It would appear that I am clearly becoming more of a fan of alligator leather as I find myself more and more drawn to shoes made in this unique hide, especially when done in a nubuck/suede version and in unique colors such as green, blue, red etc. I was never a fan of an all-black and shiny alligator shoe in its “normal” form which I find simply too ‘in your face’. But I really appreciate the subdued version of the recent popular nubuck style of making alligator/crocodile hides. It really tones it down and makes it very intriguing, especially, for me, when it is more nubuck style and thus somewhat shaved down so there are not the deep grooves of the scales, as shown in these shoes here. You can see the hide was smoothed out, which I like, so there are no deep crevices between each scale which is a part of what always put me off.
This interesting green color is so cool and I like to see people requesting it on unique models such as bit loafers and this hybrid apron chukka with padded collar. While classic shoes in classic colors will surely always prevail in society for our norms it is always pleasing to see that being bold is not dead and that during this odd time between needing to dress for work and being in your gym clothes all day there are still people who appreciate dressing nicely just for themselves. And as the shoe industry grows, this idea also grows as men start to experience what it feels like to dress well, look well, and ultimately feel well.
While these types of shoes are afforded by few (these are bespoke after all on top of being nubuck alligator), it is nice to dream, appreciate, and envision oneself ultimately being able to wear these too. So dream away, as I shall, and gain inspiration knowing that one day, you too will be able to treat yourself to something sartorially special, like these!
https://www.georgecleverley.com/
