在香港的一棟老廠房裡有一間佈滿灰塵的作坊， 高和皮鞋公司（Kow Hoo Shoe Company）主管John CW Lau在此管理著一個由四名鞋匠組成的團隊。 他們中最年輕的也已經60多歲，
In a dusty workshop in an old industrial building in Hong Kong, John CW Lau, a director at Kow Hoo Shoe Company, oversees a team of four shoemakers. The quartet, ranging in age from late 60s to 95, meticulously craft custom-made shoes for some of the city’s most prominent businessmen.
而在城市另一邊的金光閃閃的高端購物中心裡， 伯爾魯帝（Berluti）的讓·蜜雪兒·卡薩隆加（Jean-Michel Casalonga）正在把鞋子親手送到顧客手裡， 並處理新的訂單。 這位在巴黎工作的制鞋大師——一個看起來像孩子的30多歲的男子——走遍世界， 為客戶提供他們想要的個性化服務。
While across town in one of the city’s gleaming high-end shopping centres, Jean-Michel Casalonga of Berluti is hand delivering shoes to customers and handling new orders. The Paris-based shoe master — a boyish-looking man in his 30s — travels the world meeting clients who want the personal service that the company offers.
這兩個場景的對比反映了對定制鞋子的需求正在增加。 有的顧客尋找經典的黑色牛津鞋， 有的則不走尋常路， 要的是獨一無二的風格。 “我們一直都注意在舒適和美觀之間尋找平衡點， ”卡薩隆加說道。 單獨定制的吸引力不僅在於擁有一雙符合個人喜好和感性的手工鞋子，
The contrast between these two scenes underscores the growing appetite for bespoke shoes. Customers seek everything from classic black Oxfords to one-of-a-kind styles that defy routine description. “We always pay attention in finding the good balance between comfort and aesthetic,” Casalonga said.The appeal of ‘a one-off’ goes beyond owning shoes that are handcrafted to match individual tastes and sensibilities: There is no need to break them in as one would with off-the-shelf footwear.
“從你第一天穿上它， 這個鞋就和你的腳完美貼合， ”至品生活（Noblesse Lifestyle）集團的創立者和總經理、男士風格的著名引領者布蘭登·召（Brandon Chau）說， “它就像手套一樣貼合你的腳， ”他本人擁有三雙這樣的定制鞋。
“They fit your feet perfectly from day one,” said Brandon Chau, founder and managing director of Noblesse Lifestyle Group in Hong Kong and a well-known arbiter of men’s style. “They really fit you like a glove,” said Chau, who owns three pairs.
“和大多數男人一樣， 定制之旅是從襯衫開始的， ”擁有十幾雙定制鞋的香港商人蓋瑞·托克（Gary Tok）說。 有了定制襯衫後他就開始尋找定制西服。 然後， 他開始思考：“下一步， 你會被哪種定制吸引？”答案是鞋子。
“Like most men, the bespoke journey starts with shirts,” said Gary Tok, a Hong Kong businessman who owns a dozen pairs of bespoke shoes. That first step with shirts led him to bespoke suits. Then he began to think, “What’s the next level of bespoke you gravitate to?” The answer: shoes.
但是， 訂購這些鞋子需要足夠的耐心， 以及參與設計和製作各個方面的強烈願望。 通常， 這樣一雙鞋需要花六到九個月來製作， 最低需要花費12000港幣（1540美元）， 價格高的可高達70000港幣到9000美元之間，
But ordering these shoes requires patience and a desire to become involved in all aspects of the design and construction. A pair typically takes between six and nine months to create and can cost anywhere from HK$12,000 (US$1,540) to well above HK$70,000 to US$9,000), depending on the type of leather and other materials used. Because of that extended time frame, the vast majority of customers are male. That’s because men’s shoe designs generally remain constant over the years, according to shoemakers, while women’s styles commonly follow seasonal fashion trends.
定制鞋與其他種類的鞋子的對比Bespoke versus other types of shoes
初入定制鞋的世界時，
Jumping into the world of bespoke shoes brings a whole raft of terminology that many new customers could find unfamiliar. As with suitsthere are various characterisations of tailored shoes. While the definitions can differ slightly, the term generally refers to shoes that are created from scratch and are one-of-a-kind.
