An Interview with Justin FitzPatrick

Justin FitzPatrick is the most well known dress shoe blogger in the world, running TheShoeSnob, he is also the founder of shoe brand J.FitzPatrick.

It is a great honour to have the opportunity to talk with him.

Your brand is made in Spain like many, and you buy leather from the mainstream tanneries, so what is special about J.FitzPatrick?

I would like to name four special points:

1) When it comes to the activation of classic styles and modern innovations, I dare to pat my chest and say that J.FitzPatrick is a leader in this industry.

If I hadn’t introduced these styles, you would have seen them in the market now, like button boots and Butterfly Loafers.

Adding a slimmer element to the Hiking Book to make it suitable for urban wear is also my creation.

The original design is what I want to emphasize the most.

2) My last is developed by myself. Maybe you don’t know, many brands that are OEM in Spain, their lasts are provided by the factory.

My lasts were modified by me based on the one Tony Gaziano developed for me.

3. Customer service is also a highlight of J.FitzPatrick, and you can google it to see what people have to say.

4. Although my shoes would not be described as cheap, they are extremely cost-effective. I want a reasonable profit margin, and at the same time, the quality control of the factory is becoming more and more stringent. I feel like I can sell my shoes for another $100.

Where is your biggest customer base?

The US.

Back in the United States, you’ll be in a head-to-head battle with Cobbler Union. Your pricing is exactly the same, it’s also made in Spain, and the reputation is very good, do you think you can win?

I don’t think there’s anything to win or lose, the U.S. market is big enough that both of us can live a nourishing life.

And, to tell you the truth, I’m not looking at Cobbler Union, because it’s still too small, and its customer base is shoe lovers.

My targets are Allen Edmonds To Boot New York, Ferragamo and Santoni.

The consumers I’m going to grab are those who don’t glance Instagram, don’t read blogs about shoes, they just want good shoes.

Which brand do you despise the most in your mid-range price range?

I don’t despise any brand, but I don’t respect brands that lie, or raise prices and lower quality at the same time. Truth be told, there are a lot of them.

I hate those who use the word Handmade when they are obviously mass-produced in factories, and that’s lying!

I’m sick of Prada’s ruining Church’s.

I also don’t like plagiarized brands. I understand that classics are welcome by everyone, but if someone has a unique design and you take it casually, I don’t appreciate it.

At my price point, because they are all new players, I think they all have good value for money, and there is nothing I despise.

What I admire most are brands that have unique and original designs. I hate brands that copy other people’s designs and then make them cheaper.

After graduating from Stefano Bemer Studio, why didn’t you choose to be a bespoke instead of your classmates, but established a shoe brand?

I never wanted to be a Bespoke shoemaker. I learned the craft in order to become a better designer and be respected in the industry.

When you’re a 20-something-year-old American hairy guy who starts a brand and wants to compete with European brands that are more than 100 years old, you need some talk. Study under the top bespoke shoemaker to create top-quality leather shoes by hand gave me this lecture.

Who is your best friend and who is your mentor in this industry, apart from Norman Vilalta (a fellow student of Stefano Bemer)?

I have many acquaintances in this industry, but many of them are just business associates, the people I would call friends are Tony Gaziano, Dean Girling, Marcos Fernandez, Mathieu Preiss, Hugo Jacomet, Patrik Lof, Paolo Scafora, the Barbanera brothers, Mario Bemer and Riccardo Bestetti.

Tony Gaziano helped me create my brand and taught me a lot about shoes. Stefano Bemer didn’t teach me himself, but his studio allowed me to grow. Marco Fernandez has also helped build my brand and I am very grateful to Marcos.

What are your hobbies besides shoes?

I love music and movies, as well as cooking.

A few words about Chinese leather shoe lovers.

I’m very eager to come to China and hold Trunk Shows there. I hope you guys like my shoes and support me, thank you.