About Us
Our Suits & Tuxedos
Whether your personal style is modern or classic, trendy or traditional... today's properly fitted suit starts with a slimmer silhouette. Clothing tailored closer to the body has never been more flattering or easier to wear, thanks to new fabric technology producing lighter fabrics with natural stretch and movement. Let Pin & Stripe guide you on the "new fit"... the hallmark of today's style.
A little bit of suiting history
Traditionally, men’s suits were constructed with a layer of horsehair canvas underneath the wool fabric shell. This canvas holds the shape of the suit and keeps it from sagging or deforming. The canvas is cut to the suit jacket’s shape, then the wool is stitched to the canvas. The canvas lining allows the suit fabric to drape naturally, allowing a clean, well put-together look. Over time, as you wear the jacket, the canvas conforms to your body’s shape, creating an excellent fit.
Fused suit jackets
Many suit manufacturers, such as Jos A Bank and Men’s Warehouse, as an effect of increased production, no longer use a canvas interlining in their suit jackets. Rather, a fusible interlining is glued to the wool shell of the suit. And while this does an adequate job of keeping a jacket’s shape, it often creates an unnatural stiffness in the jacket, making a fused jacket appear lifeless compared to a similar canvassed coat.
What is sometimes problematic with fused jackets is the fact that the glue degrades over time, or may come unstuck during the dry-cleaning/pressing process. Where the wool detaches from the fused backing, the fabric ripples around the chest and lapels, a phenomenon known as “bubbling.” This is a far inferior product which we do not offer our clients. Pin & Stripe only offers Half Canvas and Full Canvas Suits so you never have to worry about receiving an inferior garment.
What is canvas?
A term many people don’t encounter until venturing into the world of made-to-measure and bespoke suiting is “Canvas”, so it can be a source of much confusion. More specifically, this refers to what is also known as a “Canvas Interlining”.
At Pin & Stripe, all our suits come with a Half Canvas construction as standard, but customers can instead choose a Full Canvas construction if they wish. What’s the point of a Canvas Interlining? What’s the difference between the two choices? We’re glad you asked.
The Canvas Interlining is typically made from horsehair (often blended with cotton) or synthetic material and, as the “Interlining” part suggests, a layer of this material is sandwiched between the cloth you see on the outside, and the lining you see on the inside. The purpose of the Canvas Interlining is to help give the suit jacket support for its shape, a bit like a skeleton - indeed, this internal layer (along with other hidden components, such as shoulder padding) is also often referred to as a suit’s “structure”.
Canvas helps the jacket sit, hang and fit better on your body - what’s known as the “drape” - and allows the suit to ultimately achieve what it’s designed for: to accentuate the shape of the masculine physique. What’s more, this means a well-made suit with a canvas construction will actually feel and look better with age - think of it like a good single malt!
Half-canvas construction
As you can see from the diagram, the Half Canvas construction quite literally extends from the padded shoulder to about halfway down the jacket body. This allows for a robust and well-shaped shoulder structure - a very important part of a well-fitting jacket - and also ensures the jacket tapers elegantly towards the waist.
Because it requires considerably less work than Full Canvas, Half Canvas is a cheaper option while still providing much-needed structure. It will feel noticeably more robust, comfortable, and will be better-fitting than a suit without canvas, but is also lighter and less structured than a Full Canvas - however, with that said, many customers actually prefer the lighter weight and less-structured feel of Half Canvas.
Full-canvas construction
The Full Canvas option extends further down the jacket’s front, adding additional structure and weight, allowing the jacket to mould more accurately to your shape with a superior drape. In short, a Full Canvas suit will fit better than any other option.
Canvas also has the advantage of improving the durability of a jacket by distributing tension from stress points (such as the elbows and shoulders) and helps it cope with the rigours of dry cleaning, and of course this is even more relevant on a Full Canvas suit as there’s more canvas to provide the added durability.
The only real downside to a Full Canvas suit is the added cost, as it’s a more involved process which takes much longer to complete. However, there is once again an element of personal preference here - Full Canvas does feel heavier and more structured on the body; some customers prefer this, while others favour the more lightweight feel of Half Canvas.
Canvassed & pad-stitched lapels
Both our Half Canvas and Full Canvas construction also extend the canvas into the jacket lapels, which are pad-stitched. This is vital for giving them the correct shape and support, as well as enabling a smooth lapel roll.
What’s a lapel roll and why do I want a smooth one? Good question.
If you look at the front of a jacket you’ll notice that the lapel is actually a section of the jacket that is turned back on itself - from the collar, down to the buttoning point at the waist. Therefore, the lapel roll refers to this length of turned back - or “rolled” - fabric. On a poorly made suit lacking a proper canvas structure the lapel is quite often pressed flat with a crease, it is lifeless and lacks any of the gently curving and attractive looking “roll” whatsoever.
