Before I knew it, it's mid-June and the spring/summer arrivals are coming to an end.
Here's a shoe I recommend.

Juan Montes "Punt Leather Zapatillas"
Size : WOMENS 36-38 / MENS 40-42
Color : Black
Price : ¥38,000- + tax

Leather mules by Juan Montes, a shoemaker based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Since 1982, he has been making shoes by himself, and his creations are special, combining the rustic craftsmanship unique to South America with a sophisticated design sense.

He uses high-quality Argentine cowhide. He hand-braids each cut leather piece to form the upper and performs all processes himself, right down to attaching the sole.

The voluminous braided upper has a unique presence, as if it were the vamp of a Western boot.
The design combines the lightness of a sandal with the substantial feel of a leather shoe.

As you wear them, the leather softens and conforms to your feet, and you can enjoy the beautiful aging process. This is a product imbued with the craftsman's time and philosophy, something that can never be achieved through mass production.

MADE IN ARGENTINA

I met Juan Montes in July 2019.
It was during a 2-3 week stay in Argentina, mainly in Buenos Aires, a city once called "the Paris of South America," where I visited various shoemakers and craftsmen.

While there were many shoemakers and factories, it was difficult to find something truly remarkable as the quality varied greatly.
Among the many works I saw, his shoes left a strong impression on me.
However, perhaps they were a bit too new for me at the time, or perhaps they didn't quite fit my style, so while I bought them, I never got around to wearing them.
They remained quietly stored in a corner of my memory and in a shoebox.

Several years passed.
Around two years ago, I started to become interested in Western and craft elements again, and I decided to finally wear the Juan Montes shoes that had been dormant.

Curiously, they fit my style much more naturally than they had back then.
They are incredibly versatile, pairing well with various trousers, whether wide, narrow, or flared.
They effortlessly complement slacks, jeans, and other trousers.

They have a strong shape reminiscent of Western boots, yet they are sandals.

While clearly handcrafted, they also give off a surprisingly urban and sophisticated impression.

The charm that I didn't see a few years ago has become clear to me recently.

General braided leather shoes can sometimes have too much of a "crafty" feel.
As shown in the photos, Juan Montes's work is no exception, but the braiding, created with wide leather specifically requested for this design, possesses a unique presence while surprisingly maintaining a modern impression.

This time, I only selected black.

This is because I felt that black most accentuated the three-dimensionality of the braiding and the beautiful shadows, allowing the appeal of Juan Montes to be felt most directly.

It's a pair of shoes whose charm I rediscovered after a long time, due to changes in my own mood and perspective.

Perhaps this kind of encounter is what makes clothing and shoes so interesting.

We had a few past stock items and samples on display for two years, but many sizes were out of stock, and the response was good, so we finally placed an order.

Last year, unfortunately, we couldn't deliver, so it feels like two years in the making for me.
Thank you to everyone who came to our store and inquired!!
Thank you for your patience!

This is a pair of shoes I highly recommend trying.

And since many of the positive responses were from female customers, this time we also had women's sizes made.
Because he works alone, the delivery time is quite relaxed (two months late).
It's just the right season to buy summer shoes.

It seems difficult to get additional stock this year, so if you're interested, please act quickly!!
If you're unsure about the size, please come visit us.

Miyaji

Lakewood Clothing
1-1-11 Norikura Bldg 101, Taishido, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 154-0004
TEL : 03-5932-5668
Mail : info@lakewood-clothing.com
Open : 14:00 - 19:00  /  Close:  Wednesday , Thursday (Open by appointment only)
Online Store : https://lakewood-clothing.com/
Instagram : @lakewood_clothing