Description

George Cleverley is​,​ with John Lobb​,​ the most respected bespoke shoemaker in England. Known for their "suspiciously square" toe​,​ its history spans more than a century. George Cleverley begins with the man himself. After World War 1​,​ he began working in 1920 for the most revered shoemaker of all-time​,​ Nicolaus Tuczek. Tuczek was the bespoke shoemaker of the high-society​,​ and is recognised as a legend. His creative genius in lastmaking and patterns is still looked-up today. George Cleverley worked with Tuczek for 38 years in his shop on Clifford Street in the affluent district of Mayfair. Together​,​ they designed classic models with their famous chiseled-toe ("serres d'aigle" in French)​,​ a creation that no actual shoemaker has come close to replicate in its true form. Their level of details was mesmerising (from the almost invisible stitching of the upper to the quality of the leather and so on). Another model is their iconic lazyman (a mock-up oxford with elastic side gussets in order to wear it like a loafer) for Winston Churchill during World War II. Churchill was so busy he wanted an oxford he could slip into in order to go as fast as possible to the bomb shelters during the Blitz. Other models include the butterfly loafer​,​ a high button boots​,​ and many other iconic designs. In 1958​,​ George Cleverley decided to leave Tuczek to create his own shop on Cork Street​,​ also in Mayfair. Here he created shoes for Hollywood celebrities such as Cary Grant​,​ Humphrey Bogart​,​ the ballet-dancer Rudolf Noureev​,​ and the Prince of Wales. George Cleverley was at the helm of the shop until 1976. At the time he was 78 years old​,​ and wanted to retire since the shoemaking business was being overrun with cheaper products and clientele became rarer. The shop on Cork Street was closed and Cleverley continued to work for New & Lingwood and other London shoemakers such as Foster & Sons​,​ Maxwell​,​ and John Lobb St. James. 2 years later​,​ not wanting the name Cleverley to be forgotten​,​ he decided to help George Glasgow Sr. and John Carnera​,​ former employees​,​ to create a new shop on the Royal Arcade​,​ near Old Bond Street. The current George Cleverley was born. At around the same time​,​ they also obtained the exclusive rights to the famous Russian reindeer hides (iconic leather thought to be forgotten after the Russian Revolution) in the shipwreck off the coast of Cornwall​,​ Wales. Those hides were sunk in a storm in 1786 and recovered by amateur divers in 1973. Thanks to the Prince of Wales​,​ Cleverley is now the sole owner and original maker of Russian reindeer shoes. Still run by Glasgow Sr. (helped by his son) and Carnera​,​ Cleverley remains one of the finest bespoke shoemaker in the world. I'm proposing an incredible bespoke derby from the original George J Cleverley​,​ on Cork Street. It is a golf derby in brown boxcalf​,​ probably from the early 1960's. The quality of the shoes is stunning. The aged leather now has a beautiful patina​,​ similar to a precious stone. While it has superficial cracked polish on the upper​,​ the skin is still very soft and supple under it. It needs to be thoroughly reconditioned to be worn as a dress shoe. However​,​ you can still wear it during heavy rain​,​ snow​,​ or in the countryside​,​ without having to worry about them. As a tutorial to properly condition them​,​ you can follow the advice of the instagram account Bespokeaddict​,​ a gentleman from Brighton who has an impressive collection of antique shoes from the 1900's to the 1980's: https://www.instagram.com/bespokeaddict/?hl=fr It is now impossible to find such pair today. The size is approximately a 6​,​5UK​/​40​,​5EU. Check the measurements below to be sure it fits you: Length left shoe: 27​,​9cm Length right shoe: 27​,​6cm Width left shoe: 9​,​3cm Width right shoe: 9​,​5cm Bespoke shoetrees are included The quality is equivalent to the following bespoke houses: - In England: John Lobb Ltd Bootmaker​​​​,​​​​ Nikolaus Tuczek​​​​,​​​​ Dominic Casey​​​,​​​ Foster & Son​​​,​​​ Gaziano & Girling​​​,​​​ Henri Maxwell​ - In Italy: Stefano Bemer​​​,​​​ Freccia Bestetti​​​,​​​ Gatto​,​ Marini​​​,​​​ Pettrocchi​​​,​​​ Beppino Rampin​​​,​​​ Roberto Ugolini​​​,​​​ - In France: Aubercy Bespoke​​​​,​​​​ Berluti Bespoke​​​,​​​ Corthay Bespoke​​​​,​​​​ John Lobb Paris Bespoke​​​,​​​ Massaro Bespoke​​​,​​​ Philippe Atienza​​​​,​​​​ Stephane Jimenez​ - In Japan: Yohei Fukuda​​​​,​​​​ Eiji Murata​​​,​​​ Tye Shoemaker If you have questions regarding the shoes​,​ don't hesitate to ask.