鞋匠會量好顧客的腳的尺寸， 並根據具體的尺寸來製作一雙鞋。 “從頭到尾都是手工製作。 ” 卡薩隆加說， “顧客的投入程度取決於個體。 ”鞋匠可能會提出建議， 但很多顧客願意在制鞋過程中發揮作用。
A shoemaker will take measurements of a customer’s feet and build a pair of shoes based on the specific dimensions. “Everything is handmade from beginning to end,” said Casalonga. “The amount of customer input is up to each individual,” he said. Shoemakers can offer advice and suggestions, but many clients like to play a role in the creation of the shoe.
一些鞋匠會掌控整個過程的每個步驟， 從量腳到製作鞋楦——腳形的手工木雕、制鞋的模型——然後製作原型和成品。 在一些企業每個步驟都有專業的鞋匠負責。 不論使用哪種方法， 在整個過程中， 顧客通常只與一個工匠對接。 另一方面， 按尺寸制鞋也要基於現成鞋的標準尺碼——即從貨架上買的鞋子——同時做一定的修改以適應顧客的腳。
Some craftsmen take control of every step of the process, from measuring the foot, creating the “lasts”— the hand-carved, wooden sculptures of the feet that serve as a mannequin in the crafting of the shoes — and building the prototype to making the final shoe. Other companies have specialised craftsmen for each step. Whichever method is used, customers typically deal with one artisan for the entire process.Made-to-measure, on the other hand, is based on standard sizes of ready-to-wear shoes — that is, footwear purchased off the shelf — with alterations made to fit a customer’s feet. Often, the leather and other design features can be modified.
比較來看， 先下單後製作的鞋使用標準尺碼， 不會修改或調整鞋型。 這種鞋“100%集中在設計上， ” 位於義大利佛羅倫斯的Stefano Bemer公司的首席執行官托馬索·梅拉尼（Tommaso Melani）說。 顧客可以選擇顏色、鞋跟風格、縫線和其他設計特色。
By comparison, made-to-order shoes use standard sizes and don’t involve alterations or adjustments. Rather, they are “100% focused on design,” said Tommaso Melani, CEO of Florence-based Stefano Bemer. Customers can choose the colour, the style of the sole, the lining and other design features.
去哪裡買Where to buy it
定制鞋商店和其他高端服裝店一樣， 一般都位於世界時尚之都：倫敦、巴黎、羅馬、香港、東京和紐約。 鞋匠本人也會出門旅行。 假如他們在某些城市裡沒有精品店， 他們會開臨時店以便和客戶見面。 而很多鞋匠會前往全世界任何地方去見他們的客戶。
Bespoke shoe shops, like other high-end clothing stores, are based in the world’s fashion capitals: London, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, Tokyo and New York. The shoemakers themselves will travel. Some set up pop-up stores in cities where they don’t have a boutique in order to meet with clients, and many shoemasters will travel to anywhere in the world their customers happen to live.
像托克這樣的顧客會前往歐洲和日本去製作自己的鞋。 他常常從香港飛往義大利，並把羅馬作為他的基地。在五天的旅行中，他會拜訪那不勒斯（Naples）和佛羅倫斯（Florence）的鞋店，試鞋的尺寸以及其他細節。“然後週五我就坐飛機返回香港。”
Customers such as Tok travel to Europe and Japan to have shoes made. He frequently travels to Italy from Hong Kong and uses Rome as a base. During a five-day trip, he will visit shops in Naples and Florence for fittings and other details. “Then I’m on the plane by Friday back to Hong Kong.”
“我覺得這是終極的低調奢侈品，”托克說。他提到一些時尚達人喜歡通過高端、知名的品牌來展示他們的財富。但就定制鞋來說，“你花了很多錢，但別人不知道。”
“I think it’s the ultimate of stealth luxury,” Tok said, noting that some fashion mavens like to display their wealth with high-end, big-name brands. With bespoke shoes, “you spend a whole lot of money that nobody knows about.”
花費是多少？What does it cost?
