These Castez Ermili Bespoke Boots are a pure work of art. And it comes as no surprise when you consider that two artists got together to make these boots. Those artists are Martin Castez, owner of Castez Ermili, and Rudy Hurtado of Bespoken Branding. So let’s tell the story
Rudy Hurtado is an amazing graphic designer who actually rebranded all of my logos, from my blog, my shoe brand, my super trunk shows, and even my new Marketplace site. On top of that, he is a huge shoe enthusiast, which is how we really know each other. He is also a friend. While Rudy is based in Canada, he originates from Mexico. Most of you won’t know this but I am also half Mexican, my mother being from Mexico City. So when I tell you that most Latinos take great pride in their heritage, you will know that it is coming from experience. And while technically Martin Castez is from Argentina, he is by proxy, Mexican 😉 So, Rudy wanted to join forces and see what two great minds of shared Mexican history could put together.
Rudy gave Martin quite a challenge. While these straight lines might look simple, the asymmetry of them, in reality, made it quite challenging. That is not even to mention the eyelets and how precise Martin had to be with those. It is also worth mentioning that Martin’s finishing is greatly improving. That is not to say that it was not good before. But it is to say that his refinement is top-notch and in all honesty, makes you think that these could have been made out of Europe. Frankly, I love that. I love the idea that amazing bespoke shoemakers can now be found in any country around the world. The art of bespoke shoemaking does not have to rest in one area of the world. It should be everywhere!
Rudy is a boot lover much like I am and pretty sure also like Martin is. So it comes as no surprise why he chose them and why I liked them. I am sure that while challenging, Martin also enjoyed making them. What I love about boots is that for a designer, the amount of space the boot offers, allows you to be more unique in your design. Even though a lot of it might be hidden by your trousers, the fact that it is there is what is important for a designer. I am sure Rudy knows what I talking about.
These Castez Ermili bespoke boots will certainly go down as one of the greatest the industry has seen. I only hope that one day Martin decides to one day enter the annual World Championship of Bespoke Shoemaking.
Learn more: https://www.castezermili.com/
—Justin FitzPatrick, The Shoe Snob
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