Beyond Fabric • Posts Tagged ‘Portuguese’

Stamp of Approval: Carlos Santos Shoes

As much as you love clothing I believe it comes a time when for most items, a closer look at your wardrobe makes you feel that, for the time being, you’re well set. However, for me, there are a couple of pieces I just can’t seem to get enough of, be it for the desire to continuously increase the amount of possible combinations, or simply because their beauty has taken me over. In my case, I don’t think I could ever settle on the right amount of shoes…

While this is probably one of the classic controversial subjects for most married men, I must say that shoewise, I can definitely understand women. There’s something about shoes that turns them into pure works of art, especially the more you know about the process behind their construction: a handmade quality shoe is nothing shorter than art in its essence. This is why I’m (un)consciously drawn to them and constantly being surprised by new models and brands: one of my latest findings was Portugal’s very own Carlos Santos Shoes.

Established in 1942 and named after its mentor, Carlos Santos has been delivering luxury footwear for men ever since. Combining the finest high grade materials with years of experience and know how, along with an ever-growing desire to surpass customers’ (and their own) expectations, it has grown to be one of the most renowned portuguese shoemakers. Its goal? Deliver the finest luxury footwear, making use of state-of-the-art techniques, all without straying from its roots and core universe. Based of the values of perfection, craftsmanship, tradition and timelessness, Carlos Santos is the perfect example of Portuguese shoemaking excellence, with over 70 years of experience resulting in unique pieces that develop a strong emotional connection with those who wear them. For all this it receives Beyond Fabric’s stamp of approval!

Here’s a small glimpse into its world through the Spring/Summer lookbook.

Source: beyondfabric

Inspiration/Translation

I can’t help to be amazed by the sheer amount of inspirational sources we bump into on our daily routines, even if, at times, we pass them by completely unaware. To be able to focus on little details of the surrounding mundane envelope and absorb their essence, definitely requires highly developed senses of observation and sensitivity.

When designers present their creations on the runway, one of the inevitable questions that follows is - “where did you get your inspiration from?” The wide span of answers usually contains a few that catch us by surprise and leave us wondering how on earth did they come up with that… Although I’m nowhere near the genius minds behind some of these collections, I too am inspired by numerous sources, some of which share no direct connection to fashion.

One I’ve been dwelling on about, is the handcrafted façade tiles on century old buildings in downtown Porto. It’s impossible not to stare when faced with the astonishing artwork on these pieces, perfectly combining elements such as color, pattern and texture, all common to the clothing universe. I’ve incorporated several of those references in my own attire but when I came across this picture, I just knew I had to write about it.

The thing is, the pattern on this case is exactly the same that can be found on the house my family’s currently refurbishing, albeit in a different color scheme.

As Sir Paul Smith so eloquently put it: “Inspiration can be found everywhere; if you can’t, you’re not looking properly”. If carefully curated, some of these patterns could result in potentially appealing garments or accessories, bringing to life a rich cultural heritage.