The Stitchdown Shoecast

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The Shoe & Boot World's 2022 In Review—and Some Predictions for What's Coming in 2023 Jan 17, 2023

Show notes

We’re not sure there’s ever been a “normal” year in the quality footwear world, but 2022 certainly wasn’t about to start being one.

Smart brands reasoned out strategies that allowed them to shift from labor and supply chain scrambles to sustainable long-term solutions. The sudden rise of the Chinese brand dovetailed with the worldwide emergence of the intentionally micro (and damn talented) bookmaker. A storied brand changed ownership hands—hopefully in a manner that lets its craft and traditions persist for decades to come. And everyone caught a serious case of loafer fever, a very positive outcome indeed.
Ben and Ticho look back at a darned interesting 2022—and lob out impossibly bold predictions (LOAFER DOME?!?!) for the year ahead in 2023.
This episode was sponsored by Standard & Strange, who we predict will carry the most impressive range of Japanese footwear in the entire US
Theme Song: The Road by Punk Rock Opera

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We'd better see you at Stitchdown Chicago 2026—the world's fair of shoes and boots and leather and more—Nov 6-7 at Artifact Events.
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It's Ticho vs. Almost Vintage Jake in The Stitchdown Bootbate 2: Electric Boot-Galoo Jan 10, 2023

Show notes

It's been over two years since our own Ticho took on Mr. Style, aka @almostvintagestyle, aka " Jake," in the inaugural Stitchdown Bootbate, an extremely formal and rigid debate...about boots.
Since then, both competitors have been cooped up in their lairs, conditioning their boots, shining their heels, wearing clothing from a place known as Japan, and mostly, preparing for the second round. Well here it is, people. Here it is!
The Stitchdown Bootbate 2: Electric Boot-Galoo is yet another epic clash between these two boot titans, covering the big, important topics in only the way they can. What is first on their list of lasts? Dainite: dapper or deadly?? Country of origin: how much does it matter in 2023?!? And oh so much more.
Yet another battle of boot logic and knowledge for the ages awaits you!
This episode was sponsored by Standard & Strange, and about this there is no debate: the Oakland, NYC, and Sante Fe retailer is home to some of the great boots in the world.
Theme song: The Road by Punk Rock Opera

Shoebag!! Where's the Line on Copying Designs? Are Wedge Soles the Devil or God Himself? And More! Dec 20, 2022

Show notes

What's clickin'?? That's right Ben and Ticho are back with another SHOOOEBAG episode, in which we answer all of your listener questions, including:
What are the best options for non-PNW footwear with arch support? Why do certain deranged people not recognize the extreme artistic beauty of the wedge sole? What are some of the best ways to enjoy the pairs you have, instead of just worrying about the next one? IS CHONK DEAD?!? And the big dog: where exactly does the line sit on brands copying other brands' patterns and silhouettes?
Come with us if you want to Shoebag!
This episode was sponsored by Standard & Strange, which has more Japanese boots than possibly even Japan
Theme song: The Road by Punk Rock Opera

Nick Horween and Phil Kalas Forcibly Take Over the Shoecast, And Turn the Whole Thing Right Around on Us Dec 12, 2022

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We've had both Nick Horween (the one from Horween Leather) and Phil Kalas (formerly of Horween, now making some of the best wallets, belts, and more over at Ashland Leather) on the Shoecast before. WELL APPARENTLY THAT WASN'T ENOUGH FOR THEM.
Clearly over-emboldened by recently starting their own show, the Full Grain Podcast, Phil and Nick swung into a recent Shoecast recording session, said "we're the hosts now," and proceeded to interview Ben and Ticho.
Which actually led to some very fun conversations about how we got started with this whole caring way too much about shoes and boots thing, community building, Patina Thunderdomes, Chicago hot dogs (obviously), and plenty more.
Luckily Phil and Nick are very caring and wonderful captors, so, thank you fellas for doing it right.
This episode was sponsored by Division Road—sign up for their bulletin to get all the latest White’s, Tricker’s, Crockett & Jones, Wesco, and Alden releases
Theme song: The Road by Punk Rock Opera

Unsung House's Grant Gustafson is Doing Some of the Coolest Repair, Customization, and Bootmaking in the Game Dec 06, 2022

Show notes

Unsung House is a wonderfully rare shoe repair shop. After a half decade learning the trade in a more “standard” cobbler setting, brothers Grant and Isaac Gustafson opened Unsung in a literal old house in Nashville, to focus on impeccable higher-end shoe—and especially boot—repair, restoration, and ground-up creation.
Ben and Ticho sat down with Grant to dig into the beautiful details of Unsung’s work, from how they work a re-last job, to the dark arts of pattern grading, to their 9000-year-old sander that’s the size of a 727, and almost certainly louder.
We also go deep on Unsung’s nascent house-made boot line, specifically with Ticho’s wonderful engineer boots that feature an overdye created from walnuts Grant harvested on his own property—only because he hasn’t found enough wasp cocoons to do it that way.
What’s the purpose of a craftsperson in an Amazon world? We spent plenty of time trying to figure that the hell out—and Grant has as good an outlook as we’ve ever heard.
This episode was sponsored by Division Road—sign up for their bulletin to get all the latest White's, Tricker's, Crockett & Jones, Wesco, and Alden releases
Theme song: The Road by Punk Rock Opera

