Mario Bemer’s chukka boots are among my favorites in the industry. Mario has found a way to not only differentiate the design with a very unique heel counter but also offer them in unique color/material choices that others do not. My real favorite, though, is that the facing line that extends to the vamp is among the best lines on a chukka boot that I have seen. That might seem irrelevant to many, but in reality, that line is what makes the entire chukka boot. Let’s talk about it.
Historically speaking, the chukka boot has three pattern pieces: The vamp, and the two quarters/counters. And that is it. Sometimes you will find that a shoemaker will actually make a chukka boot with two pieces, having the quarters/counters all one large piece with a reverse stitch in the heel. The only thing that really separates these is the facing design on the quarter pieces that extends from the top line, down the vamp, and to the welt. So, when judging chukka boots, it is nearly only this line you have to go off. But that line does a lot more than you think.
That line is the base foundation of the design. Its placement directly affects how the pattern wears on the last. If cut incorrectly, it can cause tightness across your instep, it can bow outward, and it can give the appearance of too much vamp extension. Getting that line perfect is also harder than you think. That is what makes Mario Bemer’s chukka boots so impressive. As he perfected that line. And while that might seem trivial, it is what separates a great pair of chukka boots from average ones.
For those who are not design nerds like me, you will appreciate that Mario offers his footwear in leathers that very few other shoemakers do. Always with a matching belt and for those of you who like it bold, even a contrast stitch. Mario Bemer specializes in color, uniqueness, and getting his clients exactly what they envision. You can see it in the highlighted image with the brownish sharkskin with contrast blue stitching and the matching belt. But he can also make a very simple, elegant, and classic chukka boot. Just like the suede beauties.
Either way you go, if you are a chukka man, you cannot go wrong with Mario Bemer’s version. As hard as it is to differentiate a pair of chukka boots, Mario hits the nail on the head!
Find out more here: https://www.mariobemerusa.com/
—Justin FitzPatrick, The Shoe Snob
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***Mario Bemer USA is a supporter of The Shoe Snob Blog and you can consider this a sponsored post***
