Today's Shoes

Gravati double monkstraps with a twin-needle stitched apron and toe seam in medium brown lightly-grained soft calfskin (16617, 671 last). These shoes are special orders, and in ordering them, I was specifically looking for a split-toe double monkstrap as a counterpoint to my Edward Green Fulhams. It was a bit of a challenge for me to find the model, but with the help of Jim Pierce, owner of the shoe concession at Harold's in the Heights, and Barbara, the US rep for Gravati whose last name I can't remember, we tracked it down. That was probably 15 months ago. Fast forward to today. Barbara is in town today and tomorrow for a trunk show and to work out Jim's spring order with him. She didn't remember my shoes. Jim did, but barely. Jim was looking for a fresh monkstrap model. He liked the look of my shoes, so he had me take one off so that he could get the model number. He's considering doing it in Radica 03 on 697 last with machine stitching on the apron and toe instead of twin-needle stitching, for a cleaner look. If he does, I'll buy a pair. It'll be a good-looking shoe.

Oh, and I ordered a pair of five-eyelet blucher boots, unlined, in snuff waterproof suede with a microcellular rubber sole on 697 last. Sort of like desert boots, only better.