Thursday, March 26, 2009

Mr. Hare's gone soft...

Maybe it is because I have been sitting on a scorching hot Goan beach for the last couple of weeks or maybe because I am concentrating hard on the SS10 Mr. Hare collection but I have been paying very close attention to how you make a formal summer shoe in lighter, softer materials without compromising elegance. Or should elegant male shoes even be the consideration in Spring Summer? Once you go soft, it seems the whole beautiful shoe thing seems to go out the window. It is really interesting when you look at how other designers deal with the issue.NDC have what are essentially Derby espadrils which are probably the most comfortable thing in the world, but can really only be rocked as a knowing casual statement. Summer shoes are largely unstructured and the main reason for my quandry.


Veronique Branquinho, as do most fashion shoe companies of late, roots for the soft classic approach executed in alternative fabrications. Notice the super thin soles and almost cut and sew construction. these shoes are almost garment looking.

Like the world needs another boat shoe variation right now but here Marc Jacobs does the other summer go to fabric, suede. make any style in suede for some instant summer appeal.

I mentioned these "Desperdrils" from Hermes before. Like the NDC Derby's I started with, these shoes are unprecious and address the functional needs of a summer shoe in a new way but feel very throw away.

Ann Demeulemeester's Armish collection. It's out there but it does look like a shoe and something you could invest some time in and call part of your wardrobe.

These are from Damir Doma at Oki-ni. I first saw these back at LFW. There is not a lot of SS consideration here other than in the choice of coloured animal print but they illustrate my point about the removal of structure. How many casual shoes command such presence?

Here is where things start to get weird. Our italian continental cousins must have pondered my quandry greatly over the years. Italians don't slouch and where they live is predominantly hot.
Sometimes they attempt slouchy though and the results are often unique to say the least. These spat like soft boots from Fessura available at Luisaviaroma go somewhere most other shoes don't. But would you be cutting a dash or merely cutting your chances.

There is something about the slouchiness of these badboys from Collection Privee? also from Luisaviaroma, that I quite like. they have taken the prevailing mocc style du jour and invested it with character. These shoes look like a Hemmingway-esque summer companion. I am thinking Rum and Cigars, some sailing perhaps and tales of senoritas under the stars. I certainly wasn't getting all that from the Marc Jacobs ones.

Marsell! Luisviaroma again. Them cats is crazy! But it's made from a fine skin and it's a sort of boxing boot with eclectic detailing and enough room for possibilities yet discovered by their eventual wearer. Still not what Mr. Hare is looking for but...

So I guess this is why high tops are so hot right now. They are light and comfortable. They are a whole realm of creative possibilities for everyone to explore and they can have as much or as little structure as required without becoming formal. These Rafs have it all.
Now this is talking to Mr. Hares sensibilities in a direct way. Soper soft skins are comfortable and breathable but still retain a lot of presence. There is nothing slouchy about these ankle boots from Officine Creative (Luisviaroma).

I kind of like these sandals from Bruno Bordese because like the Collection Privee moccs they seem companionable. They are not feminine or precious but they do their simple job in a creative understated way.

Of everything in this post, these boots from Alberto Fasciani are talking to me the most in terms of what a summer shoe should attempt to be. Structure, style real shoe materials, details, colour, construction character and presence. Let's start the romance.

Look what Marloes has been up to...

Undoubtedly one of the most interesting shoe minds working today, Marloes Ten Bhomer currently has work in two exhibitions. One is the 2009 Designer of the year Awards at the Design Museum here in London running until mid June and the other is

WOWdesign: Marloes ten Bhömer, January 30 - May 31
Krannert Art Museum, Illinois USA

Don't miss them!

Butterflies?

I was just browsing MAPS Online in Japan when I came across these clogs by French company Bosabo. Next to all the amazing clothes on MAPS they looked really dope. On there own I am not so sure. Just thought I would put them out there anyway.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Only in Saarrf London...

Here is an article from Vice magazine I can only say I wish I had written myself.

What else? Oh yeah...

Goyard shoe cleaning kit.
Goyard are opening a store in London soon so guess who will be breezing through there for one of these.
Designer Lollipops. I am thinking of making a Mr. Hare one from passion fruit.
Visvim pull on work boots. You can tell that leather is going to caress your hands as you saddle up. I would be tempted to roll my trousers up to the knee just so no one failed to notice.
Now I wanna be your dog!

Thoughts on Tautz

I am back from India. Dark as a Tamil and with enough curried vegetable goodness pulsing through my veins to outrun a G-wiz. It seems in my absence, not a lot happened...except one thing...the launch of E.Tautz.
Mr. Hare doesn't often get hyper over clothes without touching feeling and appreciating their line but Mr. Patrick Grant of Norton & Sons always cuts a dash and shares Mr. Hare's belief in great clothes not great clothes each season. Therefore when Mr. Grant resurrects a hallowed British sporting and military tailoring firm established in 1867 with the intention of supplying well cut, ready to wear, Mr. Hare pays attention.

Very little gets Mr. Hare more excited than a rolled shoulder and clashing neck and breast pocket wear.
I am about to get on the old blower to Mr. Grant and see if I can get me a closer look.

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Mr. Hare is on vacation






Your faithful correspondent has taken leave and is travelling around Kerala in southern India.

