WALK A MILE IN SOMEONE ELSE'S SHOES -MICHOU BARES HIS SOUL TO SOLE FOR THE LOVE OF A SHOE

Welcome to our ONLINE STORE  and blog. 

As a barware, lighting and  home accessories design company, we at Thomas Fuchs Creative specialize in handmade goods. Every week we give you behind the scenes to the people, places and things that inspire us.

A hit of this week's point of admiration is the cover photo of this blog which is none other than Lapo Elkann, grandson of Italian Impresario and style Icon Gianni Angnelli, shoe closet. 

I literally take it to the streets piloting you around the world in my shoes. I am so inspired by the Vlog The Sartorial Talks by The Parisian Gentleman, Hugo Jacomet (124K Subscribers) interviewing the American Southern Young Bucks Trenton & Heath (357K Subscribers) who are young cobblers schooling their American public on quality shoes from soul to sole. 

Canali Indigo Suede Tasseled Loafers

The age-old saying "walk a mile in my shoes" provides a lens through which we can explore the deeper significance of shoes in civilization. This concept took on new meaning for me after attending the Miami Shoe Museum show, where the evolution of footwear was presented not only as a journey through history but as a testament to human creativity, resilience, and cultural identity.

From prehistoric times, when early humans wrapped their feet to traverse rugged terrains, shoes have served as essential tools of protection and comfort. Over time, these functional necessities transformed into powerful symbols of status, artistry, and innovation—a theme vividly captured by the Miami Shoe Museum’s diverse exhibits. From ancient leather sandals to avant-garde high fashion designs, the show illuminated how shoes transcend their utilitarian origins to reflect the values, technologies, and aesthetics of their time.

Esparto Sandals

The exhibition showcased the multifaceted nature of shoes: practical items like steel-toe boots for industrial work, sophisticated high heels worn during formal events, and versatile sneakers that bridge the gap between sports and everyday life. Contemporary footwear, as displayed, spans the spectrum from minimalist sandals to elaborate creations by renowned designers, underscoring the varied purposes and cultural significance of shoes across the globe.

What struck me most was the museum’s emphasis on sustainability and the environmental impact of the $200 billion global shoe industry. The show highlighted the challenges of recycling materials and reusing shoes, given that 90% of footwear ends up in landfills. This aspect made me reflect on how modern designers could draw inspiration from ancient practices—such as using biodegradable materials—to innovate more eco-friendly solutions.

The historical artifacts on display—like the 5,500-year-old leather shoe from Armenia and the sagebrush bark sandals from Oregon—served as powerful reminders of humanity’s enduring ingenuity. Each piece told a story of adaptation and survival, with designs evolving to meet the demands of varied climates, terrains, and cultural practices. The Miami Shoe Museum seamlessly bridged past and present, offering insights into the role of footwear in shaping societal norms and individual expression.

The show inspired me to look at shoes not just as objects but as narratives, each pair a chapter in humanity’s story. Whether through the delicate craftsmanship of ancient sandals or the bold experimentation of modern designers, the Miami Shoe Museum revealed how footwear continues to walk us through time, telling tales of innovation, identity, and the universal human desire to protect and adorn our feet.

The Dynamic Duo Brothers Trenton and Heath of Potter & Sons

As brothers and co-owners of 2 businesses within the shoe industry, these handsome brothers are always excited to bring us some of the best content, regarding all things shoes, on their  YouTube channel. They discuss the best shoe brands, the best shoe products, tutorials on shoe care, and take you behind the scenes as they repair shoes brought into their shop.

The brothers and business partners in two businesses (Potter & Sons Shoe Artisans) and (Southern Polished). They created the channel to share helpful and entertaining videos about one of our favorite topics...SHOES. As two guys that have been in the shoe industry for a while now, we have a lot of insight on this topic. Along with their dad, they are both shoe cobblers in our shop. They have polished and repaired THOUSANDS of shoes, and hope to use the channel to insights on which brands of shoes are best, how to polish your shoes, when to have your shoes repaired, how to repair shoes...and much, much more.

