George Bush - Some good news

When a pair of black leather oxfords hurled at President George W. Bush in Baghdad produced a gasp heard around the world, a Turkish cobbler had a different reaction: They were his shoes.

"We have been producing that specific style, which I personally designed, for 10 years, so I couldn't have missed it, no way," said Ramazan Baydan in Istanbul. "As a shoemaker, you understand."

A new run of 15,000 pairs, destined for Iraq, went into production Thursday, he said. A British distributor has asked to become the Baydan Shoe Co.'s European sales representative, with a first order of 95,000 pairs, and a U.S. company has placed an order for 18,000 pairs. Four distributors are competing to represent the company in Iraq, where Baydan sold 19,000 pairs of this model for about $40 each last year.

Read the rest of this article at The International Herald Tribune. (It must be true.)

This Ramazan guy has an eye for ballistics. Based on his stunning recognition of his brand of shoes by their trajectory alone I think we should get him to take another look at the JFK tapes and consider making him an honourary UN weapons inspector.

And just in case you missed it.

Barack Obama is my Homeboy

Time magazines Person of the year 2008

Oh look! I've got a website too...

If you visit Mr. Hare on a regular basis then I would really appreciate your opinion on my first collection 'Purest Form'. I know you are out there Dresden, Singapore, Wembley, Bandar Seri Begawan, San Ch'Ung. Mr. Hare knows where the black folks at!
Seriously this is a substantial undertaking for a humble blogger so tell me honestly what you think.

Mr. Hare - A black shoe company
And thank you for your patronage thus far.

Check it out Yo!

Mr. Hare at Mr. Margiela's new shop.

Maison Martin Margiela in Bruton Place has closed down because the building was condemned, so it has relocated to 22 Bruton Street instead. Opposite the Bentley showroom. Mr. Hare went along to the launch soiree, journalistically.

The Invite

The store, in true MMM style, is basically a glass and mirror box inside the original building shell with all the rough edges exposed and white. It's pretty dope.

The whole back and hidden side section is dedicated to Men.

Here is Mr. Lobban contemplating the pros and cons of fiscal as opposed to monetary measures in kickstarting a retail revival in the coming SS season.

This is some jewellery.

The whole store uses a lot of mirrors which places you in some crazy, hall of mirrors type situations in certain locations.

Here is Mr. Freeland scientifically testing the fitting rooms for robotics compatibility.

Mr. Hare can confirm there is probably enough room even for enthusiastic up-rocking.

Down to the very last details it is pure Margiela all the way.

Mr. Alex Fury of Showstudio talking to the lovely Ms. Croft. Remember him from fashion weak.

Mr. Longo in some savoury wingtipped tassle loafers and way pink socks seen here talking to Ms. Mower in printed Converse.

Snakeskin manboots and friend.

Mr. Trevor Griffiths from Dover Street Market rocking turquoise boat shoes looking badass in his Kangol.

Mr. George 'the mantern at Rubbish mag' Ryan in black and white wingtips from Barker Black.

Note to self. Mr. Edgely's Vandals were looking dope with the gold. Add to christmas list.

Mr. Lobban in Dior Homme.

Outfit of the night goes, hands down, to Mr. Carson McColl for these audacious mosaic jeans.

I know what you are all thinking. "What was the gift?" Well, Mr. Hare was delighted with this "Bare Nang" Maison Martin Margiela off white on white football scarf. Come on you whites!

100% wool. Perfect for the sub zero nights we are experiencing.

This is how I am thinking of rocking it.

Browns Sugar

What Mr. Hare is about to share with you may temporarily pin the economy to it's downward trend until the end of January 09.

Browns are opening a 12,000sqft stand alone shoe store in what was formerly known as Browns Bride. (63 Brook Street W1, opposite Claridges) That makes it London's first multibrand designer shoe boutique.

Azzedine Alaia, Balenciaga, Balmain, Chloe, Christian Louboutin, Dries Van Noten, Marni, Martin Margiela, Nicolas Kirkwood, Rupert Sanderson and Rick Owens are all signed up so far and have promised exclusives to the store. That isn't even the best news.

The lower ground floor (underground, get me?) is entirely dedicated to men's shoes and accessories. Comme, Raf, YSL, Lanvin, Rick and Bottega as well as cutting edge new talent.

Mr. Hare is beside himself.

The press release says "This will be a safe haven for 'the other halves' to not only browse for themselves but catch up on work with our laptop service or just relax with a coffee and a newspaper." WORK? RELAX? NEWSPAPERS? Mr. Hare believes they are seriously underestimating the force within us Noveau Hommes des Chaussures.

There will be a bespoke shoe service, repairs and special events. Intriguing!

So you may wish to re-assess your Christmas shopping budget and call some friendships into question as there are serious shoe issues on the horizon. Mr. Brown's Retail Jumpstart will just have to wait. Watch this space!

Greece is the word

Do they ever rest at The Generic Man HQ? In the same week that they launched Generic Surplus at Urban Outfitters in the US, a sneaker range for grown up thinkers, my man Brandon informs me that they are dropping a little one off special in honour of the 50th anniversary of Athen's nirvana of now, Bettina. 

Can you believe Athens has had such a cool shop for so long? In all probability, Nana Mouskouri may have honed her early look there. It is an amazing store, well worth visiting their website if only to snap up TGM's exclusive canvas and patent leather Savant's.

Marloes Ten blew my mind

Marloes Ten Bhömer "produces shoes that are both provocative and otherworldly. Her work fuses artistic and technological experiment in order to discover shoes anew."

Dec.4th 2008

So I am languishing in anticipation, as tomorrow at 10.30am I view, for the first time, the very first Mr. Hare shoe samples. Eight styles, I conceived in my head. I drew on paper. I trusted two other people and a group of shoe artisans to interpret. Was I thorough enough in my explanation? My drawing is not exactly prodigal.

So tonight, on my 9th wedding anniversary (seperated at present), I just wanted to mark the occasion. Tomorrow Mr. Hare - A black shoe company, is entirely, for real.

If my shoes look as good as this sounds, then I'll be happy.

Pete's Shoe Repair

Mr. Hare just lifted this charming video from Selectism who lifted it from FresnoBee.com. We need to jumpstart our economy by remembering people like Pete and spending our money with them. Recycling our past purchases in the process.

This November...

Mr. Hare mostly listened to.

I'm reminiscing here, but...

Do you remember when shoe stores looked like this? Do you remember that smell of freshly scented  leather like a perfumed tannery? Do you remember sliding across the carpet in fresh leather soles after getting the full shoe horn treatment? Do you remember having your feet remeasured by a shoe professional? Do you remember your mum doing the international toe squash size test? Do you remember being told that those were your best shoes and you better look after them because you weren't getting another pair for a while. Do you remember broaching the subject of whether you could wear them to school or not? Do you wish it was still like that today?

So do I.

Somedays I wish I was Phil Lynott

WTF!

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