BANANA COWHIDE SHOES
DESCRIPTION
Created in collaboration with The Old Curiosity Shop of England, these handmade shoes merge London’s experimental roots with Japanese craftsmanship. Designed under Daita Kimura — Cordwainers College graduate and successor to John Moore’s shoemaking legacy — the Banana Cowhide Shoes carry forward the uncompromising spirit of the 1980s avant-garde. Kimura’s work preserves the attitude of London’s House of Beauty and Culture, where classical methods met punk energy and design restraint.
Each pair is produced in small batches at The Old Curiosity Shop’s Tokyo atelier. Crafted from full-grain cowhide, the shoe features a curved lacing system that wraps from the inner toe and bends toward the upper tongue, tied with natural corded leather. The tilted Vero Cuoio sole and stacked leather heel follow traditional English construction, while stainless steel toe taps with a chainmail motif and tonal pull tabs anchor the design in modern utility. The result is a shape that distorts slightly over time — a quiet expression of wear, craft, and permanence shared by both houses.
✦ Item Class: Shoes
✦ Sex: Unisex
✦ Features: Handmade in Japan, stainless steel chainmail toe tap, corded leather laces, tilted italian leather sole with rubber heel insert, logo stamped on leather sole, stacked leather heel, heel pull tabs
✦ Weight Category: Heavyweight
✦ Material Composition: 100% cowhide; stainless steel hardware
✦ Fit Details: Shoe sizing in UK; Ivy is 5'11" and wears UK 9
✦ Season: Fall
✦ Production Year: 2025