They are currently based in Nashville, Tennessee and are always down to connect and answer any questions you may have. Feel free to reach out on social media, and if you'd like to reach out to them for business purposes, you may contact them via email trent@potterandsons.com.

Full disclosure I may have left comments from time to time under my pseudonym on Trenton & Heath's YOUTUBE, encouraging them to open their minds to other brands. Being the owners of a home goods design company and traveling to our various factories all over the world, I have become well versed in the power of a shoe.

 

Next up is "Parisian Gentleman" which has been created by Hugo Jacomet in 2009 as a personal diary in which he was sharing his sartorial adventures and his passion for bespoke tailoring and shoemaking.

Hugo Jacomet is an international best-selling author (Thames & Hudson London, Rizzoli New York, Intervalles Paris) specialised in classic menswear and anything sartorial. He is the founder of Parisian Gentleman and of Sartorial Talks, together with Greg and Sonya.

Soon after his son Greg Jacomet, then his future wife Sonya Glyn joined him to form the historical trio behind Parisian Gentleman and the two YouTube channels : « Sartorial Talks » (in English) and « Discussions Sartoriales » (in French).

Greg holds a degree in English Literature (Sorbonne Paris University) and has been in charge of the administration of the website, of the supervision of all the translations (in English and French) and of the production of all the contents, in two languages (ie 1500 articles in French and in English) since the beginning of the PG adventure. He’s also in charge of the post-production of the YouTube channels and is an accomplished video editor.

Sonya holds a BA of journalism and public relations from the University of Georgia (USA). She joined the PG team in 2011 in order to help Hugo and Greg Jacomet with the international development of the website. Sonya is the editor-in-chief of PG in English and co-hosts, alongside Hugo Jacomet, the Sartorial Talks show on YouTube as well as the eponymous podcast. She recently co-authored with her husband Hugo the book « Shoes, The Art of Male Footwear ».

Paul Smith Tassled Brown Leather Loafers  - On The Streets Of Paris

Be it walking miles to the gates in airports, trekking to dusty corners of the globe or being in front of the camera for selfies or press or just a simple instagram post, I have gathered quite the shoe collection spanning brands known and unknown across the world.

Sir Paul Brierley Smith[1] CH CBE RDI (born 5 July 1946) is an English luxury fashion designer. His reputation is founded on his designs for men's clothing, but his business has expanded into other areas as well.[2] Smith was made a Royal Designer for Industry in 1991.[3]

His eponymous fashion company was founded in 1970 and has expanded into over 70 countries, selling products via stores, malls, and airport terminals, together with a website e-commerce section. His brand's fluorescent pink flagship store in Los Angeles is a tourist destination for people who want to take selfies.[4]

Donald J. Pliner Denim Suede w/ Red Stitching in India at our Factory 

My love of shoes came from my Mother who by default schooled me in what makes a good shoe. From Charles Jourdan to Xavier Danaud, I remember my eyes fixing on the 1st pair Mom's cork shoes in the 80's with fleck shoes and I thinking how inventive it was. From being raised in Europe to the island of Jamaica I can say I have seen it all from sand to shoe.

Since 1989, Donald Pliner has been designing and building luxury footwear for men and women. Marked with a history of impeccable design and unique execution of innovative materials, Donald Pliner has been a staple of the footwear industry for the last 30 years.

Today, we carry on the legacy of our namesake founder with a bold approach to design, unique combinations of materials and color, and high quality craftsmanship. Our full range of footwear includes casual and dress styles in a wide variety of silhouettes including heels, wedges, flats, sneakers, boots, and sandals.

With design studios in New York & Los Angeles, the Donald Pliner design team is attune to current trends while striking a balance between daring statements and wearable fashion. There's something for every style (and comfort) minded person at Donald Pliner.