定制鞋要價不菲。當然，根據用料不同，價格也不一。George Cleverly品牌的鞋子，小牛皮的鞋子不論款式一律定價2800英鎊（4200美元）（最終的定制鞋楦也包括在內）。伯爾魯帝的起價是5800歐元（6225美元），不過第二雙開始定價為4800歐元，因為鞋匠不用重新做鞋楦。高和皮鞋的起步價是12000港幣（1550美元）。
Bespoke shoes don’t come cheap. Prices vary, of course, depending on the types of material used. At George Cleverly, the price for calfskin shoes in any style is £2,800 (US$4,200), which includes the last and bespoke shoe trees. At Berluti, the starting price is 5,800 euros (US$6,225) but drops to 4,800 euros for additional pairs because the shoemaker doesn’t have to remake a last. The entry price at Kow Hoo is HK$12,000 (US$1,550).
雖然最常用的材料是小牛皮，很多客戶會選擇更有異域風情的皮革，比如鱷魚皮、鴕鳥皮、蜥蜴皮、河狸尾、鯊魚皮和魟魚皮。“我們總是保持開放的態度，嘗試各種東西，”卡薩隆加說。
While the most common type of material used is calfskin, many clients opt for more exotic leather, including crocodile, ostrich, lizard, beaver tail, shark and sting ray. “We are always open to trying to things,” Casalonga said.
根據裝飾的種類和設計的複雜程度，價格還可能增加數千歐元。卡薩隆加回憶起給一個香港的客戶做的極具挑戰的設計，在棕綠金屬色的鞋子的腳趾位置作出褶皺的效果。
Prices conceivably could rise by the thousands, depending on the types of adornments and labour-intensive designs requested. Casalonga recalled one particularly challenging design for a Hong Kong client who wanted a crease effect on the toes of his metallic green-brown shoes.
深入細節In the details
“我總是對第一次來的顧客推薦從基本的黑色小牛皮牛津鞋開始，”倫敦的George Cleverly & Co的首席執行官小喬治·格拉斯哥（George Glasgow Jr）說，“這是經典的男鞋，不受時間的影響。這樣的鞋，顧客可以穿上很多年。”顧客常常和鞋匠在設計上緊密合作，為鞋增加個性以及其它特色。
“I always recommend for a first-time customer to start with a basic Oxford in black calf (leather),” said George Glasgow Jr, CEO of George Cleverly & Co in London. “This is a classic gentleman’s shoe and timeless. The client will get a lot of use from this for many years.”Customers often work closely with the craftsmen on the design of the shoe, adding personal touches and ornamental features.
主要的定制鞋公司對他們一年製作的定制鞋數量諱莫如深，但是他們表示通常只有幾百雙。大多數顧客都是回頭客，而非新顧客，關鍵是依靠口口相傳，鞋匠們說。
Major bespoke shoemakers often are reticent about the number of bespoke pairs they make each year, but they indicate it usually is just a few hundred. Most customers are returning buyers, rather than new clients, and word of mouth is key, shoemakers say.
尋找什麼樣的鞋匠What to look for
鞋匠和客戶的合作關係尤其重要。“我選擇能為我定制鞋子的鞋匠，而不是要讓鞋匠去做他們做不到的事，”托克說，“很多人犯的最嚴重的錯誤是，他們嘗試了很多鞋匠，卻沒有思考哪個鞋匠確實能做出適合他們的鞋子。”他和少數幾個挑選出來的定制鞋匠合作，而且並不打算再擴大範圍。他說，對那些自稱“只要你想要的，都可以辦到”的鞋匠，他會保持警惕，敬而遠之。
The working relationship between shoemaker and client is especially important.“I select shoemakers that can fit my feet, rather than trying to make a shoemaker do something that they can’t do,” Tok said. “The biggest error that most people make with bespoke is that they try a whole bunch of tailors without considering which tailor can actually execute something that is right for them.” He deals with a small, select group of bespoke shoemakers and has no intention of expanding it. He said that he is wary of bespoke shoemakers “who say that they can do anything you want.”
托克說，想要知道與你合作的鞋匠的優劣，需要記住三件事。第一，沒有感到被催促。第二，你和鞋匠會談一談什麼比較適合你。第三，鞋匠在測量尺碼和試驗的過程中會再次提起同樣的問題。“這就是判斷你和鞋匠能否合作順利的終極檢測清單，”托克說。
Tok said it’s important to keep three things in mind to know whether you are working with a good shoemaker: First, don’t feel rushed in the process. Second, there should be dialogue between you and the shoemaker about what works for you. Third, the shoemaker should be picking up on the same issues during the fitting and trial process. “That is the ultimate litmus test of whether you are going to gel with that bespoke maker,” Tok said.
