Bespoke, Benchmade & Coconut Skins!

It has been widely accepted that humans did not always walk upright, as we do today. Somewhere along the way some guy got tired of crawling around and just figured, "to hell with it, I'm standing on my own two feet". Then, before you know it, whole clans are proudly walking tall. Then some guy, maybe that same guy who got tired of crawling, decided to tie some coconut skins to the soles of his feet and the first pair of shoes came into being.

Fast forward thousands of years and those coconut skins have given way to some pretty awesome footwear. Yet, despite the fact that there is such awe inspiring footwear to choose from, some men still seem to be ok with slipping on inferior quality shoes. Well, we at Luxury Labels frown upon such bad behavior, and consider those poor quality shoes to be the coconut skins of our time. Yes, they may get the job done, but we believe that the job should not only get done, but get done in style. In this article we will show you how you can do just that.

Ironically, the first thing we need to explain is something called the Last. A last is a three dimensional template which is based on the contours of the foot, then all components of the shoe are molded around it. Benchmade shoes are usually made using plastic lasts, which are then reused. Bespoke shoes are made with a last which has been crafted from the specific measurements of the clients own feet. These lasts will have the client's name written on them and will be reused whenever the client needs another pair of shoes.

Shoes are placed in a sort of hierarchy when it comes to quality ,so let's explore each category. At the top of the list there is the undisputed king, the Bespoke Shoe.

The Bespoke Shoe

These shoes will be made to fit you like a second skin. They are made entirely by hand with no use of machinery and a high quality wooden last that is unique to client. These shoes are extremely expensive, most times costing thousands of dollars, and can take months to complete. The result is a pair of shoes that are made from ultra high quality materials providing unmatched comfort and looks. Bespoke shoes are the best money can buy.

The Benchmade Shoe

A step down from bespoke is the benchmade. These shoes are made with a high quality last that is not custom measured to the clients feet. The lasts used for one pair of benchmade shoes will be reused for another. Some artisans will offer minor customizations to a last for their clients, but this is not typical. These shoes are crafted by a small team of artisans working together, focusing on one pair of shoes at a time. The shoes are mostly produced by hand with some of the work being completed with manual machines, never automated.The term 'benchmade" comes from the fact that the shoes are made by artisans sitting on a bench..(obviously).  The result is an extremely high quality and handsome pair of shoes. The price of benchmade shoes are considerably less than that of bespoke.

For the gentleman wishing to transition into the world of high quality footwear, the benchmade option is always the way to go. Luxury Labels Inc. offers both the bespoke and benchmade shoe to our customers at the best possible price. High quality footwear is something every refined man should own.

The Massed Produced Shoe

Two words...coconut skins!!