The Shoe Snob

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Today I’ll write about men’s shoes and, in particular, about Patrick aka The Shoe Snob. You may wonder why I’ve decided to talk about men’s shoes since this is primarily a woman’s fashion blog.  Well, the reason is because last September while in London for Fashion Week, my husband and I went shopping in a few classic men’s stores like John Lobb, Edward Green, and Drakes.  I was positively impressed by the customer service of these world renown stores.  First of all, the shop assistants were professionally prepared with all of the details about the products we were interested in. Furthermore, the shop assistants did not rush to sale but instead courteously wanted to satisfy the various potential clients by giving them all the time they needed to try on shoes or clothes and then to decide whether to buy that product or not.  Why did this impress me? In some expensive, luxury female stores, I have never seen such attention to the customer and quality customer service.  Anyway, during this trip, I met The Shoe Snob in person since my husband is a fan, and when he shared with me that he was about to launch his first shoe collection and when I saw how passionate he was about shoes, I decided to invite him to be presented on my blog.

Thank you Patrick for your time and kindness.

Laurelhurst: Last TMG, wholecut loafer with medallion, leather soles.

Black Box Calf:The-shoe-snob-loafers

– How did you become the shoe snob? and who is the shoe snob?

When I was starting my blog, I was talking to my father about what I should name the blog. I wanted to call it The Shoe Aficionado. He said, “dude, that is so boring, who wants to listen to The Shoe Aficionado? No one! You have to be The Shoe Snob!” And so I became The Shoe Snob, based on my father’s sage advice….he told me that I had to be bold, because the people that hated me would read my blog more than the people that loved me…… The Shoe Snob is anyone who takes pride in their shoes and aspires to wear shoes that not only look good but make them feel good too. I completely embody that personality, but there are many shoe snobs out there….only that I am THE (ultimate) SHOE SNOB!

Marcos: Last MCF, Penny loafer with long strap, leather soles.

Charcoal suede, black box calf strap:

The-shoe-snob-Marcos

– Why are both men and women crazy about shoes?

I have always believed that shoes tell a lot about a person, not only the styles that they wear but how they maintain their shoes. People are attracted to shoes because it’s one of the ends of the person’s bodies….when you are looking at someone you either look at their face, or are too embarrassed and look at their feet. This has become such a norm that the feet are now something that we are subconsciously drawn to. That being, people all day, every day are being judged by their footwear. People know this and also know that shoes are very much a status piece and symbol by which appearance and elegance are judged by. That being, as we are naturally egotistical beings, who want to be liked, we aspire to wear things that make us liked. Shoes being at the top of that list!

– When we met, you told me that there is a difference between fashion and classic shoes, would you explain this concept more in depth?

Classic shoes are shoes that stand the test of time. Shoes that will were elegant 50 years ago, today and will be 50 years from now. They are the ones that always look good and are on the feet of all of the well-dressed men of history. They have simple yet elegant shapes and designs. Fashion shoes are shoes that are meant to be of the ‘now.’ Fashion is all about the current trend and shoes of the fashion industry are just throwaways for that particular trend. Something that is popular for a season and then the next season it is yesterday’s news, only to be looked down upon by the trendsetters who have moved on to the next big thing. Fashion is temporary, classic style is forever….Therefore classic shoes will always be of the ‘now’ and fashion shoes will only be of the period of which their ‘now’ exists…..

Ballard: Last TMG, Scotch Grain Chukka Boot, Rubber Soles, Detachable Fringes

Tan Scotch Grain:

The-shoe-snob-Ballard

– You are about to launch your own shoe collection for men, tell us something more about it.

For a long time I have wanted to make an impact on the world. It was important to me that men around the globe dressed well and took pride in their appearance. I decided that in order to make the impact that I wanted, in seeing men wearing better shoes and thus ultimately looking better in their appearance that I needed not only to start my blog to educate but to create a shoe line that could provide just the right type of shoes to fulfil those requirements. Therefore, I created a conglomerate of my favourite styles (French, Italian & English) in shoes to realize one brand that offered something that none of them alone did. Classic with a twist as I see it, my shoe line embodies well-made classic shoes that offer a bit of uniqueness in colour and design. The collection will consist of 14 different styles with a total of 29 offerings. It will launch the first week of March from Gieves & Hawkes in No.1 Savile Row, London.

The-shoe-snob-collection

– Give us some tips on how to take care of our shoes

Brush them down every night for one minute, just to get the dirt off. Condition them regularly (once every other week). Polish them weekly, 10 minutes at least per session. Use a rag on your first two fingers to apply the polish. Press thoroughly to get the polish into the pores. A spit n’ shine is the best way. Use shoes trees when you are not wearing them and don’t step in puddles. If you do this, your shoes will last a long time….Of course one can do more, but that is another story….these are the basics to ensuring a healthy shoe.

Corliss: Last TMG, balmoral double monk strap, leather soles

Navy Calf (crust), Navy suede:

The-shoe-snob-monk-strap-

– Will you create a shoe collection for women too?

Unfortunately I will never create ‘women’s shoes’ but in the future I just might create my styles in women’s sizes…..but that won’t be for some time, as I first have to ensure the success of my men’s line…

 

The-shoes-snob-accessories

 

For more info visit www.theshoesnobblog.com

 

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