Understanding wools
Woolens: Woolen cloth has fuzzy surface; it can be bulky and doesn’t develop a shine with wear. (Tweeds are made from woolen spun yarns.) Woolen cloth is made from woolen yarn but doesn’t need to be 100 percent wool. It’s usually dyed and holds a crease well. Woolens can provide tremendous warmth due to their density and ability to trap air. These fabrics are mostly used for seasonal sports coats and topcoats. Then woolen system takes grease wool (straight from the sheep or lamb), scours it (cleans it) and cards it (a process in which metal rods explode the fibers out of clumps of wool). The fibers are then spun into strands or staples no longer than 2.5 inches. While the yarns spun from these staples yield a characteristic fuzziness, they are fairly weak because the fibers don’t all lay in the same direction.
Worsteds: Worsted yarns are smooth and durable, spun from long, higher-twist yarns. Worsted cloth is usually yarn dyed rather than piece dyed. It’s a clear-surface material that usually requires little or no finishing. Worsteds are used for year-round clothing including suits, sport coats and trousers. The worsted system has more steps than the woolen system. Worsteds are combed (to remove short fibers and align long fibers) and drafted (to stretch fibers). The process produces staples longer than 3 inches, which are spun into very fine yarns, making them smooth, well twisted and uniform.
Understanding weights
Although the majority of suit sales come from year-round weights, seasonal fabrics are becoming more relevant in today’s business. Heavier wools and tweeds in the winter and lightweight cottons, linens and silk blends in the summer. Fabric weight is determined in ounces per linear yard.
Tropicals - (6.5 to 7.5 ounces/yard) are used for spring/summer suits.Year-round weights (8 to 10 ounces/yard) include twill weaves and clear finishes.Fall weights (over 10 ounces/yard) are used for fall/winter suits because of the dense hand.
Understanding supers
Super 100s is a term that measures a wool fiber’s diameter in microns. The higher the super number, the higher the grade of fabric (the lighter and more flexible the fabric), making it softer and more resilient, but harder to tailor. Wool’s micron count must be the same in warp and weft yarns to earn the certification of super 100s to 160s.
Merino Wool
The Australian Merino wool industry has a heritage stretching back more than 200 years. Merino wool is easy to tailor, has great ability to absorb dyes, and is wrinkle resistant. Nothing looks, feels, tailors and wears better than a suit made from Australian Merino Wool. Suits made from Merino wool are a great investment. They will last for years and years.
The most versatile of all fibers. It has a long history and heritage. It has many natural inherent properties and benefits. It is natural, renewable and biodegradable. It has great drape and style. It retains the shape with natural wrinkle recovery, stretch properties and longevity.
Be-What?
Bespoke is an adjective for anything commissioned to a particular specification. Meaning "Custom-made", “made-to-order”, “made-to-measure”. The word bespoke is derived from the verb to bespeak, to "speak for something", in the specialized meaning "to give order for it to be made" or commissioned.
Our core foundation is Bespoke, from placing an order by the customer to completing the production and packing of the clothing, it takes 298 working procedures to produce a suit set, including 28 cutting procedures, 238 exquisite sewing procedures and 32 three-dimensional ironing procedures.
All this adds up to the perfect Pin & Stripe Bespoke suit!
Why Pin & Stripe
Our Shirts
The perfect shirt
All of Pin & Stripe shirts are made by our European manufacturer, Repunte. The perfect shirt can be created thanks to the experience, the human capital and the facilities of our European partner. In Repunte, they have been making men’s shirts for the whole world for more than 25 years.
They are suppliers for the best brands of bespoke shirts, being present in the main markets (Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, EEUU, Ireland…and more.
Custom-made
The key to make a good shirt is the pattern, which is determining on the final result. In Repunte, the shirt’s pattern for the client is individually made for you. We make it from twelve fundamental measurements that determine the good work of the shirting tradition.
Accurate, quality production
Repunte's production methods combine the newest technology with traditional shirt making processes. The shirt is made using computer generated patterns, computerized production controls and personal supervision of all the details: right stitching, stripes and checks fitting, stitching size, distance among buttons, etc.
A rubust range of fabrics
Over the years Repunte have turned into experts concerning fabrics. Working directly with the best and the greatest factories in the world like Cotonificio Albini, Thomas Mason, Canclini 1925, Loro Piana, Liberty, Söktas, Sidogras, Java Textil… having more than 600 references in stock and catalogues exclusively created for Repunte. If you want high quality shirts, Neanderthals.io has what you need!
A great range of options
You want a “unique” dress shirt, we make it possible offering an endless stream of options: we have a large catalogue including more than 25 collars, 10 cuffs and many options like buttoned placket, sleeve placket, bottom, pocket… the combinations are unlimited.
Collars
The collars of Repunte are one of the most demanded options chosen by our clients.
Color, stripe, check, print… these are some of the principal characteristics that we tend to highlight when buying a new shirt. However, we don’t usually place value on the cut, the finishing and other aspects that can be even more important than the shirt’s tone.
One of the aspects that make the difference is the collar choice. The collar can highlight or degrade a look so do not overlook this very important shirt aspect. We have several options to choose from to complete the look. What collar do you want for you new dress shirt?
Collar options
Cuffs
We consider that the shirt’s cuff should be just at the beginning of the wrist. It is just over the external part of the wrist bone, covering the bone at least 1 or 2cm. This way we will make sure that the cuff is not too short when bending the arm. Once the jacket on, the shirt’s cuff should be at least 3-4cm longer than the jacket sleeve. We strongly recommend using these standards when getting measured for your new dress shirt.
