TUXEDO ROAD - FIT FOR A KING
The Brannock Device. You probably don’t know it by the name, but step in anywhere from footlocker to Cole Haan, and its very likely that this tool will be used to determine your shoe size. The son of the shoe retailer from Syracuse, N.Y., Charles Brannock patented his invention and began producing that instantly recognizable instrument in 1927, claiming a perfect fit 95 percent of the time. For more than 80 years, the Brannock Device has proved its usefulness for off-the-rack fitting. The only way to get a better fit is to commission bespoke shoes- a process that can take five to six months, cost $2,000 to $3,000 or more and, for the best, often will require a trip to the famed shoemakers on London’s Jermyn Street (see W.S. Foster & Son) or Savile Row ( Google G.J. Cleverley & Co. Ltd.). There is however, another alternative, one that melds high-tech sizing techniques and manufacturing processes with classic style- a Florida based company known as Otabo Shoes.
Stepping up to the challenge of creating a custom fit for less was Otabo founder and President Howard Lee Shaffer, a former general manager of operations for Nike in Beijing. He utilized his knowledge of manufacturing a high volume of footwear overseas- his former company, Sabry Jen, produced 800,000 shoes per month for various brands-and paired it with a desire to create luxury footwear with an emphasis on craftsmanship when he started Otabo Custom Shoes. The company creates a variety of custom dress, casual and golf footwear to orthopedic-approved levels of comfort.
The process begins with a 3D scan of your foot, in which a laser-based optical scanner captures more than 200,000 data points as references, creating a digital model that is accurate to 0.5 mm. Then it gets complicated: The detailed analysis includes specifications such as toe curvature and toe height, ball width and girth, instep volume, and heel shape and arch contours, among other minute measurements. The computer uses these details to create a 3D digital model, which is then used to create the last. Traditionally, a shoemaker would create the last, the mold around which the shoe is created, by hand from wood- a method still practiced by London’s finest cordwainers. Otabo, however, uses the computer-generated lathe, automating and expediting a very time-consuming, manual process.
But this is where the line between traditional and technological blurs even further. Just like with handmade shoes, the customer can choose from a bevy of designs and personal options. The leather type, color, pattern, detail and outsole are all up for personalization. The outsoles, crafted from German leather that has been aged for 18 months ( a century-old technique used by the best shoemakers in the world), can be inscribed with a message or monogrammed. With style and options chosen, leathers are precision-cut on a water jet machine at 45,000 psi, then the shoes are digitally bonded, a technique the company claims to be more durable than traditional stitching. Each shoe is then finished and polished by hand. After all is said and done, you’ll receive your shoes within four to six weeks-much faster than fully handmade models. With prices ranging from $350 to $2,000 (for exotic leathers), they’re also much more affordable.
Stepping up to the challenge of creating a custom fit for less was Otabo founder and President Howard Lee Shaffer, a former general manager of operations for Nike in Beijing. He utilized his knowledge of manufacturing a high volume of footwear overseas- his former company, Sabry Jen, produced 800,000 shoes per month for various brands-and paired it with a desire to create luxury footwear with an emphasis on craftsmanship when he started Otabo Custom Shoes. The company creates a variety of custom dress, casual and golf footwear to orthopedic-approved levels of comfort.
The process begins with a 3D scan of your foot, in which a laser-based optical scanner captures more than 200,000 data points as references, creating a digital model that is accurate to 0.5 mm. Then it gets complicated: The detailed analysis includes specifications such as toe curvature and toe height, ball width and girth, instep volume, and heel shape and arch contours, among other minute measurements. The computer uses these details to create a 3D digital model, which is then used to create the last. Traditionally, a shoemaker would create the last, the mold around which the shoe is created, by hand from wood- a method still practiced by London’s finest cordwainers. Otabo, however, uses the computer-generated lathe, automating and expediting a very time-consuming, manual process.
But this is where the line between traditional and technological blurs even further. Just like with handmade shoes, the customer can choose from a bevy of designs and personal options. The leather type, color, pattern, detail and outsole are all up for personalization. The outsoles, crafted from German leather that has been aged for 18 months ( a century-old technique used by the best shoemakers in the world), can be inscribed with a message or monogrammed. With style and options chosen, leathers are precision-cut on a water jet machine at 45,000 psi, then the shoes are digitally bonded, a technique the company claims to be more durable than traditional stitching. Each shoe is then finished and polished by hand. After all is said and done, you’ll receive your shoes within four to six weeks-much faster than fully handmade models. With prices ranging from $350 to $2,000 (for exotic leathers), they’re also much more affordable.
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