A common question asked to me is “How can you promote other shoe brands when you have one yourself?”
While I have answered this many times in various interviews I thought to make a video of my own going further into it.
I hope that you enjoy this video. I want to start doing more talks like this so if you enjoy please let me know with a comment so I can gauge the interest in these types of ‘talks’.
Hello Justin
I have followed you since your times in London in Gieves & Hawkes when you where starting your brand. I find laudable your efforts to promote GYW shoe industry and the quality and quatity of information you have shared with us.
Thank you very much, I hope I can meet you in your NYC store in the near future.
Cheers
Thank you JM, I do appreciate your long term support. And I also hope to meet you soon in NYC
I too have followed your blog since your London days and your points are well taken. You have a niche in the industry but there are other makers that occupy other price points; are they really competitors? You also built up relationships as you were learning the business. After all that assistance frompeoplein thebusiness, why turn around and bash your friends products? Finally you never know when a friend in the business is going to approach you with an opportunity. If you are seen as a person who bashes everyone, you will never get those offers.
Indeed, doesn’t make much logical sense to do anything else than what I do. But many do not see logic so easily
Hello Justin,
I agree with your ideal very much!
Not only has your blog been educating me about the shoe industry, but also promoting other talented shoemakers that are hard to find.
Thank you for your passion! Wishing you the best of health and great success!
Thank you very much for your comment, kind words and support. I do appreciate it very much
Congratulations on this very informative video. Your passion for shoes comes out on your blog, your beautiful products and even more in person when we met at one of your trunk shows at Leffot long ago. Bravo! Keep up the great work. I look forward to adding one of your masterpieces to my collection one day soon. The fit of your Oxford was very nice!
Wow! This makes me want to support you and your brand, how generous and honest
This is only one of the reasons why you’re so cool of a person. I totally get it. For instance, I always ask my Clients if they would like to get a copy of my lasts. I understand, that they may love the shapes, but not my own shoemaking style necessarily. So I offer this extra step to allow them to try my lasts with some other makers out there. The long game is the way to go.
As for suggestions, I’d love to learn more how your brain works with your designs and ideas for shoes. How you’ve come about with those, etc. Thank you.