Cuff options
Ultra Lux Fabrics
In our opinion, high quality fabrics are the main elements of an ultra lux dress shirt. That’s why Repunte only buys the best fabric brands, like: Canclini Tesstile, Thomas Mason Bespoke, Thomas Mason David & John Anderson, Cotonificio Albini, Sidogras, Jaba Textil, Loro Piana…and more.
Cotonificio Albini
From its fundation in Bergamo in 1876 (Bergamo), Cotonificio Albini leads the creation of fabrics for shirts thanks to its creativity, investigation and innovation. Albini uses the best raw materials in the world to make its fabrics, that’s why each shirt made by Repunte is a unique piece of excellent quality and durability. The result is a brilliant shirt with a soft and luxurious feel.
Thomas Mason
Created in 1796 by Sir Thomas Mason, it is one of the principal icons of the English textile industry. It started producing fabrics in Lancashire and after some time it became an icon of elegance whose headquarter are set in London. The Albini family got Thomas Mason in 1992 and this enterprise is today the guardian of its rich heritage, composed by 700 volumes. This collection of inestimable worth includes the textile designs of the last 200 years.
Thomas Mason’s fabrics represent the purest English style, showing the eccentricity touch that characterizes this brand as the most recognizable in the world. The best cotton, the thinnest threads, the closest attention during the production guarantee the shirt will be of excellent quality.
Canclini 1925
The History of Canclini begins more than eighty years ago in the Como area. Today, thanks to their passion for work and technology, they control the whole production cycle of their fabrics. Style, product, quality and service are the necessary elements to satisfy the most distinguished clients. Steeped in tradition but always focused on the future gives Canclini the competitive edge to stay one step ahead of the competition.
Loro Piana
Loro Piana is synonymous with timeless elegance so they have never been interested on following the trends because Loro Piana knows their clients and they are conscious of their sensitivity to quality and good taste. That’s the reason why their commitment to high-quality is incredible: the fibers are carefully selected and controlled. Ultimately, a dress shirt made with Loro Piana fabrics are considered the best in the world.
Liberty
The renowned Liberty fabrics first showed up in London in 1875, when Arthur Lasenby Liberty proposed their colorful fabrics to their clients. However, it is not until the 20th century when they got their worldwide fame thanks to their collection “Tana Lawn” in floral motifs that is yet available.
Liberty proposes a great variety of fine colored prints used by designers and couturiers. Mary Quant, Yves Saint Laurent, Bill Blas or Cacharel among others have contributed to their success.
Söktas
Established in 1971 and quoting in stock exchange since 1995, Soktas specializes in mixed cotton fabrics. Soktas reputation is due to an excellent product exported around the world. Focusing on the client, Soktas offers a high quality product, including more than 300,000 fabrics.
We are proud to announce that our new shirt customization platform will be available soon.
Here's a sneak preview!
Ready to get your new shirts? Great!
Our Luxury Leather Goods Manufacturer
All of our shoes, boots, bags and leather goods are handmade in Spain. Our manufacturer produces quality leather goods for the most recognized and luxurious brands in Italy and France; like Armani, Gucci and Hermes. Excellence in craftsmanship has been at the very heart of our products for almost 90 years.
The historical town of Almansa, Spain
Almansa is a small, quiet town, halfway between Albacete and Valencia. Its history dates back to the Roman times. Its castle, the most representative of Castilla La Mancha, is built on top of the Cerro del Águila, a great rock that crowns the town. The historic quarter, which was declared a Historic-Artistic Site, is formed by narrow streets that surround the castle. For the last 4 centuries, this small town has been dedicated, almost exclusively, to the ancient work of shoe making.
A tannery with a century-old history.
I am asked not to name names, but this tannery name should sound familiar if you have ever visited the factories of brands such as Gaziano & Girling, Crockett & Jones or Gucci, to name a few. The tannery dates back more than 100 years ago. It was founded in 1865, and has been dedicated – exclusively – to the tanning of superior quality leather for international top brands.
They have specialized on calfskin tanning with chrome salts, a technique they have mastered over the years. Heritage traditions are merged with the latest Italian techniques and innovations, which have been adopted by the tannery owners, always driven by an everlasting itch for perfection.
At the tannery, they thoroughly trace and control every production step, starting from the earliest calf selection process at the slaughterhouse to the color dyeing process and finishing. Their production volume is admittedly low, which makes their product more valuable and in great demand at this moment.
We only use the finest box calf.
For the curious out there, Box calf is a term that describes premium calfskin (or fine black calf) these days. However, the term comes from Joseph Box, who was a leather shoe craftsman in 1890. In another description, it means that the calfskin is tanned with chrome salts.Calfskin is the most common material used to make high quality man’s shoes, and has the oldest tradition. As its name implies, it comes from the skin of young calves which are usually older than 3 months (and usually between 6-12).
Leather grades explained
Apart from the construction of a shoe, the other most important aspect is the choice and quality of leather. As with most things in life leather has variations, or “grades”. Here is a quick overview of the most common grades of leather.
We take pride in only using the finest full grain and nubuck leathers for all of our leather goods.
