The Jaunty Flâneur
So tell us a little bit about The Jaunty Flâneur…
What service do you supply for weddings?
At the Jaunty Flâneur, our focus is in making the groom’s shoes look spectacular, and so enhance his whole look. That can be polishing or patina, which is increasingly popular. Patina is recolouring shoes to either revive and restore, or to completely change the character of the shoes by giving them a new appearance in several shades blended together to create a personalised finish.
How do you make the Groom feel special?
Our flagship location is inside Savile Row’s Cad and the Dandy tailors. A substantial portion of the tailor’s business is suits for weddings or other special occasions, and it’s typically during a client’s first consultation that we would introduce the idea of working on their shoes. Even a beautifully tailored suit can be let down by battered old shoes. Sometimes we would go over what type of shoes they ought to be looking to buy and from where; as we are independent of a shoe brand, we can recommend different makers and styles at different price points to reflect what the client is after. Once we’ve agreed on the shoes, we can talk about what can be done to them to make them that bit more special
How do customise the look?
A standard cap shine will make any pair of shoes look terrific, but that’s only the start. When gentlemen are designing their suit, they may want us to customise the colour and finish of their shoes. This can be giving an ‘antique’ look to a pair of brown shoes (probably our most common request), but there is an incredible range of colour and patterning that can be included. We’ve done blue and grey marbling, and a pair of purple shoes shading to be black at the toe!
What is special and unique about you?
As with all of our patina commissions, it’s a very personal interaction. What type of shoe the gentleman has, how he wears it, if he has a particular gait of shape of foot that would lead to premature wearing in certain places, are the shoes to be used in the future for office use, if so – what is the culture of that office, is the wedding in town or country, will there need to be a matching belt, etc. After a chat and showing some examples of previous work to get the creative juices flowing, we will have a specification nailed down.
What do you really like about supplying for Bridegrooms?
One of the joys of providing polishing and patinas to wedding customers is that it is one of the few times when gentlemen are solely interested in their presentation and one of the rare times when they will push the boat out a little and consider things beyond the traditional charcoal/navy suit with black/dark brown shoes. Even if black shoes are the final decision, the gentleman will be open to hearing about navy shoes, or burgundy with a darker ‘cloud’ like blurring in certain areas. And once we start that conversation, people are often staggered at how much their shoes can be changed. We gently strip back the existing finish of the shoes, then build the new finish up with layers of leather dyes. It takes time and skill; there are no short-cuts and it’s all done by hand.
Any limitations?
We generally say that shoes should be considered as soon as the suit is being decided upon. To us, you’re not dressed until you’ve got your shoes sorted, so it really cannot be a last-minute detail. Our patina and recolouring service has a lead time of 4-6 weeks once we’ve got the shoes and agreed a finish. Before that point, there may well be a few trips that the groom has to make to different shoe shops to get something that works for him and his feet.
Can I come and meet you?
Our location in Savile Row is an ideal place for a consultation. We have done many consultations via email with images, but there’s no substitution for meeting the artisan who will be working on your shoes; it greatly adds to the experience!
How do I get in touch?
Email: doffyourhat@thejauntyflaneur.com
Phone: 07546 324641