If this is your first visit to Mr. Hare then you have plenty to catch up on while I am gone.
If you are a regular visitor then why not check out my sparkly new Mr. Hare website

Mr. Hare will be back around March 23rd. Toodle.

Friday, March 06, 2009

Space..the final frontier.

Mr. Hare has been considering building himself some shelves lately and pondering how best to replace an empty space with a new aesthetically pleasing storage solution that doesn't just look like a pile of stuff. I have found lately that this blog is a great place to visually ponder such things so if you don't mind I am going to think out loud on the subject.


I just saw this picture on my new favourite blog (You Might Find Yourself you must have a look at it) and where I was thinking of a fitted and plush solution, this effort has totally rewired my thinking towards a totally individual approach.

Then I came across artist Tom Sachs' Space station on Men.Style.com and it has really pushed the envelope of my thinking. Imagine being some sort of superblogging googletron with this set up. I love the internet. FXXK IKEA!

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Wahn, Wahn , Uberall Wahn.

Last night at dinner, Mr. Hare engaged in an interesting discussion on Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg. A Wagner opera and comedy based on an actual 16th century character named Hans Sachs who was a poet and Shoemaker. Now you see where I am going with this.

Anyway...the story goes, Goldsmith, Veit Pogner offers his daughters hand in marriage to the winner of the St. Johns day feast singing competition. Entrants must be master craftsmen in their field and have notable singing skills. First act (2hrs), revolves around Walther, a young knight who is obviously in love with Eva, the prize. Unfortunately the marker of the competition is not feeling Walthers vocals and he loses.

In act two (another two hours) town clerk, Beckmesser has a go but his efforts near cause a riot with which Wagner channels the philosopher Schopenhauer, whom he has recently read, where he cites Wahn (illusion, madness, folly, self deception) or self delusion driving men to behave in ways that are actually destroying them. In this act our shoemaker, whilst helping Beckmesser to perfect his song bangs a hammer on the shoe last of the shoes he is making for Beckmesser every time Beckmesser makes a mistake. There are so many mistakes the shoes are finished before the song is perfected. In his frustration Beckmesser incites said riot. The cobblers hammer is the time piece for this act.

Act three, our shoeman, poet and hero, Hans Sachs, invoking Schopenhauer's very description of a noble man - "We always picture a very noble character to ourselves as having a certain trace of silent sadness... It is a consciousness that has resulted from knowledge of the vanity of all achievements and of the suffering of all life, not merely of one's own."(The World as Will and Representation) lays aside his own sexual desires for Eva to help Walther perform the song that will win him his true love.

So the moral of the story is that when the stuff hits the fan, you can always trust a shoeman to do the right thing.


Here is Herbert Von Karajan conducting the Berlin Philharmonic in it's first tour of Japan performing the prelude to the first act in 1957.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Mr. Harvey & Ms. Kneebone at the White Cube


Last Thursday Mr. Hare popped along to the preview for the new Marcus Harvey and Rachel Kneebone exhibition at the White Cube gallery in Hoxton Square. Five days later the work of both artists have left such differing, distinct and haunting impressions on your correspondent that I felt I should encourage you all to make a visit.

I shan't over imbue the works with my thoughts but you can read below extracts from the galleries own bumpf.

Marcus Harvey - White Riot
Rachel Kneebone - The Descent




Exhibition ends March 28th.

Check it out Yo!


The shoe love just keeps on coming. This from the meticulously thorough and haaaarrrrrrdest working blog in show business... Fashion 156

Monday, March 02, 2009

Word on the web is...

It's only March 2nd and I have already matched my blogging output for February to the tune of 57.15%. I told you I would make up for it.

Mr. Hare has had a *squizz round all the internet shops in a journalistic capacity and what follows is what was of note. In the last three hours I have looked at some 2-3 thousand men's shoes purely so you do not have to. You may disagree with my selections, but by the same token, you may begin your own blog and challenge my opinions. I welcome your involvement.
YSL gladiator mandals. Mr. Hare is prepared to let YSL get away with anything they do this well.
Mr. Hare has shown these new Gucci loafers before and six months on I'm still feeling them.
You can always rely on that red and green Gucci ribbon to make the simplest things a bit more bling.

As opposed to these which I am not quite sure about yet but can imagine rocking them with confidence in say Miami or Mahiki. Is that place still open?

Common Projects. WYSIWYG.

Gucci again. Guess which bit swung it for Mr. Hare?

Gucci again again. I know they are really basic but...
Oh Dior. The soft grey rocker boot with a cuban heel. Interesting!
Charles Thyrwitt. That's easy for you to say. Yeah I never thought I'd say that name on my blog either but with the right cut of linen...
OOOOOOOh Child! Not many people would get away with these but I am Mr. Hare.
Johnstone and Murphy Saddle shoes. Massively underrated style in my opinion. And could I just say to all the sites who no longer offer enlarged views without those stupid magnifying glass tools, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you!"

NDC - I just knew that whole shoe in a washing machine thing would make sense one day. Welcome to the blog!
Brookes Brothers calfe leather bow front evening slipper. Are you man enough?
Possibly Mr. Hare's favourite so far, beside the Gucci ones with the flowers on.
The rest of the page goes to Pierre Hardy purely for the angles and colur palette. There are few shoemen out their who are just doing it consistently like Mr. Hardy. I wont say anymore, you just enjoy them in silence.



*Squizz - That's a quick whizz in on the spot cockney, or Spockney to give it it's technical name.