Last year I mentioned the Left Shoe Company (LSC) loosely based on my limited knowledge on the company. The 3D concept was great but I was curious to see how long this form of shoe making would be around. In August good friend and in-house photographer, Sir Shane Miller and I had the chance of going through the steps of creating our first pair of Left Shoes. Mr. Miller spoke briefly about the company but couldn’t give an honest opinion on the final product until now. It’s been over six weeks since Shane and I placed our order with Left Shoe and although I really enjoy the shoes were they able to stand up to the rural streets of NYC?

Here is my take on: The Left Shoe Company

The Process: The process was interesting and a first that I’ve experienced. First you have to put on a pair of multicolored socks in order for the scanner can detect your feet properly. After the 3D scanning was complete, it was then able to determine what type of last would be best for me based on my heel and the arch of my foot. The scanned results displayed the difference between my left and right foot and which shoe should be made with more cushion and other modifications.

The Designs: Since this is was a new way of creating men’s footwear, I was hoping for more options when it came down to the shoe designs. In my opinion Left Shoe played it safe when it came down to a offer a variety of style, but being that this is a new way of creating footwear it makes sense to stick with the classics to attract new customers. The LSC did however, add slight non-traditional details onto their shoes such as: the wingtips and tassle loafers. For my pair of shoes I went with the Brandon in burgundy calf leather. The Brandon is the fashion forward, double monk strap, menswear staple shoe. It looks great with everything from a three-piece suit to a distressed jeans and sports-jacket. Left Shoe does offer limited customization options such as picking out the fabric and embroidery that I hope they expand on over time.

The Test: Before writing this post I’ve worn the Brandon double monk shoes a few months. They were first featured in the #GentsStoopSeries, and the reason why I took some time to write this review was to see how durable they actually were through the streets of NYC. It took some time breaking in the shoes (which is expected with Goodyear welted shoes), but after the initial breaking in the Brandon turned into being a comfortable shoe. There is a bit of tension at the front part of my toe, that may come from the narrow foot silhouette.

The Result: With its flagship location in Los Angeles the biggest disadvantage for The Left Shoes company is the lack of access customers have to go through the made-to-measure process. After my conversation with the owner Gordon Clune the company plans to expand into other major cities. The Left Shoe Company is a quality company that prides itself off giving people shoes that are made specifically for them. The experience was great and I can truly say it is great to see the innovation of footwear evolving. The shoes were well constructed and stood up to a beating from the elements in Central Park and the New York streets. As durable as great as the service was, there needs to be more style options, wider shoe silhouettes, and customization options.

Left Shoe Company NYC Pop-Up Shop Opening Celebration

WHAT:

Made-to-measure men’s shoe brand Left Shoe Company opens NYC pop-up for the holiday season with 3-D scanning technology combining state-of-the-art tech and old-world, custom craftsmanship.

WHEN:

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

6:00pm-9:00pm

WHERE:

Left Shoe Company NYC Holiday Pop-Up Shop

Grace Building

1114 Avenue of the Americas

(Entrance on 42^nd Street btwn Avenue of the Americas and 5th Ave)

New York, NY 10110

https://us.leftshoecompany.com/

RSVP:

keri@domainmsa.com