Full Grain Leather is the best quality leather sitting at the top of the chain. The majority of our smooth leathers can be categorized as high grade full grain leathers. It refers to the outside part of the animal’s hide just below the hair. The term “Full” means that it has not been buffed or sanded, which is a process that is used to remove imperfections or marks. The tight porous nature of the leather prevents moisture retention but it also means that it is thicker.
Essentially, Top Grain Leather is like full grain but with a twist. It undergoes light sanding to shave off a few millimeters from the top, removing any imperfections. One of the most prominent kinds of top grain leathers is Nubuck.
Full grain leather vs pebble grain
We pride ourselves in giving our clients options so we also offer Pebble Grain and Full Grain Hand Painted Leathers.
Pebble Grain calfskin is pressed or embossed in order to create a textured, grain pattern in the leather. Pebble grain leather is regarded as less formal than smooth calfskin. On the other side, Full Grain leathers should display the natural markings and grain characteristics from the animal of which it was taken, they offer a natural look and feel .
The break of the leather
When sourcing the higher grade full grain box calf from the best European tanneries, we are always looking for a material that has a ‘fine break’.There is a saying in the industry –‘the break of the leather’– which refers to creases made as the leather naturally flexes time and time again as it is worn.
Of course, all shoes take a huge amount of punishment as they are worn day-to-day, open to the elements.Only the finest full grain leather, if cared for well, will continue to spring back and hold its shape over time, so we always look for ‘a good clean break’ in our leathers.
The clicking room
The Clicking Department is the first stage of production. The highly skilled Clickers (whose name derives from the ‘click’ sound made when the knife is removed from the leather) use predetermined patterns to intricately cut the shoe’s uppers and linings.
Today, the department is made with a mixture of experienced hands (some with over 40 years’ experience) and trainees. The younger members begin with cutting the leather linings, leaving the experienced clickers to focus on cutting the upper leather, whilst slowly passing on their years of expertise.
A Clicker’s knife is totally unique to the Clicker. Each operative design and grind the blade of their knife to their own personal taste and working preference.
Each clicking blade takes around 15-20 minutes to craft: 5-10 minutes to ‘fetch’ the blade, around 5 minutes to grind and several minutes to perfect the blade on the strop (a piece of wood coated in thick cordovan leather). Although a clicking blade only lasts a few weeks (or even days), the handles can last for decades upon decades.
A Clicker’s main responsibility is to examine the leather for defects and to ensure these are not included in the shoes. Leather defects can be found in the form of barbed wire or disease scars, growth marks or veins. An experienced Clicker needs to be knowledgeable and highly skilled, in order to maximise the usage whilst retaining the utmost quality.
How are shoes are made
All of our custom shoes, bags and luxury leather goods are made from the same manufacturer that our sister company uses for their store. Below you will find a detailed video of the production process. Note: Find out all about our shoes in the next section titled, "Our Luxury Dress Shoes".
Handcrafted Men’s Belts
An everyday staple, belts aren’t simply a functional accessory. We offer a collection of 4 luxury belts, which are handcrafted by artisans at our factory in La Mancha, Spain. Belts can be ordered as MTO (single unit order) as well as BULK (small batch orders).
Matching Belts
All raw materials for shoes are also available for belts, this means you can order a pair of men dress shoes with a matching belt.
The Hamptons Style
A classic belt suitable for any occasion. The Hampton features timeless stitching and hardware for a clean, sleek, minimal look.
The Marseille Style
This belt was designed to stand out. Pair it up with your favorite pair of shoes for a bold, attention-grabbing look.
The Sun Valley Style
Featuring accent details and bold broguing, this belt will set you apart. The split construction will pair up nicely with a contrasting material for a special look.
The Venice Style
The Venice allows for two extra channels running down the body of the belt. Go classic with leather on leather, or do something different and go with a textile or contrasting leather.
Meet the Accessories
Cigars case, phone case, iPad case, laptop case, documents holder and satchel. Check the images below!
Our Luxury Dress Shoes
Shoe construction methods
There are three basic methods of shoe construction: cementing, blake welting, and goodyear welting. We use both, Blake and Original Goodyear production methods. Each of them has its advantages, and defines how the sole is attached to the upper. Goodyear welting is the oldest, most labor intensive, and most durable of the three methods of construction.
“The Blake Stitch” – Blake Welting Construction Method
On shoes constructed with Blake welting, the upper component of the shoe is stretched around the insole, and then a single stitch binds the outsole, insole, and upper together. Because the welt is stitched within the interior of the shoe, Blake welting requires a specialized machine to stitch the sole to the upper.
Welt stitching is a hallmark of exceptional shoe construction. Shoes of inferior quality tend to use adhesives rather than welt stitching – making the shoe nearly impossible to re-sole and more susceptible to water intrusion.
The art of Goodyear Welt manufacturing
For more than 300 years, the Goodyear Welting process has been associated with excellence and superior workmanship. More than 60 craftsmen are involved in the process of manufacturing one of our Goodyear shoes, and they use between 25 and 50 different elements and pieces. All this involves a process with more than 120 handcrafted phases, from beginning to end.
