Making shoes is a craft that has been practiced for centuries. Numerous techniques have been discovered and developed by the artisans of yesteryear to ensure that the shoes of today remain as beautiful and well-made as the products of earlier times.
In recent years however, modern techniques have become more popular, and with good reason. When properly executed, modern techniques can create shoes that look like nothing like their predecessors. They are creations valued greatly because their look is unique and unlike anything seen prior.
To get a firmer grasp on how the utilization of modern techniques can work to create shoes that can be defined only as spectacular, one need not look further than the pairs of Alfred shoes that come from Belvedere.
The Innovative Technique That Gives the Alfred Its Unique Identity
What separates the Alfred (shown here in Black Rust) from every other dress shoe available on the market is the technique used to bestow upon it a distinctive appearance. It’s a process known as hand-staining.
Hand-staining is not a type of technique that can work with just any type of shoe. For it to work as intended, the shoes it will be used for must be made out of genuine leather. That is a requirement because the hand-staining method is designed to bring out the natural colors of whichever type of leather is used for the shoe.
In the case of the Alfred, genuine alligator leather is used, and the pattern that comes about from the hand-staining process resembles a kind of faded checkerboard. Lighter-hued lines create crossing patterns all over the shoe. They work together to create a pattern that is visually engaging.
That’s not all that is worth knowing about the hand-staining process used to make the Alfred shoes from Belvedere.
Because of the way the hand-staining process works, the pattern created on one shoe will be different from what can be seen featured on another. What this means for the shopper is that when they get a pair of Alfred shoes, they are guaranteed something beautiful, modern, and also one-of-a-kind.
The Other Characteristics of the Alfred That Make It So Special
The tassel laces are welcome additions and they are designed to mesh with whatever pattern is produced by the hand-staining to create a cohesive look all throughout the shoe.
Though the appearance of each Alfred shoe is unique, what is common among all of them is a sturdy build. These shoes are highly durable, and they also keep wearers comfortable with the help from a cushion that lines the interior.
If one does not find the black rust variant of the Alfred to be striking enough, there is a caramel option available that provides the same kind of unique style.
Let it never be said that modern innovations in shoe making cannot result in great works of art. The Alfred shoes are ideal examples of what good can come from allowing expert artisans to broaden their horizons by using new techniques.