To get acquainted with the London Super Trunk Show 2018, PLEASE READ HERE
Ahead of the upcoming free-trade-agreement with the EU, four Japanese brands are able to be introduced to the European market (with Brexit it’s still uncertain what will happen in England with this, but we shall see). Jsep, or Japan Shoes Export Platform, are introducing Matsumoto, Miyagi Kogyo, Kanpekina and Kiten. We are very excited to have them be a part of the super trunk show, for the first time showcasing a wide range of factory-made Japanese shoes to a wider audience in Europe. Make sure to really take the chance and study these up-close, if you visit the event, and see how well made Japenese production shoes can be.
Matsumoto
Here’s a summary of all four brands. Matsumoto makes very well-made shoes with elegantly narrow waists and ever so slightly tapered heels. But most important are their really well-balanced lasts. Leather quality is also good. Matsumoto only uses European leathers from Annonay and Weinheimer. Price is around £530/€600.
Miyagi Kogyo
The shoes of Miyagi Kogyo are often compared to Edward Green with similar traditional last shapes and with a similar sole treatment. They also have a nice burnished toe, and the attention to detail in the making is excellent for the price. Kogyo’s shoes cost somewhere around £410/€470.
Kanpekina aka Perfetto
Kanpekina mix quite extravagant shoes with more classic models, yet are still modernized and elegant. Kanpekina are Goodyear welted in general, but do have plans to introduce a brand new hand welted top range that looks more like bespoke than RTW. The price for their regular Goodyear welted range is around £440/€500.
Kiten
The last brand is a bit different to the rest. They tend to focus on making more casual shoes. They are made with a Bologna construction, a sort of moccasin type construction, which makes really flexible and comfortable shoes. And since they have full rubber outsoles cemented on, it doesn’t leak any water. A good compromise between comfort and durability. Price around £260/€300.
