I Wanted to Make It Tighter by Another 1-2 Millimeters

When Mr. Nakata tried on the shoes at the John Lobb atelier,John Lobb Atelier Try-OnFrançois explains, "The fit was tight, but we ultimately resolved all issues."

Compared to the fitting of the trial shoes, these loafers are comfortable to wear, with no stress on the part where Mr. Nakata's left foot bone protruded, achieved by using soft and light calf leather.

"At the final fitting, he mentioned that the opening was slightly rubbing against his ankle, but that would resolve with socks or as the leather softened. Actually, I wanted to make it tighter by another 1-2 millimeters, but I prioritized comfort," he says.

Creating the Perfect Fit and Style

François also notes, "Mr. Nakata seemed to experience pain even during the trial fitting, so we adjusted by slightly widening the area that hit his bone. To compensate for the widened width, we slightly lengthened the nose to maintain balance. Since we build according to the measurements, there are no perfectly symmetrical bespoke shoes."

He continues, "The advantage of bespoke is the ability to create the perfect fit and style. While Mr. Nakata's loafers today might be 90% complete, I am confident that we can achieve 100% with the second and third pairs."

Why Loafers Are Difficult for a First Bespoke Pair

While he states, "I have made many bespoke shoes for John Lobb, and I am quite satisfied with the result of Mr. Nakata's loafers this time," he explains that loafers are very difficult to fit perfectly, which is why he does not recommend them as a first bespoke pair.

"The first pair of bespoke shoes is 'a shoe to discover the customer.' There is a customer who has had 18 pairs made by John Lobb's bespoke service, and we made adjustments in millimeter increments for the first four pairs. However, from the fifth pair onwards, we have made them without any changes," says François.

As Mr. Nakata says, "Shoes are worth investing in for a man," the appeal of John Lobb's bespoke shoes is profound, and the passion behind them is intense.

John Lobb "Bespoke"
Price: From ¥1,058,000
*Second pair and subsequent pairs using the same last: ¥955,800
Period: Approximately 4 months from measurement to try-on (fitting), with delivery approximately 4 months later.

John Lobb Japan
Tel. 03-6267-6010
http://www.johnlobb.com/jp