The October Surprise
This month we have four new group-made-to-order shoes for you. We are debuting three new designs for the first time as well as one of our best-selling MTOs in a new striking new color.
Our first shoe is our handsome new Hemingway Cap Toe Boot. Hemingway features a combination of leathers, our round toe last, 4 eyelet and 3 speed hook lacing, a semi-lined shaft, and a comfortable Vibram Sole.
We selected a combination of Box Calf leather from Tanneries du Puy and Box Vegano Inca from Tanneries du Annonay which complement each other beautifully. The buttery leather of the vamp, toe box, and counter is a smart contrast with the texture of the grain calf of the quarters and shaft, and the dark mahogany handmade patina.
Unique stitching adorns the heel and the semi lined shaft provides additional freedom of movement at the ankle.
Hemingway sits on a lightweight and durable Vibram Rubber Button Sole which slightly resembles a double leather sole and can be easily be paired up with a suit or dressed down with denim.
It can be hard to think of a derby as a more casual shoe when you see the combination of the chiseled toe last, wingtip, soft square facings, carefully spaced eyelets and subtle swan stitch detailing.
The vamp, lower quarter, and counter are carefully lasted around the shoe in one piece of leather and are topped off with a balmoral seam accented with brogues. The dark oak handmade patina add another level of sophistication to the shoe with the patina transitioning at the toe box, heel, and facings.
Our third shoe is the return of our Gaspar Derby (formerly known as our U-Tip Derby). With the popularity of the MTO shoe in brown and cognac as well as bordeaux, we decided to add a new colorway to the mix.
Gaspar features a moc toe, grain calf leather, an asymmetric pattern that has no center back seam, and a lightweight and durable Vibram Commando Sole.
The apron is carefully hand stitched and designed with proportions that complement the round toe last of our Derby and the grain calf leather from Tanneries du Annonay has a wonderful pebble grain texture which is the perfect canvas for our Black Forest patina, a deep black and green.
While developing new boot designs we realized that there weren’t many options beside high boots or chukkas within our tier of the market. We wanted to make a boot that was stylish, functional and versatile, yet with a slightly new silhouette. As a result, we created our new Marsella Boot.
Marsella is a mid-height boot that features our chiseled toe last, a combination of grain calf leather and suede, a semi-lined shaft, 4 eyelets and 1 speed hook lacing, and a hand painted leather sole.
The vamp, lower quarters, and counter are made of one piece of Box Vegano Inca Leather from Tanneries du Annonay, which is lasted around the shoe and meet at the inner heel.
While the mid-height of the shaft might be new to some, we found that it strikes the perfect balance of a boot that can be comfortably dressed up or down without feeling restricted as sometime you do when wearing a boot that ends high on the ankles.
We named the Marsella Boot as an homage to the oldest bar in Barcelona where creatives such as Dali, Picasso, Gaudi, and Hemingway sipped absinthe while mixing with inner city locals, artists, and others who don't always conform to the norm and sometimes break the rules.
Our Hemingway Boot, Calder Wingtip Derby, Gaspar U-tip Derby, and Marsella Boot are now available as a group-made-to-order through the end of day Sunday, November 1st. You can place an order with a 50% deposit using the code GMTODEPOSIT during checkout. The balance will be collected before final shipment.
All shoes are bench made, Goodyear-welted, and hand finished by our artisan team in Barcelona, Spain. This process includes the use of glass, sandpaper, inks, creams, waxes, fire and multiple iron tools to achieve a bespoke quality finishing that the Norman Vilalta brand has become known for.
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