Where did you first hear about Maftei shoes? Or if you search Maftei, what will you see?
That’s right, one of the world’s two best dress shoe bloggers, Jesper Ingevaldsson, commissioned one pair of bespoke shoes to Mr. Maftei. The shoe was also praised by another great blogger, Justin FitzPatrick.
What kind of shoes are they? A pair of seamless wholecut Oxford, which is also the signature of Mr. Maftei globally.
I asked Mr. Maftei to give me a copy of the shoe, and in honor of the initiator, I named the shoe Jesper.
Let us have a look at this masterpiece.
Unboxing
girly pink, why do dress shoes use shoe bags in such colour? If you know the shoes commissioned by Jesper, you have the answer.
Last
Sperm whale is what this top view makes me feel.
This last is a replica of Jesper’s Bespoke last. This wide toe, coupled with a deliberately concave transition, makes me think that this toe is the head of a sperm whale.
Looking at the toe from profile, deliberately arched, but not to the extent of workboots.
Profile also depicts the banana last, and the ultimate narrow waist.
Pattern
Seamless Wholecut Oxford. A truly seamless one-piece Oxford brings a sense of sophistication and impeccable fluidity.
I’m not a technical guy and I don’t have much personal preference for such a relatively advanced craft in the field of shoemaking.
There aren’t many shoemakers who can do this, and it’s even rarer to see on ready to wear shoes. I know Berluti’s Onecut, Saint Crispin’s, and Antonio Meccariello.
Anyway, relying on Jesper’s shoes, Maftei’s fame in this skill is full.
Leather
I believe that the color and the overall gloss performance of the leather are so amazing.
Craftsmanship
Stitches perfectly match the fudges which is highlighted by the white thread.
Sole
Super narrow fiddleback waist.
Details
The shoes also show the consideration and aesthetics on heel.
In this picture, you can see that the heel is small and tight, and it is more eye-catching that the downward line along the left to right of the heel. This is to give a better wrap to the ankle without grinding the outside to the screw bone.
Summary
A very unique pair of shoes.