Sign of superior quality
In 1872 Charles Goodyear invented a machine capable of stitching the welt to the insole, thus revolutionizing the quality of footwear worldwide. Due to its longstanding heritage, little needed maintenance, waterproof durability and clean aesthetic, Goodyear method is highly valued in the high-end shoe market.
Handcrafted tradition
The first part of the process is preparing the insole for stitching. This is done by creating a perpendicular “rib” that runs across the insole. The second step is to last the shoe. This is done by stretching the outsole over the last and attaching it, along with the insole, to the last. Part three is the actual welting. At this point shoe-specific thread is sewn through the welt, the upper, and the insole rib. Through a separate stitch, the welt is attached to the outsole.
What is a shoe welt?
In well-constructed shoes, the welt is a strip of leather which runs along the perimeter of the outsole. Its primary function is to attach the upper to the outsole and create a greater durability.
Our 3 welt options
In addition to our standard welt (now called Dress Welt), you can design your men’s dress shoes using two new welt styles: Country Welt and City Welt. Check their differences in the images below:
Choose the Color of the Welt & Outsole
In addition to selecting the appropriate welt style, you will need to select the color of the welt, just as any other shoe piece. By default, the color of the welt is matched with the color of the outsole, which is the usual configuration. However, you are free to create unique color combinations of Welt/Outsole using your 3D Designing Tool.
Can you guess how many sole options you have?
The answer is 8 different types of soles to choose from. They are available for all Men Dress shoes on our Made-to-Order program. You can order any MTO men dress shoes though your private labeled designing platform, using any of the soles below
From the formal and classic Plain Leather Sole, to the new casual Running Rubber Sole, each one has its own personality. Check the differences below.
Some soles are available in multiple colors. And additionally, you can customize the color of other pieces of the sole, like the outsole (edge of the sole) or the welt. There are, literally, hundreds of sole / colors combinations for you to choose from.
We gave up on trying to figure out how many different shoe design combinations could be created using our MTO designing tool. After the latest materials & features updates on the platform, that number is skyrocketing..!
What is Dainite?
Dainite is a brand of rubber footwear soles, manufactured by the English company, Harboro Rubber. Established back in 1894, the trade name Dainite was coined by locals in the brand’s hometown of Market Harborough who would describe the company as ‘day and night mills’. Dainite produces a small range of rubber soles, but they’re best known for their studded rubber sole, which is utilized on footwear from brands such as Allen Edmonds, Crockett & Jones, Edward Green and Joseph Cheaney.
What is Dainite Good for?
Wet weather is the main reason most people should wear Dainite soles over leather. Dainite soles are better than leather soles in the rain simply because the sole is waterproof and does not wear down faster when wet like a leather sole does.
The addition of the Dainite sole to our Goodyear Outsole repository promises a host of exquisite footwear choices that exude luxury and high-end style. With a Goodyear welted double Dainite sole, you can be assured of a good grip in all weathers that will improve the wearability of our footwear.
Mountain & Buttons Sole Units
We are glad to announce the introduction of two new sole units to our Original Goodyear Welt production line: Leather Sole with Mountain Rubber Injections and Leather Sole with Buttons Rubber Injections.
Want even more options? Great, try our fiddle waste and toe tap sole!
Introducing our new ‘Violin’ shaped sole for Goodyear Welted shoes, featuring a beveled narrow waist and metal toe taps. Available in different colors, for MTO and BULK ordering.
What is a ‘Violín’ sole?
As you know, most of our soles are flat at the waist. The bottom of the sole is simply a flat piece of leather running from toebox to heel.
With a fiddleback waist, the waist area is shaped. The sole is substantially thicker in the middle and then thins toward the edges, giving it a shape similar to a stretched-out U. Essentially, it appears convex when viewed from the side.
Fiddlebacks usually go hand-in-hand with a beveled and narrow waist, making the sole look like a violin or fiddle, hence the name.
A Matter of Work
We love the symmetry of it and how it plays to the shoe’s shape and curves by accentuating their features. However, as shoemakers, we know this may be the hardest detail to add to the shoe.
It is time consuming, has to be precise in its shape and needs to match perfectly on each shoe so that one does not differ from the other. This is not easy to do, but when done well it is very much worth the effect that the detail provides for both the customer and the maker. It is a sign of pride in your craftsmanship and a sign of elegance in your shoe.
Closed Channel + Metal Toe Taps
Closed channel stitching is a method of manufacture whereby the stitching is covered by a small flap of leather, creating a clean and elegant look.
To create a closed channel stitched sole requires real skill and a high level of craftsmanship. Firstly, a fine cut is made into the oak tanned leather soles. This cut needs to be the correct depth, not too deep yet not too shallow, approximately 1-2 mm. Once the cut is made the leather is moistened with water to make it easier to work with.
The flap created by the cut is then lifted up opening a channel, which is then ready to be stitched. Once stitched, the flap of leather is cemented and beaten down, giving a bespoke appearance.
Metal Toe Taps
Although they are considered mainly as decorative additions, they serve a functional purpose. While the closed channel sole is a sign of quality shoes, it does have one flaw.
You see, in order to close the channel, you have to cut into the sole to make a very thin flap, as explained before. But closing that flap is ultimately done with shoe cement, which can be reopened over time, particularly in wet environments
The channel often starts to lift at the toes and works its way down. So getting toe taps actually helps to prevent that from the very get go. Problem solved and WOW, it looks great! Win/Win!
