Peter Feeney custom shoes, part 4: completion
[This is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a pair of custom shoes. Click here to read part 1: measuring, part 2: designing and part 3: cutting and stitching. And full disclosure: despite my feeble protestations, Peter would not let me pay anything for these shoes. However, at no point did we agree on a “promotion for shoes” deal. He really wanted to make me a pair of shoes, and I really wanted to tell the story of how they were made. And while I am very thankful he gave me this opportunity, I have tried to be honest and transparent about the process.]
I will admit some trepidation when it finally came time to pick up my Peter Feeney custom shoes. Not because I didn’t trust Peter and his cordwainers, but because of the many months of waiting and anticipating. Would they live up to my expectations? Or even exceed them? These are the kinds of worries you have when you order custom clothes. Although calling them “worries” is perhaps a bit too melodramatic.
I also had a big concern about fit. I recently discovered that my long-held belief that I’m a 10.5EEE is not quite correct. My feet are actually 10 long, but the pivot point is at 10.5. I have normal width feet, but my right foot splays out quite a bit when I walk. It all adds up to this: off-the-rack shoes are either much too wide or painful in the toes. The reason seams to be not the width, but the pivot point. Peter’s shoes are of course made to my exact specifications, and just in case, I asked him to add just a bit of space at my right toe, which usually punches through the lining of my shoes. Still, would it all come together?
When I first saw the shoes, I was quite honestly taken aback. The shape is gorgeous, curvey and round without being boxy, sleek and slender without being pointy. And the finish. The stunning interplay between the patinated leather and the suede. All I could think of was whisky and cigars, which happen to be two of my favourite things. But looks will only take you so far. Fit is what this all comes down to.
The shoes went on tight but not uncomfortable. In fact, it felt like I had been dipped into liquid shoe which hardened around my feet. The support on my arches and heels is unlike anything I’ve ever felt. Strong and secure, almost lifting up my arches. But there was a familiar pinch on the toes of my right foot. Not painful, but pinching, like an over-zealous handshake. When I got the shoes home, I removed the thin leather insole in the right shoe. It meant the shoe was somewhat roomier all around, but the toes felt relaxed.
I’ve read that a full leather shoe can take 24 hours of wear to break in, so I kept track. At the 18 hour mark, the shoes were feeling good enough and soft enough that I put the liner back in and wore them for a few more hours. The shoes are now snug and comfortable, even at the right toe. But it’s a different kind of comfort than you might be used to, certainly if you’ve spent many years in sneakers. Instead of cushy roominess (which is not all that good for your feet), I am held tight. That said, at the 24 hour mark the shoes are starting to feel a bit roomy around the ankle, so I’ll keep an eye on how that develops.
For those interested in construction, the shoes are not good-year welted, instead the outsoles are glued on. If I want in the future, I can have the outsoles removed and new ones weltled on. For now, because I wear the fronts of my shoes so severely, I’m going to add metal toe caps and rubber covers to the soles. Which is a shame because the soles, when new, were lovely.
If I had paid full price, these shoes would have cost me $1500. I will not know for many years how these shoes stand up to the punishment of wear, but I can safely say at this point they are the most comfortable, stylish and fun shoes I have ever worn. When you combine the interactive nature of the design process with a last made specifically for your foot, in many ways, these shoes are a bargain. My only caveat is time. Peter is inundated with orders so expect a very long wait for your shoes.
4 Comments
Ray L.
January 1, 2018 at 7:25 am
Pedro Mendes
January 2, 2018 at 5:18 pm
Winston
September 27, 2020 at 2:30 pm
Pedro Mendes
September 27, 2020 at 6:19 pm
Dear Mr. Mendes, thank you for an in-depth series of articles about your custom shoe experience with Peter Feeney. I am curious whether you say, after two years, your custom shoes continue to provide the fit and quality you had hoped for?
Thank you for this question, Ray, because it causes me to reflect back on these shoes after some time. The fit is better because of how the shoes have broken in. The quality is fine but I have to admit I haven’t put them through as many rigours as my other shoes. And that’s a lesson learned: these shoes are a bit too dandy for regular wear. The fault is all mine, of course. I made the rookie mistake of thinking that because they were custom, the sky was the limit. I have learned, in the intervening years, to focus instead on classic design so that I wear the garment more often. If these were simple brown oxfords, they’d be on my feet every week. As it is, I wear them perhaps once every few months. Which is a shame considering how lovely they are.
Hello, thanks for keeping this piece up years later.
In the Toronto area who do you go to for finishing of your shoes (caps etc)?
I’ve been going to Nick’s Shoe Repair on Dupont for years and highly recommend them. They’ve done minor repairs, rubber sole covers, metal toe caps and even did a full goodyear welt replacement sole.