B-Ware / Seconds / Oops

Shoemaking isn’t easy. 

Little details can go wrong and, when they do, it’s not always possible to tell just by looking at the finished shoe. Imperfections often don’t reveal themselves until the shoe has been worn for quite some time. And, even then, if we see a problem in a few pairs, we have no way of knowing if more are affected.

So, whenever we have a doubt, we like to reduce the price of ALL potentially affected shoes and be fully transparent with our customers that there’s a higher risk their shoes may develop a flaw. 

All the shoes on this page are "B-ware" or "Seconds" - discounted because a handful of shoes from the same batch showed problems after wear (e.g. the sole began to separate from the upper sooner than it ordinarily would).

It's a bit of a lottery. Many of these shoes will be totally fine. Others will only develop minor aesthetic imperfections. And some will eventually develop flaws that are big enough to warrant repair (in most cases a good cobbler can extend the life of the shoe), or retirement (you can of course just accept that these will be ephemeral shoes).

Ultimately, a lot of customers have been happy with the shoes. Whatever happens, we know you're gonna enjoy them for a while and, hopefully, once they do eventually expire, you'll be left with happy memories of the time you had together... and the money you saved. 

In return for the great price (between €80 and €115 less than usual), you’re agreeing to take from our shoulders the risk and responsibility for any flaws that may emerge in the shoes. It means you won’t be able to return them to us and any repairs, should you choose to have them, will be something you organise and pay for (we find most cobblers are well able to handle our shoes and their work is pretty affordable, e.g. between €20 and €40 per pair in Berlin). 

In sum, all these discounted shoes are very special - the highest quality of leather, materials, comfort, craftsmanship and humanity... which wouldn’t be itself if it got everything right all of the time. 

We're very happy that these shoes will get to be enjoyed and we're grateful for your part in that.