The gentleman's notch
Have you ever noticed that there is a cut on the heel piece of our shoes?
Yes! That cut is what I am talking about. It’s not a defect. It serves a purpose and has a very interesting history behind it.
A bit of Shoe Making History
Let’s travel back to the Victorian era, when men used to take their appearance and dressing style seriously. They noticed that sometimes, while wearing their trousers, the corner of the heel of the shoe used to tear the fibers of the trousers apart.
As a solution to the trousers problem, shoemakers introduced a small cut on the heel, and that’s how this corner cut came into existence. These cuts were only found in the shoes of very well dressed gentlemen and that’s how it got its name as the Gentlemen Cut.
Nowadays, they are largely a sign of a well-made pair of shoes and a nice example of the attention to detail that is characteristic of a good shoemaker. No detail has been spared on your new ultra-lux dress shoes.
Let's get back to our leathers...We offer several upgrades at no additional costs!
Leather is the most important building block of each men's shoe, and its production is a process that requires masterful skill. The following rule of thumb holds true for all quality men's shoes: the more the leather has been processed, the higher it is in quality. And this comes, naturally, at a price. Roughly 47 percent of the production costs involved in making a men's shoe are due to the costly raw material.
Our calf tanneries come from North West Spain and Italy.
The types of leather below represent a full array of leather skins. They are all used in luxury shoe production and they differ from the "look" and "texture" point of view.
Painted Calf Leather
Crust calf leather (painted calf) enables artisans to hand paint the pieces with special creams and brushes. The look is very artisanal. Source is Conceria Tolio from Italy (same crust material used by Santoni, Berlutti, Andres Sendra, among many others). Learn more about Conceria Tolio on https://conceriatolio.com/storia/. Raw leathers are then hand painted by our artisans.
Besides the "plain" Painted Calf leather, we also offer it engraved with different textures, like full grain or pebble grain.
Box Calf Leather
The majority of quality men's shoes are made from the hides of calves. Box calf is primarily distinguished by its fineness, pliability, and grain. Box Calf leathers are hand painted by our artisans.
Calf Suede
Also called "Suede" or "Lux Suede". This leather is created from the underside of the animal hide, as a result it is softer, and more supple and can have the appearance of a "furry nap".
Kid Suede
Kid Suede is the most soft, velvety suede leather type which comes from small goat skins. The skins are pretty small which increases the price of leather (consumption per pair). It has a more refined finish with a smaller grain on the surface.
Polished Calf
Polished calf refers to rectified grain calf. This eliminates any skin imperfections. The look is not as natural as a regular, plain full grain, but the look is very good, luxurious. This type of leather is quite expensive because of the post-production processes that it needs at the tannery. Polished Calf Leathers are hand painted by our artisans.
Patent Leather
A type of leather finish whereby the surface is treated to create a highly glossy, shiny appearance.
Nubuck Leather
Lightweight, supple leather made up of the most outer layer of a hide, the surface is buffed to give the grain a light velvety finish called a "nap".
Sartorial Materials
We offer a full array of sartorial fabrics, flannels and velvets. Sartorial patterns like Tweed, Plaid, Tartan, Herringbone, Leopard, etc. The result of mixing these sartorial materials with classic hand painted leather in a shoe, can be truly astonishing.
Burnishing - to polish (a surface) by rubbing
In shoemaking terminology, burnish is the term for adding an antiqued effect on leather shoes to create a variation in shades. The process of burnishing is meant to bring out the highs and the lows of the shoe, strongly focusing on drawing out the depth of the leather. Burnishing helps in giving the shoes a look of superior quality and exclusiveness.
The process requires simple but precise equipment, a set of burnishing mops and a bar of specific burnishing wax. The rest is all down to the skill and expertise of the burnishing artisan to achieve the best possible finish.
It takes up to one hour to perfect each individual shoe, having to burnish the entire shoe with particular care, paying special attention to the cap and counter. This is by no means a simple task for the burnishing artisan. If a shoe is mopped too much, it will begin to burn and leave large dark patches over the shoe. Alternatively, if burnished too little you will be left with a mediocre finish.
The Art of Handmade Patina
Patina is an art crafted and designed for shoes by Olga Berluti, member of the famous French brand Berluti which took the world by storm in the 80’s. Hand coloring of shoes was then a fairly new thing in the world of luxury shoes and leather products.
An Antique Finishing Technique for Leathers
The patina art craft method is a hand dyeing procedure of leather, which creates a completely unique patina with an aged effect. The procedure begins with unfinished crust leather, which has been tanned and handled, but not dyed yet.
The artist applies the dyes manually to the uncut hide and the fully assembled shoe, with the usage of white cloths, brushes and sometimes sponges, to create a unique look on each and every pair of shoes. With attentive care and superior savoir-faire, a dedicated craftsman perfects the personality of each pair of shoes, helping forge their special “soul”.
Made-to-Order Handmade Patina Shoes
As you might now, on our Made-To-Order Program we offer Handmade Patina finishing in most of our shoes and accessories (more styles coming soon!).
