I have always been a huge fan of Bontoni shoes. Ther blend between Italian shaped lasts and finishing with a robust English look of pattern and sole thickness, they have always sat just about right in my head of one of the best blendings of the two nations’ shoe culture. The only problem with them is that they are not so prevalent in the European market which I always found strange and a shame at the same time. While I am sure that there is more than just one shop, one of the few outlets that I know that sells them is Gabucci in Stockholm. But in London forget about it. They don’t exist. However in the States, they are everywhere and for good reason.
One of their most impressive stock holdings (if not the most impressive), is none other than the famous shop in NYC: Bergdorf Goodman. Now being based in NYC, I finally had the time and opportunity to go take photos of this impressive collection of Bontoni shoes and was very impressed by much of what I saw, in particularly their flawless hand-stitching on the upper’s seams, which just might be second to none on a factory made shoe. That’s not to mention their reverse hand stitch on the upper as well which is very good and hard to do as well. And their penny loafer just be up there for one of my all time favorites for the last/pattern combo is to die for. Yet why don’t they ever get talked about on the forums and iGent society? For me they are better (even though Blake Rapid) than many of the famous EU welted brands. On many levels too.
So, for those that have yet to see a real and full on collection of what Bontoni can do, feast your eyes on this greatness!
I thought some Bontoni are goodyear welted as well