如何保養定制鞋How to care for bespoke
顧客和鞋匠一致稱，定制鞋的保養與任何一雙好鞋的保養沒有很大的區別，那就是妥善保管並好好擦鞋。但是定制鞋會帶來額外的好處，大多數鞋店會把定制鞋楦留給你。如果你把鞋帶到商店，他們也會幫你擦鞋。而像布蘭登·召這樣的顧客常常自己擦鞋。
Keeping your bespoke shoes in good condition and well-polished isn’t much different from taking care of any good pair of shoes, customers and shoemakers say, but there are some perks. Most shops include shoes trees that are custom made to fit the shoes. Shops also will polish your shoes if you bring them into the store, but customers like Chau often like to do the buffing and shining themselves.
托克也喜歡自己擦鞋。“這是另外一半的樂趣，我和一些朋友會在晚上舉行雪茄、威士卡和擦鞋的聚會。”他說，“往鞋上吐口水能幫助潤濕鞋子，一邊擦鞋，一邊喝威士卡讓人感到很放鬆。因為在喝酒時，酒精會混入唾液，而酒精有助於把鞋擦亮。”
Tok, too, likes to polish his own shoes. “That’s half the fun of it. Some of my friends and I have cigar, whisky and shoe-polishing nights,” he said. “Spit — your own saliva — is great to help moisturise the shoes. It’s very relaxing to have a whisky while you’re polishing because as you’re drinking, the alcohol mixes with your saliva and the alcohol helps with the shine.”
他常常從香港飛往義大利，並把羅馬作為他的基地。在五天的旅行中，他會拜訪那不勒斯（Naples）和佛羅倫斯（Florence）的鞋店，試鞋的尺寸以及其他細節。“然後週五我就坐飛機返回香港。”Customers such as Tok travel to Europe and Japan to have shoes made. He frequently travels to Italy from Hong Kong and uses Rome as a base. During a five-day trip, he will visit shops in Naples and Florence for fittings and other details. “Then I’m on the plane by Friday back to Hong Kong.”
“我覺得這是終極的低調奢侈品，”托克說。他提到一些時尚達人喜歡通過高端、知名的品牌來展示他們的財富。但就定制鞋來說，“你花了很多錢，但別人不知道。”
“I think it’s the ultimate of stealth luxury,” Tok said, noting that some fashion mavens like to display their wealth with high-end, big-name brands. With bespoke shoes, “you spend a whole lot of money that nobody knows about.”
花費是多少？What does it cost?
定制鞋要價不菲。當然，根據用料不同，價格也不一。George Cleverly品牌的鞋子，小牛皮的鞋子不論款式一律定價2800英鎊（4200美元）（最終的定制鞋楦也包括在內）。伯爾魯帝的起價是5800歐元（6225美元），不過第二雙開始定價為4800歐元，因為鞋匠不用重新做鞋楦。高和皮鞋的起步價是12000港幣（1550美元）。
Bespoke shoes don’t come cheap. Prices vary, of course, depending on the types of material used. At George Cleverly, the price for calfskin shoes in any style is £2,800 (US$4,200), which includes the last and bespoke shoe trees. At Berluti, the starting price is 5,800 euros (US$6,225) but drops to 4,800 euros for additional pairs because the shoemaker doesn’t have to remake a last. The entry price at Kow Hoo is HK$12,000 (US$1,550).
雖然最常用的材料是小牛皮，很多客戶會選擇更有異域風情的皮革，比如鱷魚皮、鴕鳥皮、蜥蜴皮、河狸尾、鯊魚皮和魟魚皮。“我們總是保持開放的態度，嘗試各種東西，”卡薩隆加說。
While the most common type of material used is calfskin, many clients opt for more exotic leather, including crocodile, ostrich, lizard, beaver tail, shark and sting ray. “We are always open to trying to things,” Casalonga said.
根據裝飾的種類和設計的複雜程度，價格還可能增加數千歐元。卡薩隆加回憶起給一個香港的客戶做的極具挑戰的設計，在棕綠金屬色的鞋子的腳趾位置作出褶皺的效果。
Prices conceivably could rise by the thousands, depending on the types of adornments and labour-intensive designs requested. Casalonga recalled one particularly challenging design for a Hong Kong client who wanted a crease effect on the toes of his metallic green-brown shoes.