Three different handmade patina finishings are available to order through your MTO platform: Regular, Marble and Papiro. The image below shows an example of Regular, Marble and Papiro patina finishings and how they look.
Additionally we have the Patina Intensity Selector feature on our MTO 3D Configurator Tool. You can choose the “intensity” of the patina, that is, the amount of shadow or aging effect applied.
Two intensity levels are available: the Standard Patina Intensity and the new Dark Patina Intensity, with darker shadows and dimmer tones.
Want more options? Great! Introducing the New “Camo” Patina
We are glad to announce the introduction of the new Camo Patina, a new finishing texture for our Hand Painted Patina Workshop which extends our current offer of Regular, Marble and Papiro finishings.
It is worth mentioning that we have made a quantitative leap in the overall quality of our patina workshop, mainly due not only to the usage of a new superior crust leather (produced by Nuova Antilope Conceria, in Italy), but also to the improvement of our handmade painting and brushing techniques.
The Beauty Of Hand Painting
The New Camo Patina is our interpretation of traditional Camouflage, conceived and designed by our patina artist in La Mancha, Spain.
The beauty of our Camo Patina, as well as the other patina finishings, is that no two runnings are ever the same. Each pair is a unique piece of art in its own right, with variations in color and texture, due to the singular handmade painting and brushing processes.
Camo Color Variations
The New Camo Patina is available in 5 different color variations: Grey, Brown, Denim, Red and Khaki. Each variation is made of 3 shades of the same color.
Check it out on our MTO Platform (only available to our VIP members).
We didn't stop there...Introducing our new exotic skin collection!
We are excited to be announcing such an important milestone for Pin & Stripe! We’ve teamed up with one of the bests skin processors in Europe to offer genuine exotic skins in our Made-to-Order program, including Alligator, Python and Ostrich skins.
That’s right! Genuine leather skins, painted by hand at our factory, matching our painted calf base colors.
Check it out on our customization platform.
Genuine Alligator Skin
“Alligator mississippiensis” skin renders a very attractive and fashionable leather. The leather is strong, supple, durable and very expensive. A bony layer within the skin adds a protective shield, while a dimple on each scale makes a very exotic look.
Hailing from the Southeast USA and frequently harvested from farm-bred gators as well as from wild animals, American alligator skin is a classic, durable and versatile leather. The American alligator’s hide is the soft and more pliable material. This is because the skin of this reptile is less bony than the skin of crocodiles. This softness makes the alligator’s skin easier to work with than the skin of other reptiles, making it easier to work with for cutting, stitching and folding.
Ostrich Genuine Skin
Ostrich leather is one of the finest and most durable leathers. It’s a luxurious leather well know for its softness, flexibility and durability. In spite of its softness, Ostrich leather is unsurpassed for its tactile strength. It is, in fact, one of the strongest leathers available. Naturally occurring oils in the leather contribute to its durability, preventing cracking, even under extreme temperatures and sun exposure.
The main distinguishing feature of ostrich leather is the quill or feather socket markings. The “full quill” area of the leather is the most sought after and therefore the most expensive type of ostrich leather. The quill pattern is the result of large follicles which each contained a feather.
Python Genuine Skin
Snakeskins are very desirable for shoes because of the unique grain, scales, and color patterns. Snakes are skinned in two ways, cut down the belly scales leaving the small scales in the center, “belly” or “front” cut python, and cut down the back leaving the wide belly scale in the center, called “back” cut python. We use the “front” cut python.
The scales were the snakes protection from the elements and are essentially like a callous, dead skin. The size of the scale will vary depending upon the area of the skin cut. The scales have a “lip” open toward the tail will grab and aid the snake in crawling. This lip is your assurance that the snake is genuine.
Important Note! Animal Welfare Information
We source Exotic Skins from a processor that use sound animal husbandry and humane animal treatment / slaughtering practices whether farmed, domesticated, or wild (managed). Also, leather suppliers must screen tanning processes against the LWG Protocol to ensure adherence to best environmental practices (https://leatherworkinggroup.com).
Artisan Hand Painting & Hand Cutting
Please, bear in mind that each individual skin is unique and genuine. Images and 3D textures are shown for illustration purpose only. Our artisans will hand paint and hand cut each shoe piece as per your request. Also, our hand cutting artisans will arrange the cutting patterns on the leather based on their own experience and craftsmanship. Please, understand that due to the above, there might be differences in scale pattern, size and tone between two different cuts.
Our Luxury Boots
The Jodhpur Boot
We are proud to announce the latest addition to our shoe family: The Jodhpur Boot, an equestrian-inspired ankle boot with a strap-and-buckle fastener that wraps around the boot’s shaft.
A Brief History of The Jodhpur Boot
The Jodhpur Boot was initially worn by the best horsemen from the Indian Jodhpur state. At that time officers and soldiers of Her Majesty, was still with their long, heavy and warm horse riding boots. For a comfort and an elegance concerns, this boot was rapidly adopted by the British in India. The Jodhpur name has been naturally chosen for this model, which over time has become a great men’s shoemaking classic.
Say hello to the new Octavian Boot!
