly stylized collection of shoes that has been inspired by lasts hailing from the 1920’s and the Art Deco movement.
To our knowledge, such a collection has no equivalent on the market outside of a few select bespoke ranges. Most interestingly, the DECO models are able to pass for quality bespoke shoes, despite being “only” made-to-order. These models feature impressively sharp pinched insteps, bevelled waists that are, of course, done by hand as well as stunning and precise stitch work.
To be honest, I had a few concerns about the pinched lasts, and frankly, I wondered how “regular feet” such as mine could possibly fit into such highly curved insteps?
All concerns were quickly diminished after slipping my feet into a pair or two from the DECO line.
Of course, shoemaker extraordinaire Tony Gaziano and Dean Girling know a thing or two about proper fit after earning their stripes at George Cleverley, and their savoir faire proved more than proficient to alleviate any concerns about how the shoe conforms to the feet. The pair of Oxford DECOs that I tried proved surprisingly comfortable with practically no break-in time, despite their not being bespoke.
While the DECO range is not for everyone, such a stylized collection speaks mainly to those with a preference for a shoe with a highly distinct personality.
But as far as I’m concerned, the Holden model (featured in the opening picture of this article) with the highly classical cap-toe in an Oxford design has already secured a place at the top of my personal favorite list of ultra classic models, sharing the throne with Corthay’s “Vendome” and Aubercy’s “James”.
A fantastic collection indeed, only available in MTO, from a house that now possesses everything it needs to establish itself as one of tomorrow’s giants in the field of high end men’s shoes.
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Official website : http://www.gazianogirling.com
Special orders : enquiries@gazianogirling.com
