After launching a collection inspired by the Vuitton traveler, the veritable label goes one step further and factors in the explorer. Proof? The new Louis Vuitton Derbies! Out goes ‘mass produced’ and in comes the shoe with the handcrafted sole for the man that pictures Paris in the early twentieth century enters the Silk Road and braves the foothills of the Himalayas, all with the same zeal.
Fit for city-life and unchartered territory alike, this new pre-collection piece comes in calfskin, with thick soles made entirely by hand and consisting of three layers, a micro-leather covered wedge, a first stitched leather sole in the upper part, and a second rubber at the bottom of the sole. The chief feature of these shoes is this twin-sole floor with a layer of agglomerated cork connected by a double seam between the two soles. While the sewing joins the outsole to the inner sole, any lack of internal sewn holes provides perfect insulation from cold, heat, soil moisture, and great comfort and support. This production system, though, makes it somewhat stiff when new, is reminiscent of the olden days when, over time, the foot is adapted to the template and develops its own unique hold.
The dual-textured Derbies don a bold black or bottle green and a distinctly rounded shape that is very retro. They marry tradition to modern-day sportiness. While the natural wood outsole and cognac lining exude a classic charisma, the extra rubber sole at the bottom and the engraved LV initials make sure to keep the shoes in tune with the latest trends. If elegance were to begin at the feet, these would be any man’s ideal foot accompaniment.
[Via – Embelezzia]