 

Ungaro Knee High Riding Boots at Design Miami During Art Basel Miami 

In full transparency I do not ever look at so many photos of myself in a row, however based on the topic and gathering of all subject matter I will take the "Road Less Travelled" on the journey into footwear that has taken me down the long winding metaphorical road to where we stand physically today.

Ungaro entered perhaps his most influential period in the 1980s, as he interpreted the era's aggressive, broad-shouldered women's silhouette[36][37][38] with Edwardian-style[39][40] shirring, ruching, draping,[41][42] and his trademark eye-catching prints[43] to create a voluptuous, very feminine, even coquettish look[44] that was highly popular with the public.[45][46][47][48]

Ungaro launched his first menswear collection, Ungaro Uomo, in 1973, and his first perfume, Diva, 10 years later in 1983. Ungaro was a participant in The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show held on 28 November 1973. Later followed the perfumes Senso (1987), Ungaro (1991) and Emanuel Ungaro For Men (1991).

By 1989, Ungaro was producing two haute couture collections a year, two women's ready-to-wear (labelled "Parallèle", begun in 1971), as well as lower-priced labels "Ter" (1988 to 1991) and "Solo Donna".[49][50] That year a scholarship was funded in his name at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, endowed by Marshall Field's in recognition of his legacy as a designer.

 

Menswear lines included "Classics by Ungaro" and "Ungaro pour l'Homme Paris".[50] Lines not designed by Ungaro himself included "Emanuel by Emanuel Ungaro", a women's line introduced specifically for the US market in 1991, "Emanuel Petite" in 1994, and "Ungaro Woman", a plus-size line added in 1996.[51][50]

In 1996, he formed a partnership with Salvatore Ferragamo.[2][52] In Ungaro's obituary, The Guardian notes that his 30 years without outside investment ending in 1996 made him "the last independent in Paris":[53]

What this process has helped me most realize that I have amassed the following colours of shoes: 

Black: 5 ; Blue: 11; Brown: 27; Green: 2; Grey: 2; Red: 5; White / Taupe: 1

However two weeks ago I enlisted stylist Lauren Mrozowski @laurenmro_ from the @therealreal who I have given 14 pair of Gucci shoes to! Lauren was the perfect person to help a deep dive into my closet being brutally honest telling me what to part with and what to keep. 

The RealReal, Inc. is an online and brick-and-mortar marketplace for staff-authenticated luxury consignment.[2] Based on the circular economy, The RealReal sells consigned clothing, fine jewelry, watches, fine art and home decor. It employs an in-house staff of experts including horologists, gemologists, art curators and luxury fashion authenticators who inspect items for authenticity and value;[3][4] however, the company has received criticism for selling counterfeit merchandise, including from Forbes, which states often a single copywriter, not an authenticator, provides the only inspection for many items sold by The RealReal.[5]

[6]

 At Our Former Beach Bungalow in Red Bank NJ With Our Basset Beagle Frida in Paul Smith's Printed Canvas Trainers

My favourite brands seem to be the below list.

Tap on each name for links to the brand:

Bally
Berluti

Bottega Veneta 
Fratelli Rossetti
Gucci
Osklen
Paul Smith
Premiata
Soludos Espadrilles
Tods
Ungaro

Hermes 
 
 
 

One of the most important lessons I learned early on was, as with all things coveted, pre internet, to save up and buy quality rather than amassing quantity.
I believe if gentlemen in America really heed this advice they would begin a collection that enables them to not only maximize a wardrobe making it more versatile but in essence they have less wear and tear on their shoe collection due to the fact that they have increased their footwear options.

Bally International Ltd.[3] is a Swiss luxury fashion house and company founded in 1851 by brothers Carl Franz Bally and Fritz Bally based in Caslano, Switzerland.

