Chukka boots from Carmina Shoemaker; MTO via Skoaktiebolaget

My new Chukka boots from Carmina Shoemaker are made on the sleek Simpson last in a beautiful burnished museum calf; they are part of a group MTO by Swedish Skoaktiebolaget ordered 3½ months ago. The boots are Goodyear welted and of really good quality.

Carmina is made in the Spanish island Mallorca; and from reputation a great shoemaker. The Albaladejo family has been making shoes for almost 150 years and more companies are currently run by family members; José Albaladejo founded Camina in 1997.
The Simpson last is a slightly narrower last which suits my feet perfectly. The burnishing looks great, and the craftmanship in general is really good. The half rubbersole (called "Tomir") is perfect for the boots; suitable for Autumn/Winther and still fits the sleek design (Dainite soles would have looked too crude).
I ordered my boots with corresponding shoe trees from Skoaktiebolaget; a quite appealing design, made in North Hampton.
Carmina does a lot in group Made To Order and you really have the opportunity to get beautiful designs made. I am looking forward to if they soon will open for individual MTO, too.

The sleek, slightly elongated Simpson last

White Summer Shoes from Doucal´s

For a long time I thought that I had to be searching for vintage shoes from the 1930s to get a proper shoe that would fit into that quintessential British Summer style. But there are virtually no shoes out there in my size and in a condition that makes them wearable.
I have also been making numerous inquiries on the american Summer shoe: the white bucks. But I was not quite contempt with the look of the crude rubber soles.
The regular manufacturers of shoes that I naturally would turn to did not offer the white brogue I was searching for - Cheaney & sons, C&J, G&G, Edward Green; neither of them has this RTW.  

But there it was all of a sudden: a proper British looking shoe with a twist of Italian Summer.
The Doucal's.

The Doucal's White Brogues

The Doucal's is an Italian shoe manufacturer established in 1973 by Mario Giannini. 

Originally named "Duca" - the Italian word for Duke - but after the founder spent several months in the British shoemaking Mecca of Northampton being introduced to the principles of proper British shoe-making, he anglicised the name of his artisanal enterprise to "Doucal's". 

The shoe is a beautifully designed wingtip Derby brogue with a discrete, narrow-lined leather sole; soft (!) white grain upper leathers and highly detailed stiching.

I am highly satisfied with this shoe!

Tilføj billedtekst

The brouging looks grand - I like the bigger holes along the wingtips.

Leather sole attached to the uppers in a manner resembling the Goodyear welting. Partly reinforced by a rubber sole. 

Deauville 1913

I have started inspecting the Summer wardrobe; been dusting of the old linen storage bags and checking the attire for needs of mending or cleaning. 

I am especially looking forward to be wearing my vintage linen plus-fours with over-the-calf cotton socks and my new Doucal's white brogues!

Having a great time inspecting the Summer attire

Natural coloured OTC socks from Drakes of London  

Sky-blue Fil d'Ecosse OTC socks from Mazarin

I have gathered some more inspirational pictures for a Gentlemanly Summer at Pinterest.
Notice the linen plus-fours worn by Scott Fitzgerald :-)

Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald in September 1921

Herring Drake - the 1966 last

I have been looking for a an extra pair of darkish brown Oxford shoes for a while. And wanting to step up in quality I have been watching the beautiful shoes from Gaziano & Girling and Edward Green; the retail prices of some £750-£850 have been holding me back,though.
At the same time I have been admiring the sleek, spade-shaped 1966 last from Herring. The Drake is a result of a corporation between Herring and Alfred Sargent.
A good quality shoe, based on a sleek last and built with a quality English oak bark leather sole (from J.&J.F. Baker in Devonshire)  and the finest French and Italian leathers for the upper. Made on the premises of Alfred Sargent in Northampton.
...and I went for this; I want to explore the out-spoken advantages of the oak bark leather sole

Herring Drake - oxblood Oxford hole-punched captoe

The shoe has a lovely rolled waist - not the fiddle back waists of G&Gs and not the straight waist of Cheaneys; but something in between. 

The hand burnishing is not paid much attention to compared to the higher priced G&Gs, but I do not mind; as long as the basic craftmanship of oak bark leather soles sturdily attached to fine upper leathers; shaped on a last with a high in-step; a tight waist and narrow heels; I am happy. 

The oxblood coloured leathers I will take good care of over the years to come and under my use of Saphir médaille d'or waxes in a mix of Burgundy and dark Havanna-Brown hues the uppers will age beautifully, I am sure.
I am quite happy with the finishing of stichings, the colours and the hidden channeling of the good-year welted soles. All in all the shoes appear to be of a good quality.
And I really like the looks and the embracing feeling of the tight waist.

High in-step; spade-shaped; classic square toe

The 1966 last by Herring

Made in Northampton, England

Rolled waists on the oak bark leather soles