Gaziano & Girling has recently launched a new Summer Range of ‘fresco’ shoes. As the name would entail, these shoes are meant to be something more ‘lightweight and flexible’ compared to the standard welted range that you typically get from British shoemakers. It is like a touch of Italian soft shoulder on the standard structured English cut. And what they came up with is the Capri: A classic penny loafer with an elongated toe on a non-welted construction and in 3 colorways. There is a little something for everyone, although a nice blue suede would have completed the capsule collection nicely!
What I like about these is that the sole appears to be the traditional thickness that you would otherwise find on a welted shoes, just minus the welt. I like this as I really can’t stand shoes that have razor-thin soles that is like nothing. I like the robust look of a proper sole on a sleekly shaped last, giving you the best of both worlds. At only £565 (with vat £678) per pair, this is quite a low cost for a G&G shoe, so for those of you looking for new weekends shoes or for your trips to the South of France, here is another good option for you!
Curious to see now how far they will take the ‘Fresco’ line and if they will introduce oxfords in the mix!
Does that mean they are cemented or some other loafer construction method? If the former, I would be a little disappointed coming from a brand like GG.
i believe that they are but am not 100% positive as it does not use those words anywhere
I contacted GG sales for clarification, and I was informed they are indeed cemented. To be fair it looks like all the big boys are offering a more cost effective cemented option now for entry level customers, and GG is simply following suit. If it’s necessary for them to stay competitive and in business then so be it. As long as they keep their regular line quality high.
thanks for digging deeper. To be honest, the market has changed a lot in recent years and as a brand owner, I understand what they are doing but do not think that would entail quality dropping on full line stuff
It is remarkable that Paul S., a shoe aficionado, is unable to determine whether the shoes on the picture are cemented or not. He needs to make a call to GG to clarify this. Could he feel a difference between “cemented” and “welted” while wearing the shoes? I doubt. Nevertheless, he grades these nice fresco shoes as inferior, as “entry level”. That is funny and quite indicative. No, guys! High quality cemented shoes is not a degradation of the world of men shoes. The real degradation is an increasing production and usage of sportive shoes as dress shoes: some make them from really good leather and—unbeleivable!—even welt them. What’s a shame. Understand me correctly, please. I have 5 pairs of perfomance sport shoes and love them. But I never walk in them—I run in them.
Great! GG breaks the myth that only welted shoes look elegant! These cemented loafers are marvelous! It is time to think why Goodyear Welt construction dominates on the market of high quality shoes. Why not cemented shoes? By another myth, GW soles are attached stronger and only GW shoses can be resoled. That is ridiculos. The modern inductrial chemistry produces so strong glues that the cemented soles are attached as firm and reliable as the GW ones. Moreover, the GW soles are also glued! The GW soles are kept firmly mostly (90%) due to the glue and not due to the sole stitching (about 10% only). While attaching toe tabs on GW soles with open channel stitching the coblers cut off an inch of sole stitching mercilessly but this procedure does not ruin the shoes—the soles are still kept firmly due to the glue!
Every good cobler can resole cemented shoes. Moreover, it is easier than resoling GW shoes: just heat the soles and take them off , while in GW shoes you shoud, in addtition, to get rid of the stitching first. Thus the cemented shoes have to dominate in the production of quality shoes over the outdated GW construction. It reduces the final price. GG proved that! Not Meermin—for those who understand.
Are these Blake stitched? If it’s not possible to resole then I think Crockett and jones handgrade loafers represent better value for money in the long run.
pretty sure they are cemented
Nice looking ones indeed… yet “summer” has different renditions depending on where one might use them… From my Spanish point of view (well, from the British one as well this year…) these look like beautiful spring shoes! Anyhow, they are elegant!
haahah, yes, I understand what you mean. I am in the Dominican Republic right now and it would be too hot now to wear these here!
Dominican Republic? Not bad, no… Cigars, rum…
not bad at all, particularly because I come for the love of my life, not the cigars nor rum nor beaches 😉
Great! GG breaks the myth that only welted shoes look elegant! These cemented loafers are marvelous! It is time to think why Goodyear Welt construction dominates on the market of high quality shoes. Why not the cemented shoes? By another myth, GW soles are attached stronger and only GW shoses can be resoled. That is ridiculos. The modern industrial chemistry produces so strong glues that the cemented soles are attached as firm and reliable as the GW ones. Moreover, the GW soles are also glued! The GW soles are kept firmly mostly (90%) due to the glue and not due to the sole stitching (about 10% only). While attaching toe tabs on GW soles with open channel stitching the cobblers cut off an inch of sole stitching mercilessly but this procedure does not ruin the shoes—the soles are still kept firmly due to the glue!
Every good cobbler can resole cemented shoes. Moreover, it is easier than resoling GW shoes: just heat the soles and take them off , while in GW shoes you shoud, in addtition, to get rid of the stitching first. Thus the cemented shoes have to dominate in the production of quality shoes over the outdated GW construction. It reduces the final price. GG proved that! Not Meermin—for those who understand.
thanks for sharing Alexandre
When you say that a shoe is “non-welted”, what exactly do you mean? Aren’t both Blake stitched and glued shoes “non-welted?” With these shoes, how are the soles and the upper attached? I can’t imagine they are glued for these prices.
yes both of those are non-welted. This was the phrase they used. Probably to not use the words cemented which most likely they are.