How Jack Millington Started England's First New Tannery in a Century on His Parent's Goat Farm Nov 29, 2022

Show notes

For anyone who’s ever thought of quitting their job to make leather and boots, here’s the secret: just first make sure your parents own a goat farm in the British countryside.
Six years ago, Jack Millington was the lucky guy in that position, and he up and started what we’re pretty sure is England’s first new tannery over a century. Today, his brainchild Billy Tannery vegetable-tans micro-small batches of deer, pig, and of course goat leather, from which they create a growing range of small leathergoods…and some very choice footwear.
On the latest Shoecast episode, we speak with Jack about where his tanning epiphany came from, how he quickly corralled the knowledge necessary to set up a micro-tannery on the farm, and of course what kind of footwear Billy is making with goat and deerskin they’re producing.
But the highlight for us is Jack’s deep dive into veg-tanning: he lays out exactly how the process works, step by step, and sheds a ton of light on all of the intricacies and pitfalls that arise, especially on a boutique scale. Also if you don’t know what a “pure-finder” is, well you’re about to find out.
Give it a listen below!

Easy Moc's Greg Cordeiro on Re-Growing the Maine Handsewn Moccasin Tradition—and Big Shoe Biz vs Niche Nov 22, 2022

Show notes

Greg Cordeiro is our kind of shoe nerd. And the dude has been around.
After getting his start as an intern at Puma before shifting over to design work for Timberland, Cole Haan, Teva, and Ralph Lauren, Greg backed away from the mega-brand to co-found one of the seminal underground (now sadly defunct) footwear brands of the aughts: New England Outwear Company.
After that he plunged back into a behemoth with a senior design gig at the behemoth that is Clark's, and then Huckberry, before spending the last three years regaining total freedom with his design pen and building out his own factory in the US handsewn capital of Lewiston, Maine to create EasyMoc, a rising brand that combines time-honored handsewn moccasin construction techniques with creativity, a periodic dash of Japanese fashion, and a deep dedication to comfort.
So what's it like to work at a gigantic shoe brand vs your own small workshop? How much of a revival is the once-massive Maine shoemaking industry really seeing? We cover all of that and more, including the deepest, most detailed dive into footwear design we've ever had the pleasure of exploring on this Shoecast.
Warning! This one's a full nerd-out. And we're damn happy about it.
This episode was oh so thoughtfully sponsored by Grant Stone
Theme song: The Road by Punk Rock Opera

Talking Craft, Inspiration, and Crickets With Brooklyn's Own Bespoke Shoemaker Francis Waplinger Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

After being trained in the shoemaking arts by some of the all-time greats—including Italian master Roberto Ugolini and US shoemaking gravitational center Marcell Mrsan—Francis Waplinger found himself making shoes in a barn. Nobody said bespoke shoemaking was supposed to be easy.

Juggling multiple jobs on the east end of Long Island while sharing that barn workspace with his artist wife, Francis persisted: honing his craft, creating a range of samples, and eventually landing that crucial first bespoke order. About half a decade later, Francis has settled into a Brooklyn studio to cater to a growing list of clients for his uniquely styled, Americana nostalgia-/art deco-inspired bespoke dress shoes (and, he promises, more boots soon!).

So what's it like to be a bespoke shoemaker? From the training, to the craft and toil, to figuring out how to manage the business side of a single-person operation? Francis is here to let it rip on all of that and more.

Dress Shoes Deep Dive! What Makes a Fantastic Dress Shoe? Plus Recs at All Price Points. Sep 06, 2022

Show notes

Occasionally we discuss boots on this podcast, but that doesn't mean we don't love and appreciate a great dress shoe as well.
In the FINAL episode of Season 6, Ben grills Ticho—the actual dress shoe-knowing person on this podcast—about what elements add up into the perfect dress shoe, important styles to understand, and recommendations for brands both iconic and under the radar in basically every price category.
Why did we wear suits and dress shoes to tape a podcast hat nobody can see, in our basements? That's unclear. But man did it feel good.
This episode was sponsored by Standard & Strange, because nobody should wear dress shoes every day
Join the Stitchdown Discord today, unless you hate shoes of course
Theme song: The Road by Punk Rock Opera

How to Win the Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome Aug 10, 2022

Show notes

SHOOOOOOOOERADIO! That's right, everyone's favorite drive-time terrestrial radio show about boots and shoes is BACK to tell you exactly how to win over $30k in prizes including a TRIP TO JAPAN in the second annual Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome—just for wearing things on your feet for six months.
To get to the answer, our host field questions from totally random callers (all of whom somehow manage to be Patina Thunderdome judges? Amazing.), and gets deep into both the Work and Open categories of the Thunderdome.
What's the best overall approach? What about style of boot? Leather? Care? It's all laid out in beautiful, bombastic detail. So listen up and get ready to DOME!!
This episode was sponsored by Division Road, whose new Virginia boot-heaven compound on 45 acres of farmland officially opens August 25th
Theme song: The Road by Punk Rock Opera

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