blekit
Senior Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2015
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Over last to days I've managed to put together outfits with items made in Poland with one exception - the shoes. We have over here a great tailors, manufactures that produce shirts, trousers and accessories, but good quality GYW, classic shoes are hard to get (if you don't want to go bespoke).
This might however change in the nearest future. A few months ago Patine - Polish retailer of Yanko and TLB shoes - launched their own brand of GYW shoes. Although the shoes themselves are not manufactured in Poland (I believe it's some other European country, but I am not 100% sure), that's the first step in a good direction and I'm willing to turn a blind eye here. Especially given that the first few of their models were designed in cooperation with one of the best and the oldest Polish bespoke shoemaker - Mr Tadeusz Januszkiewicz.
I personally own one pair of Patine Shoes. Despite the fact that at the time of launch my intention was only to replace the most used/oldest shoes in my collection with pairs from well known brands known for very high quality of their products (e.g. Vass, Alfred Sargent or TLB Mallorca), I couldn't resist the opportunity to support our local brand and took a risk. I've ordered a tan full-brouges which were set to replace in rotation my first GYW shoes (Gordon & Bros Levet). When they arrived I knew I won't regret my choice. The leather was very supple and seemed to be of higher quality than in my Yanko shoes. The soles, overall craftsmanship and design also are really good at this price point (although, as admitted by the owners of the brand, there has been some oversight in the broguing of my model; but to be honest, I haven't noticed it until someone else on the Polish equivalent of SF mentioned it, and to me it's still a minor issue).
The shoes are rather casual in nature and as such got much more usage than any of my black cap-toe oxfords over last few months. Here's how the look now (aproximately 10-15 full day wears in various weather conditions)
This might however change in the nearest future. A few months ago Patine - Polish retailer of Yanko and TLB shoes - launched their own brand of GYW shoes. Although the shoes themselves are not manufactured in Poland (I believe it's some other European country, but I am not 100% sure), that's the first step in a good direction and I'm willing to turn a blind eye here. Especially given that the first few of their models were designed in cooperation with one of the best and the oldest Polish bespoke shoemaker - Mr Tadeusz Januszkiewicz.
I personally own one pair of Patine Shoes. Despite the fact that at the time of launch my intention was only to replace the most used/oldest shoes in my collection with pairs from well known brands known for very high quality of their products (e.g. Vass, Alfred Sargent or TLB Mallorca), I couldn't resist the opportunity to support our local brand and took a risk. I've ordered a tan full-brouges which were set to replace in rotation my first GYW shoes (Gordon & Bros Levet). When they arrived I knew I won't regret my choice. The leather was very supple and seemed to be of higher quality than in my Yanko shoes. The soles, overall craftsmanship and design also are really good at this price point (although, as admitted by the owners of the brand, there has been some oversight in the broguing of my model; but to be honest, I haven't noticed it until someone else on the Polish equivalent of SF mentioned it, and to me it's still a minor issue).
The shoes are rather casual in nature and as such got much more usage than any of my black cap-toe oxfords over last few months. Here's how the look now (aproximately 10-15 full day wears in various weather conditions)