Traditionally the brand was most known for its shoes but has ever since also diversified into leather goods, bags, baggage, accessories and ready-to-wear. Bally's current creative director is Simone Bellotti, who succeeded Rhuigi Villaseñor, who was its creative director from 2022-2023.[4][5][6]

It has been continuously owned and managed by the Bally family for six generations until 1999, when it was sold to TPG Inc., a private equity firm, based in San Francisco.[7] In 2008, it was sold to Labelux Group (presently known as JAB Holding Company) which is ultimately owned by the German Reimann family.[8] Currently, Bally is owned by Regent, a California-based private equity firm.[2]

My Todd's in Puglia of  Which I have in a Myriad of Colours All Purchased At Airports Across The World 

Reminiscing back to the 1980's there was Charles Jourdan, Stephan Kelian, Joan & David whose men's line moniker was David and Joan, Jean-Baptiste Rautureau. I have also collected and repurposed my father's shoe collection luckily we are the same size now. 

Filippo Della Valle started the shoemaking business out of his family home in the late 1920s. Diego Della Valle, the elder son of Dorino, and a grandson of Filippo, expanded the workshop and turned it into a factory that started manufacturing shoes in the 1970s.[5] As they grew in popularity during the 1980s, Diego brought in nascent marketing strategies, such as influencer marketing, to broaden their consumer base, starting with Yasmin Le Bon in 1998.[6][7] Diego named the company J.P. Tod's in 1978. From 1996, he started converting the company's signature stores in the United States to J. P. Tod's boutiques.[8] The brand later dropped the "J.P." in 1999 after the brand became inadvertently known as solely "J.P.'s" instead of the preferred Tod's.[9][10] He selected the name from a Boston, Massachusetts phonebook in an effort to Americanize the Italian brand and court high-end consumers in New York.[11][9]

In an effort to diversify the family's business interests, they launched two sister brands, Fay (in 1986) and Hogan (in 1988), later forming Tod's Group.[18][19] The former was overseen by Diego's son Emanuele, who appointed Karl Lagerfeld as a designer for a handful of collections.[20] Tod's Group subsequently bought 60% of Roger Vivier, the French shoemaker known for the stiletto heel, in 1995.[21] Tod's later acquired further stock in Roger Vivier for €415 million, growing their stake from 57.5% to 60.7%.[22] By late 1990s, Diego turned over the day-to-day operation of the business to Andrea, his younger brother.[23] Time described their family dynamic in 2006 with: "Andrea plays the goalie to Diego's striker, the introverted, behind-the-scenes power broker to Diego's extroverted, genial public persona."[24] Tod's sales increased from €220 million in 2000 to €371 million in 2003.[25] Tod's went public in November 2000, listing on the Milan Stock Exchange at a valuation of €1.2 billion.[4]
 

Linen Gucci Gold Horsebit Worn in Photoshoot For The Sindhian 

The best thing about shoes is that your weight can fluctuate over the years but it's very rare that your shoe size changes. As the style changes you will find that all the shoe profiles come back into fashion.

The Gucci family claims its origins are rooted in the merchant city of Florence since around 1410. Guccio Giovanbattista Giacinto Dario Maria Gucci (1881–1953) left Florence for Paris, and settled in London in 1897 to work at the high-end Savoy Hotel. While working as a bellhop there, he would load/unload the luggage of the hotel's wealthy clients, learning about their tastes in fashion, quality, fabrics, and traveling conditions. He later worked four years for the Compagnie des Wagons-Lits, the European rail company that specialized in upscale travel leisure, thus further enhancing his experience with luxurious traveling lifestyles. After World War I, he worked for the maker of fine luggage Franzi.[12][13]

In 1921, Guccio Gucci bought his own shop on Via della Vigna Nuova in Florence, Azienda Individuale Guccio Gucci,[14] where he sold imported leather luggage. He also opened a small workshop to have his own leather goods made by local craftsmen. Eventually, a larger workshop had to be acquired to house Gucci's sixty artisans. In 1935, the invasion of Ethiopia by Mussolini led the League of Nations to impose a trade embargo on Italy. Leather became scarce, pushing Guccio Gucci to introduce other fabrics in the composition of the products, such as raffia, wicker, wood, linen and jute. The rombi motif, a Gucci signature, was created. The Guccis developed a new tanning technique to produce "cuoio grasso", which became a Gucci trademark. In 1937, Gucci launched its handbags.[13][12]

