You see all these fancy descriptions, right? “Gucci shoes are also handmade by experienced craftsmen, ensuring the highest standards of quality.” Okay, that sounds legit. And then they’re like, “The process of making leather shoes at Gucci is a beautiful one and held in high regard for an obvious reason.” Like, okay, I get it, they’re trying to sell the dream. A handcrafter shoe must be really amazing, huh?
But then you stumble across something like, “Allen Edmonds nor Gucci shoes are “handmade”. Make no mistake, these are machine manufactured footwear.” Ouch. That kinda bursts the bubble, doesn’t it?
So, here’s my take. I think it’s probably somewhere in the middle. Like, yeah, maybe a skilled artisan is *involved* somewhere along the line, probably cutting leather or something. But let’s be real. I doubt some guy in a little Italian workshop is stitching every single pair of those chunky sneakers by hand. That’d take forever! And the cost would be insane. I guess I am not that rich.
I think it’s more like a combo deal. Some manual work, some machine work. They probably use machines to crank out the basic shape, then maybe someone adds the finishing touches by hand, like stitching on a logo or something. It’s a good balance between quality and efficiency, I guess.
And honestly, does it really matter? I mean, a Gucci shoe is gonna cost you a fortune regardless, hand-stitched or not. What you’re paying for is the design, the brand name, and the perceived quality. And maybe, just maybe, a little sliver of that “handmade” romance.
Plus, you can even get ’em customized! Check out the gucci custom shoe selection, they claim you can find something unique, handmade from their sneakers & athletic shoes shops. I bet you’ll have a hard time finding something you like, right?