深入細節In the details
“我總是對第一次來的顧客推薦從基本的黑色小牛皮牛津鞋開始，”倫敦的George Cleverly & Co的首席執行官小喬治·格拉斯哥（George Glasgow Jr）說，“這是經典的男鞋，不受時間的影響。這樣的鞋，顧客可以穿上很多年。”顧客常常和鞋匠在設計上緊密合作，為鞋增加個性以及其它特色。
“I always recommend for a first-time customer to start with a basic Oxford in black calf (leather),” said George Glasgow Jr, CEO of George Cleverly & Co in London. “This is a classic gentleman’s shoe and timeless. The client will get a lot of use from this for many years.”Customers often work closely with the craftsmen on the design of the shoe, adding personal touches and ornamental features.
主要的定制鞋公司對他們一年製作的定制鞋數量諱莫如深，但是他們表示通常只有幾百雙。大多數顧客都是回頭客，而非新顧客，關鍵是依靠口口相傳，鞋匠們說。
Major bespoke shoemakers often are reticent about the number of bespoke pairs they make each year, but they indicate it usually is just a few hundred. Most customers are returning buyers, rather than new clients, and word of mouth is key, shoemakers say.
尋找什麼樣的鞋匠What to look for
鞋匠和客戶的合作關係尤其重要。“我選擇能為我定制鞋子的鞋匠，而不是要讓鞋匠去做他們做不到的事，”托克說，“很多人犯的最嚴重的錯誤是，他們嘗試了很多鞋匠，卻沒有思考哪個鞋匠確實能做出適合他們的鞋子。”他和少數幾個挑選出來的定制鞋匠合作，而且並不打算再擴大範圍。他說，對那些自稱“只要你想要的，都可以辦到”的鞋匠，他會保持警惕，敬而遠之。
The working relationship between shoemaker and client is especially important.“I select shoemakers that can fit my feet, rather than trying to make a shoemaker do something that they can’t do,” Tok said. “The biggest error that most people make with bespoke is that they try a whole bunch of tailors without considering which tailor can actually execute something that is right for them.” He deals with a small, select group of bespoke shoemakers and has no intention of expanding it. He said that he is wary of bespoke shoemakers “who say that they can do anything you want.”
托克說，想要知道與你合作的鞋匠的優劣，需要記住三件事。第一，沒有感到被催促。第二，你和鞋匠會談一談什麼比較適合你。第三，鞋匠在測量尺碼和試驗的過程中會再次提起同樣的問題。“這就是判斷你和鞋匠能否合作順利的終極檢測清單，”托克說。
Tok said it’s important to keep three things in mind to know whether you are working with a good shoemaker: First, don’t feel rushed in the process. Second, there should be dialogue between you and the shoemaker about what works for you. Third, the shoemaker should be picking up on the same issues during the fitting and trial process. “That is the ultimate litmus test of whether you are going to gel with that bespoke maker,” Tok said.
如何保養定制鞋How to care for bespoke
顧客和鞋匠一致稱，定制鞋的保養與任何一雙好鞋的保養沒有很大的區別，那就是妥善保管並好好擦鞋。但是定制鞋會帶來額外的好處，大多數鞋店會把定制鞋楦留給你。如果你把鞋帶到商店，他們也會幫你擦鞋。而像布蘭登·召這樣的顧客常常自己擦鞋。
Keeping your bespoke shoes in good condition and well-polished isn’t much different from taking care of any good pair of shoes, customers and shoemakers say, but there are some perks. Most shops include shoes trees that are custom made to fit the shoes. Shops also will polish your shoes if you bring them into the store, but customers like Chau often like to do the buffing and shining themselves.
托克也喜歡自己擦鞋。“這是另外一半的樂趣，我和一些朋友會在晚上舉行雪茄、威士卡和擦鞋的聚會。”他說，“往鞋上吐口水能幫助潤濕鞋子，一邊擦鞋，一邊喝威士卡讓人感到很放鬆。因為在喝酒時，酒精會混入唾液，而酒精有助於把鞋擦亮。”
Tok, too, likes to polish his own shoes. “That’s half the fun of it. Some of my friends and I have cigar, whisky and shoe-polishing nights,” he said. “Spit — your own saliva — is great to help moisturise the shoes. It’s very relaxing to have a whisky while you’re polishing because as you’re drinking, the alcohol mixes with your saliva and the alcohol helps with the shine.”