Guccio's wife and children all worked in the shop. Aldo, the son of Guccio, became increasingly involved in the family company since he started working there in 1925. He convinced his father to grow by opening a new shop in Rome (21 Via Condotti) in 1938, and launched more Gucci accessories (gloves, belts, wallets, keychains). During World War II, the artisans of Gucci worked on making boots for the Italian infantry.[13][12]

The company made handbags of cotton canvas rather than leather during World War II as a result of material shortages. The canvas, however, was distinguished by a signature double-G symbol combined with prominent red and green bands. After the war, the Gucci crest, which showed a shield and armored knight surrounded by a ribbon inscribed with the family name, became synonymous with the city of Florence.

 

Me at Le Bonmarche Fratelli Rosetti Shoe Department 

The Fratelli Rossetti story is an inspiring tale of a successful Italian business launched in 1953.

It’s not just the story of a company, but it’s the story of a family: the founder, Renzo Rossetti and his wife, Lisetta, were dedicated to the business for their whole lives.

The company is currently headed by the second generation of the Rossetti family, brothers Diego, Dario and Luca, who, playing different roles and offering varied skills, have steered the company to its 70th anniversary, always in pursuit of quality and united by their passion and respect for tradition.

Diego joined the family business in 1978, dealing with commercial aspects, in particular the development of export markets and the expansion of the single brand retail network in Italy and abroad. Under his direction, Fratelli Rossetti was the first Italian fashion label to open a boutique on Madison Avenue in New York.

 

• Dario began working in the style department in 1981, a natural progression from his artistic education and courses at shoe-making college. An art lover who collects antiques and is passionate about vintage cars, he enjoys visiting exhibitions and characteristic markets, searching for inspiration for new creations to add to the collections.
• 

In the Nineties, even before graduating from Milan’s Bocconi University, Luca was already involved in the management side of the business, constantly striving to bring significant improvements to company processes. Today, in his capacity as Managing Director, he deals in particular with the marketing and development of collections. He believes in ongoing training and innovation, essential to the fashion sector if it is to capture new trends. Luca loves travelling and is also a keen runner: he travels the world to take part in international marathons, including New York, Boston and Chicago

My Newest Find:
NDC:  

n.d.c. made by hand was created in 2001 by two friends passionate about shoes. Unable to find the shoes they really wanted to wear, they launched the brand to fulfill their personal need.
 

 NDC Brushed Suede Loafers 

n.d.c. made by hand immediately opened a new dimension in men's and lady's footwear, offering luxurious materials, comfortable lasts and rejuvenated classics. The collections aimed to be appealing to a wide range of customers — trend setters, luxury lovers, quality freaks, etc — who are in pursuit of understated individualism.

On The Hunt:

I had purchased my favourite Berluti shoes in Italy a few years ago, however, we all know the pit falls of globe trekking is the baggage loss pre Apple Air Tags in our suitcases.

The discovery of every shoe for me has a story. When I saw these beauties on the shelf I heard iconic songstress Roberta Flak singing in my head " The First Time". I immediately tried them on for size and they became mine. 

Flash forward many years this past Friday while walking through Miami's Design District we came across the store which has had a rebrand and fresh direction under the guise of Antoine Arnault ( son of LVMH's Bernard Arnault) whose keen eye and strategy has landed them designing the uniforms for the French Teams Opening Ceremony at the Olympics in 2024.

This new direction was clearly visible in their team members working in the store. I was approached by Benjamin Mitchell whose instinct and etiquette, combined with knowledge and know how, organically got me to reveal my story of the loss of my shoes! Benjamin hopped to action and found a pair and is having them sent to the store. This is what I call true luxury service which very few "luxury" institutions retain in todays day and age.