Berluti Galet Cursive Slippers : the long-loved ones.
A close junior colleague and friend had an important celebration, so I gifted them a pair of Berluti shoes, which they adore.
This junior colleague had previously received a pair of my Berluti shoes as a gift, and they have truly treasured and worn those two pairs with great care. When I passed them on, Berluti’s handling of the customer registration change was also superb, leaving me deeply impressed and prompting me to write about it. This very impression of Berluti’s service was also the catalyst for starting this blog media.
This time, the handling of gifts for juniors and friends was also exceptionally splendid, hence I am writing about it.
Introduction.
About 20 years ago, I was fond of Berluti shoes, but as I stopped wearing suits on a daily basis and had fewer opportunities to wear dress shoes, I found that Berluti shoes were a little too smart for my current casual style, so I gave them to a junior colleague. My junior colleague grew very fond of the Berluti shoes, wears them more often than I did, and takes meticulous care of them. A friend who accompanied us is fond of Andy shoes, finished in a light tobacco colour with a hint of green patina, and always wears them when he wants to look a little smart.
As both my friend and junior colleague had something to celebrate, I wanted to give them a present, so I took the plunge and gave them a pair of Berluti shoes, which they both love.
As I mentioned in my previous article, good leather shoes are for life and can be worn for a very long time. However, if the manufacturer does not have a maintenance system in place, even shoes that can be worn for a long time cannot be worn in their original form.
Japanese shoemakers are excellent and can handle repairs and maintenance, but it is difficult for them to match the manufacturer’s expertise in materials and processes. Furthermore, Berluti uses a unique patina finish, which I believe would be extremely difficult even for the finest Japanese shoemakers to replicate. (Including sourcing materials and paints, plus the application technique)
Berluti meticulously retains customer records from purchases made 20 years ago. They ensure continuity by passing these records to successors, accommodating requests for changes to customer details and maintaining a system to continue providing servicing.
While the purchase price is high, the shoes are not only visually striking but also uniquely artistic in their construction. When considering shoes that perfectly complement any fashion, from formal to casual, Berluti possesses the world’s finest beauty. Crafted from exceptionally luxurious materials and superbly made, they mould to the foot and grow more cherished with wear. Considering the enduring pleasure this excellence provides, the price is by no means excessive.
Companies offering such an experience are rare in modern society, not just in fashion. Berluti is a truly exceptional brand that genuinely values its rare clientele.
American Express Luxury Shopping
I have been an American Express enthusiast for 25 years, utilising four different Amex cards for both personal and professional purposes. Cards at Platinum level and above include a Luxury Shopping service, which provides a private space where dedicated staff attend to your shopping needs without concern for other customers.
Berluti participates in this luxury service, so I decided to try it for the first time. As the gift is a pair of shoes requiring in-person selection and sizing, I requested this service hoping to treat a friend and junior colleague celebrating an occasion, starting with choosing the shoes.
The dedicated American Express staff were exceptionally courteous. After conveying my requirements, they arranged the appointment with Berluti on my behalf. I was given the appointment time and the name of the Berluti staff member assigned to me. For good measure, the details were also emailed to me. On the day, I simply mentioned the assigned staff member’s name at the shop reception and was escorted to the dedicated space.
Berluti has also established a system to handle this reservation under any circumstances. The staff assigned will be proficient in languages to accommodate foreign customers with gentle manners, supported by a manager thoroughly familiar with Berluti.
Choose between the standard Andy or Galet
Upon entering the shop, we were informed that the private room used for luxury shopping was occupied for exhibition preparations, so a sofa and table had been set up in the very back space of the store.
We were shown to the sofa, asked for our drink preferences, our requested beverages were prepared, and a dedicated staff member listened to our purchase preferences before bringing the relevant items.
My junior colleague is considering either the black Andy he didn’t have, or the black or tobacco-coloured Galet. Berluti’s Andy is an icon not just for Berluti but for gentlemen’s footwear. My junior colleague and I often discuss it, and we both agree the Andy is the world’s most beautiful loafer.
However, being quite the dandy, my junior colleague is also interested in Berluti’s Calligraphie. His excellent taste sees through the design’s essence: the Calligraphie isn’t as flashy as it appears in photos; when actually worn, it blends in naturally.
While my preference for shape and aesthetic lies with the Andy, the Galet in tobacco colour – crafted luxuriously from a single piece of leather, finished with a beautiful curve and patina gradient, and featuring the Caligraphie design placed exquisitely – is his true favourite.
The junior staff member will prepare three types – Black Andy, Black, and Garé Carcassonne with tobacco – in three sizes each for comparison. (9 pairs) Whilst shops typically dislike such a selection process, Berluti instead encourages customers to take their time choosing a pair they genuinely prefer and that fits perfectly. They assist by having customers try on multiple pairs and sharing their impressions to find the ideal pair.
Andy Demjoure Neo Flex Loafer
A friend who adores Andy regularly rotates several pairs of Loro Piana loafers with white soles in different colours for everyday wear. He’s quite fond of them, having already had the soles replaced on two pairs.
friend who accompanied me isn’t as particular about fashion, but comfortable shoes are a must, and slip-ons are a requirement rather than lace-ups. He initially considered loafers with rubber soles, which Berluti has also recently launched.
At that point, the manager suggested, ‘If that’s the kind of requirement you have, how about the Andy Demjoure Neo Flex loafers?’ The Neo Flex loafers have leather soles that can be replaced, and the suede is extremely soft, moulding to Andy’s form, so he decided to try them on.
My friend’s customer list contained the size of the Andy loafers he had purchased. Being quite tall with large feet, the Ginza store had no stock. The manager kindly checked availability at other branches.Upon checking, it was found that the Nihonbashi branch had stock. What surprised me then was the manager saying, ‘If you could wait 30 to 40 minutes, our staff will fetch them from the Nihonbashi branch.’ As I had time, I accepted, feeling a bit apologetic.
