3. about Bottega Oscura...…
When one thinks about shoemaking, images of small, untidy
darkly lit workshops come to mind. One filled with interesting look-
ing tools handed down for generations, the sensuous smell of tanned
leather, and lovingly crafted, timeless masterpieces just waiting to
be delivered or finished. This is Bottega Oscura...…
These artworks are timelessly classic Budapest shoes, Moccasins
Derby's and Oxfords which play an essential role in men's fashion
yet are not subject to fleeting fashion trends. These shoes make a
confident personal style statement, because "style isn't determined
by fashion, but by personality..."
Bottega Oscura is a small traditional artisan workshop making
fine bespoke shoes which are entirely handmade, meaning, hand
lasted, handsewn, hand worked, hand finished.
Made by an Italian master artisan, using an ageless craft dating
back to the classical age, each pair are designed and signed person-
ally. No other shoemaking tradition can claim a longer history of
fine shoe craft, it is part of the Italian artistic heritage often de-
scribed as 'Ars Sutoria', Latin for 'the art of sewing'. Bottega Oscura
proudly keeps this tradition alive...
5. What is special about bespoke…
It takes up to ten weeks and about 300 detailed manual operations
to produce a pair of bespoke shoes, it's a craft that only a few master
craftsmen command. What makes them special is the welt construction
which allows resoling of the shoes, a unique characteristic of the be-
spoke shoe that extends the lifespan of the shoes almost indefinitely.
In real bespoke shoes, the stitching of the upper, welt and first
sole, is done entirely by hand. What is special about this, as opposed
to industrial techniques, is that the shoemaker makes his own linen
thread, which is thicker (has more strands) and is specially coated.
The custom thickness and special coating of the thread in fact
make it unusable in a sewing machine, it can only be used in hand
sewing. The thread's coating, a secret mixture of beeswax, tar and other
ingredients, allows for great strength and durability. Not only is it
an excellent water repellent for the seams but it preserves the thread
itself from rotting over time.
Bespoke shoes are exclusively handcrafted and signed by the mas-
ter craftsman himself. To the connoisseur, they are a wise investment
not only in terms of esthetics, unrivaled quality and comfort, but
also in plain economic terms...
7. True quality is evident
in the details...…
Only the finest leathers are
used to make bespoke shoes. Box
calf from Italy, aniline calf
from France, original scotch
grain leather from Scotland, and
the very best Cordovan leather
from world famous Horween in
Chicago.
The process...
The process of making be-
spoke shoes starts with a con-
sultation, done at the workshop
or at the client's own place, anywhere in the world. The client then
chooses lasts, design and leather for his shoes and measurements are
taken. The lasts are custom made and kept in the workshop with the cli-
ent's name so that new shoes can be made more quickly and exactly the
same with just a call.…
A new design and pattern can be made or an existing one used. A de-
tail of personalization can be added to any pair of shoes. A trial pair of
shoes are made before the final production to test the measurements and
if the fit is good the final shoes are made and delivered personally.
8.
9. Bespoke or brand name
Rtw...
Are bespoke shoes just for prob-
lem feet? Are they worth the addi-
tional cost when compared to signa-
ture, ready to wear (rtw) shoes?
Making a pair of shoes to meas-
ure, even if you have no difficulty
finding your size with rtw's, can be
motivated by many other important
considerations.
A client's primary wish, when
deciding to commission a pair of
shoes, is usually to make shoes that
reflect his own personal taste and style. But handmade shoes made to measure
are much more than this, because bespoke shoes have:
1. ...the highest grade leather available and superior to that of brand name,
factory made shoes, because it is hand picked;…
2. ...only the center of the hide used, there the leather is firmest, and the
shoe will not stretch out of shape with usage;
3. ...the direction of stretch tested, which has to be different for the vamp
(forepart) and the quarters (center back of the shoes);
4. ...real "feathers" carved into a 3.5 mm insole. The upper and welt are hand
stitched to the feather; factory shoes use leather or pressed leather parti-
cle insoles of 2 mm or less thickness with a fabric feather glued to them.
5. ...hand stitching with handmade linen thread, coated with a secret mixture;
6. ...natural cork filling and a leather covered steel shanks between insoles
and the outer soles;
7. ...many other important differences, not the least of which is a high degree
of customization, like a matte or gloss finish, or something in between...
The choices and extras included not only make bespoke a personal style
statement, a choice of tradition, but more than ever a value filled choice...
11. the shoes include...
• prized fine leathers
• Custom fit
• Personalization (optional)
• Own custom lasts
• All handmade construction (bespoke)
• Custom cedar wood shoe trees
• Lifetime warranty and free repairs
• Docu-pictorial illustrating the
building of the shoes thru photos
• Certification for materials and manu-
facture.
The warranty...
The unique warranty that comes with every pair of shoes is lifetime
which covers everything except for permanent damage done by the customer.
It also includes annual replacement of the heel rubber and soles repair or
replacement when worn out.
13. Want luxury handmade rtw
shoes for your shop...
• Ready to wear have the same
prized fine leathers and fin-
ish,
• Can be made in small quantities,
• They have two soles: insole and
outsole,
• Choice of different lasts and
models,
• handmade in our Italian work-
shop,
• Can be supplied with cedar wood shoe trees (optional),
• They also have a Lifetime warranty,
• Soles can be replaced when worn out directly in our workshop,
• Certification for materials and manufacture.
Let us know if you are interested in carrying our shoes in your shop.
Private label and unique styles available exclusively in your shop are both
possible...
The warranty...
The unique warranty that comes with every pair of luxury rtw shoes is
lifetime, which covers everything except for permanent damage done by the
customer. In the unlikely event of a failure of the materials your shoes are
replaced by us free of charge (customer pays only for shipping).
14. Italian black box calf oxford.
Wholecut derby in Italian black box calf E lasts
F lasts
“
2 strap
Monk,
cognac
veg tan
box
calf.
E lasts
Ankle boot black calf suede, antiqued trim
and soles. P lasts
15. The art of shoemaking...…
Once you have worn them you will under-
stand why they are called masterpieces. Excel-
lent dimensional stability, a very long life-
span and the finest materials and craftsman-
ship.
When you consider the number of hand
stitches alone in a pair of Goiser stitched
shoes, about 780, you understand the passion,
craftsmanship and patience that goes into
every pair of shoes made in the Bottega
Oscura...
Ars Sutoria...
For an appointment internationally or other
info, including mtm or rtw shoes:
info@bottegaoscurashoes.com
Mobile: +39 334 762 0952
Tel: +39 0871 370 335
www.bottegaoscurashoes.com
Chieti/Pescara, Italy
