The Main of Spain After Getting Off the Plane
Once I’d finally made it to Moda Calzado, the Spanish footwear show in Madrid, it was certainly a treat!
A trend fashion show exhibited lots of fun, contemporary looks, including men’s boots that mixed lots of contrasting texture and pattern, from quilted to woolly and tweedy to aged printed patent leathers.
They also featured updated Cossack boots that had a real Hell’s-Angels-Meets-Pirates-of-the-Caribbean feeling. There were also some soft metallics with color in jazz oxford shapes, some with athletic shoe styling. Of course it reflected a lot of what we were seeing on the fashion runways this past season, but somehow the Spanish just do it with added flair.
Fair entrance
We were off for a tour of the show hall, where I stopped to see what some old friends from last season were up to. My indispensable, incredibly helpful guide Noemi, of the Spanish Trade Commission, did some digging and found even more companies that sell men’s shoes and are available to U.S. retailers.
Trend show
The Panama Jack collection is known as Havana Joe in the United States. They have also developed a collection called “Limited Edition.” Targeted to the hip-hop market, it was not shown at Moda Calzado, but I will get with them to see what it’s like back home.
I’ve been asking about custom shoes, in anticipation of our custom issue coming up in June, and Pertini tells me that they are working on a cutting-edge program involving foot scanning that will even offer high style to people with orthopedic problems! Look for more of that story in an upcoming issue of MR.
I was intrigued by this display of Spanish craftsmanship, with live “cobbling” on the floor of the trade show at Castellano.
At Castaner the designer is a seventh-generation shoemaker. I’m not sure if you’ll be able to see the creative details he’s used in this shoe: he’s applied the teeth of a zipper around the edge of the sole. And used staples as design details on this dress shoe.
Updated traditional at Magnanni – check out those toe patterns!
The new boot at Sacha London.
Sandro Moscolini‘s booth reminded me of something from Bedrock on the outside! But great style was to be had on the inside. They have also introduced a new collection called Luan Maro – younger and more contemporary.
Bedrock
Sandro
Luan
MZ is a new collection from the founder of Mezlan. This new brand is just launching in the U.S. Although they have styles in the signature “reptilian” Mezlan style, this collection also has some nice pieces that would fit in well with the upscale, gentleman’s denim market.
There’s more to come, but that’s a nice “tapas selection” of things from the show.