Whilst I purchase various items at different shops, I have never heard of such service where they would go to another shop on the same day to collect an item for you. This level of service is truly unique to Berluti. Even though we are repeat customers visiting with the intention to purchase, I was genuinely astonished and deeply impressed by the excellence of their service.
While waiting for my junior colleague’s shoes to be decided and my friend’s shoes to arrive, the staff kindly suggested I take a look at the apparel collection, which I did. As Berluti is a brand that started with shoes, it releases many leather goods of a quality unmatched by other brands.
I was shown a shearling jacket with a Greer B3 motif and tried it on; its exceptional quality made me want to buy it. My junior colleague was tempted by a leather hooded blouson and was surprised when he tried it on. They have developed a leather that is as thin and light as nylon, with UV protection and waterproofing, and it is available in a very sophisticated range.
It is expensive, so I didn’t buy it, but the high-quality, sophisticated apparel line is something I would like to buy and wear someday.
Whilst we were looking at the apparel line, my friend’s Andy Demjoure Neo Flex Loafers arrived. He tried them on immediately. As they were the same size as his existing Andy shoes, they fit perfectly. Made from softer suede than the standard Andy, with a supple leather sole, they felt completely free of that initial stiffness new shoes often have. He was thoroughly satisfied and decided on the Andy Demjoure Neo Flex Loafers.
Refined hospitality
Having settled on the shoes to gift both my junior colleague and friend, I completed the payment and presented the gifts to them. At that time, I was also given a year-end promotional item and a book summarising Berluti’s history.
After receiving maintenance instructions and a final thank you from the staff and manager who assisted us, we left the shop. Though the actual shopping took just under two hours, I was deeply impressed by the shop’s wholehearted commitment to fulfilling customer wishes. This included patiently assisting my junior colleague, who has discerning taste and strong preferences, with his shoe selection, and even going to another store to fetch a product for my friend with unusual sizing.
Each time I visit, the manager suggests I should definitely wear Berluti shoes. While I always keep Berluti in mind – their shoes are beautiful, like works of art, not just visually appealing but also superbly crafted – I explain that I’ve put the idea on hold, thinking they might be a bit too prominent for my current style. Nevertheless, knowing this is a brand that treats customers so well, my heart is stirred every time I step inside.
Wearing example.
This time, as they are not for my own wear, there are no photos of me wearing them. My friend started wearing them the very next day after purchase, so I couldn’t take any pictures. However, my junior colleague said they wanted to keep a record of them, so I temporarily held them, took photos, and then passed them on to my junior colleague.
The photographs featured in this article are solely of the Galé Cursive slippers gifted to my junior colleague. The form of the Andy Demjoure Neo Flex loafers gifted to my friend is also exceptionally beautiful, so I hope to photograph them and feature them in an article when the opportunity arises.
Galé Cursive slippers
- Venetian calf leather
- Colour: Tobacco Bis
- Construction: Blake
- Country of origin: Made in Italy
- Collection: Classic Collection
- Shoe tree: Included
- Line: Galet
Andy Demjoure Neo Flex Loafer
- Loafer
- Break construction
- Demjoure Neo last
- Camoccio calf leather
- Venice calf leather detailing on the back
- Cushioning on the back ensures comfort
- Leather lining and insole
- Flexible outsole construction
Conclusion.
This time, I presented Berluti shoes as a gift to celebrate a junior colleague and friend. While I have previously written about Berluti’s exceptional customer service, this recent experience reaffirmed and further impressed me with their approach, truly demonstrating the remarkable quality one expects from a long-established house.
The following message regarding maintenance is posted on the official website.
Founded by Alessandro Berluti, a master shoemaker and repairer, Maison Berluti places great emphasis on circularity. For the Maison, there is nothing more natural than providing care and repairs to ensure products are cherished for as long as the customer desires. From shoes and leather goods to prêt-à-porter, the Maison’s ateliers offer a range of services designed to help you enjoy your items in beautiful condition for as long as possible.
Through years of diligently building upon the founder’s principles, establishing the trust and reputation it enjoys today, and continuing to provide services that allow customers in Japan to experience the founder’s philosophy firsthand, both I and the two individuals who received this gift hold the Berluti brand in the deepest respect.
Shop
The Berluti store that attended to you on this occasion is the Berluti Ginza store.
It possesses a high level of prestige, creating an atmosphere where one hesitates to casually peek inside. However, upon entering and viewing the merchandise, one finds that the brand, based on the artistic shoes Berluti has meticulously crafted over many years, also offers leather accessories, bags, and apparel.
As mentioned in the article , the excellence of their customer service is also world-class, ensuring the ultimate experience from the moment of purchase through to subsequent care. Having dealt in leather shoes – products with an exceptionally long lifespan – the brand embodies the philosophy that truly fine items are meant to be cherished for years. One can appreciate the cultural aspect deeply rooted in Europe, where items steeped in ancient history are considered of supreme value.
While the shoes on display possess a beauty distinct from a sense of historical weight, it is precisely these exquisite shoes that embody the history of years spent steadfastly crafting fine footwear, cherished by customers.
While the extraordinary beauty of these new shoes might initially make long-term care seem daunting, their colour develops over time. If you grow fond of this patina, you can enjoy the ageing process. Should changes or wear become a concern, a refresh through re-colouring is possible. This makes them excellent shoes for long-term use, embodying the brand’s philosophy.
While my article focuses solely on footwear, the brand also offers equally splendid leather goods, bags, and apparel – all designed for enduring use. It is a brand I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone seeking truly exceptional pieces for long-term enjoyment.