The Octavian blends the elevated style of a distinguished monk dress shoe with the durable and relaxed vibe of a boot. Featuring a double buckle monk and side zip fastening, these smart boots will allow you to move from the boardroom to the bar effortlessly.
Design Options
The Octavian Boot can be ordered with burnishing effect as well as hand painted patina. Available materials include Box Calf, Lux Suede, Painted Calf, Painted Pebble Grain, Polished Calf, Kid Suede, Patent Leathers and of course, our hand picked selection of sartorial fabrics.
What is a Chelsea Boot?
The Chelsea is a fitted, flat ankle boot that features elastic sides instead of laces. And when it comes to shoes, there aren’t many out there with a history as interesting.
The history behind the Chelsea Boot; The victorian era
Sparkes-Hall who was Queen Victoria’s shoemaker is credited with the original design and got it patented in 1851. The Queen loved them and walked around in them every day. The Boot was popular with the more affluent members of society including those who rode horses.
The «Chelsea» boots are born
It was during the 50s when the artsy bunch including fashionista Mary Quant started favouring these boots again. They frequented King’s Road in West London and were dubbed the “Chelsea set” by the media. The name Chelsea became synonymous with their lifestyle and fashion style, with the latter including the elastic ankle boots.
The ‘Swinging Sixties’
Originally designed for royalty, now it was being worn by music royalty from The Rolling Stones to The Beatles. The ‘Swinging Sixties’ was well underway and The Chelsea Boot became one of the most iconic fashion items to have.
From the Queen of England to Star Wars
In 1977, the first Star Wars was released. Believe it or not, the shoe plays a bigger part than you probably may have realised. If you look closely enough, you’ll notice that the Stormtroopers are wearing Chelsea Boots. They are dyed white of course!
Chelsea Boots Today
With 1960’s fashion trending so heavily today, it’s no surprise that the Chelsea boot is enjoying a trend resurgence. They have been spotted on the runways of many major designers from Saint Laurent to Burberry.
Our Luxury Golf Shoes
Gentlemanly Pursuits: Golf Attire for Men
Since golf had its beginnings in cool, rainy Scotland, the original attire for the sport was suited for its climate. Tweed suits with plus fours were paired with high, exposed woolen socks, thick-soled leather shoes and in a style that was often repurposed for other outdoor pursuits such as hunting. Heavy sweaters, knitted vests and ties often completed the look.
Contrary to what you might hear, leather is actually an excellent material choice for shoes since it’s appropriate for all kinds of weather. It’s comfortable, breathable and it can even be waterproofed.
Made-to-Order Golf Shoes: Play with Style
Blake welt construction, waterproof materials and leather golf sole unit with removable softspikes™ attachments: our Golf Men Dress collection is the perfect choice for players who demand elegance and comfort on the field. From the classic Saddle style to the elegant Double Monk, all our Men’s Dress shoe styles are also available as Golf Shoes.
Softspikes Cleats Technology
Softspikes Pulsar delivers maximum comfort and performance via a 16 component design that reacts to every angle of force exerted by the golfer. Reinforced arched webbing between each of Pulsar’s legs delivers instant energy return every time the cleat is compressed – resulting in a cleat that offers unmatched stability and comfort.
Level Up Your Game: Customized Golf Shoes
You will be able to customize your Men’s Dress Golf shoes using our 3D Designing tool, with billions of design combinations available. Furthermore, you can have a look at our Get Inspired Gallery and navigate through hundreds of beautiful designs for inspirational purposes.
Get Inspired
With more than 60 billion different materials/colors/designing/soles units combinations, our Made-to-Order 3D Shoe Designing Platform is a very powerful tool for all creative designers around the globe. Find below a few designs that caught our eye:
Our Luxury Custom Slippers
A Brief History of the Slippers
Once the house shoe of Victorian men throwing formal parties, the slipper has cast aside its dandy image and become a staple in lookbooks across the world.
Slippers first became a prominent style for the fashionable man the way that so many menswear pieces rise in popularity – by celebrity endorsement. In this case from Prince Albert, Prince Consort of the UK in the late-1800s.
Love Them or Hate Them
Men’s dress slippers are a footwear choice quite unlike any other. Also called the dinner slipper, Prince Albert, evening slipper, tassel loafer, smoking slipper and slip-on, these elegant and indisputably ostentatious shoes are bold, brazen and utterly flexible.
Create Your Own Style
Traditionally made of suede and velvet, our Made-To-Order customization program offers BILLIONS of different design combinations, with multiple accessories like Albert mask, tassels or metal bit. Our artisans handcraft each MTO pair approximately in 2-3 weeks lead time.
Start by choosing between the three basic slipper styles: Wellington, Drake or Belgian. Watch a demo of our 3D Designing Tool below.
Embroideries included by default
As you know, our current embroidery repository is quite large and includes dozens of designs with all kind of motifs. Those designs are included by default on all MTO platforms.
Create your own design
You can indeed add your own motif / monogram / embroidery designs. You just need to send us a special design / motif / crest / logo and our embroidery artist will convert it into a rich embroidery DST file for your brand’s exclusive use.
The design will be added to your own private 3D designing tool, and will remain exclusive for your own use. You will find your custom designs on the right panel => Accessories > Embroidery
Check out our designs
