The modern, Western-style shoe has remained broadly
the same for centuries now, with traditional methods of craftsmanship
sadly being superseded by the impersonal cheapness of machining.
It is heartening to discover, then, that the fine art of shoemaking
remains alive – if not exactly well – today, with the
persistence of a few classic British ateliers such as GJ Cleverley
of Old Bond Street, and John Lobb of St James' in London, two of
a dying breed of bespoke shoemakers with a superlative eye for detail.
To understand the amount
of loving care these sartorial masters put into making a tailored
pair of shoes, it is somewhat necessary to introduce in detail
the startling – and hitherto arcane – array of parts
that make up a humble pair of shoes.
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