TThis week we're blogging from the US which, in the world of the www should make no difference, but it does when it means sitting in blazing sunshine in an unseasonal 74 degrees!
It's my first visit to Chicago and I love it - like a well-thought combination of NY and Boston so villagey and high rise all at once. It's a first time for me, meeting some of the customers out here and it has been a pleasure...they are the definitive carreducker client - an interesting mix of age, occupation and personality from a couple of guys in their early 20s to more mature, self-made businessmen.
Blog followers, you'll be interested to hear that the fittings included the pink and cream derby shoes, which James blogged about recently. I have nick-named them the Battenburgs (a popular English cake from the 70s). And as James says, "they are growing on us". I was a little nervous to be honest, because sometimes when a client orders something out of the ordinary it's hard to know if they really have a picture of what they will look like. I was thrilled - he loves them - although we did agree one tiny refinement, which is claret red beading on the top edge and seams, to help to define them more. They will also have a natural finish on the heel and sole so will look very Great Gatsby. Lovely!
We're now in New York where we have fewer fittings scheduled, but we hope to meet new customers through Gieves and Hawkes bespoke appointments. We shall see how the days go in the mean time. Back to normal next week with more shoemaking news, so until then happy shoemaking!
