Several years ago I had a friend who only ever dressed in black. His entire wardrobe comprised slim fitting trousers, long sleeve shirts and jackets. As he was of slender build and Sri Lankan heritage he managed to own the look. However, as an artist I personally prefer an injection of vibrant colour to add an element of interest. Certainly in the modern world a discerning gentleman has the opportunity to be more adventurous in his attire.
Until a few years ago my colour of choice was blue but that all changed when one of my wife’s work colleagues introduced me to the wonderful world of purple. Nowadays I own several shirts, shoes and trousers in different shades of this vibrant colour. I think this is why I fell in love with progressive UK brand Eves & Gray. They have used warm tones of purple to add a special twist to their contemporary range of shoe ware.
Previously on ‘Total Design Reviews’ I have published reviews about Eves & Gray’s superb Hellcat boots and “Mustang” brogues. Both are beautifully crafted from fine Italian leather and are exceedingly comfortable to wear. Even though I have not personally met the company’s founder Tim Waring I believe we share a similar philosophy about good design. In fact, I connected him and Max Van Brauge (Van Brauge Watches) and they have subsequently co-created a beautiful timepiece together.
A few months ago Eves & Gray posted a picture of a bespoke pair of bright purple loafers they had created for a client. After a lot of positive feedback Tim Waring decided to put the shoes into production and has called them the “Caius” Slip On. Fortunately, I have managed to get hold of some and can honestly say they look much better in real life. Normally, I am not a massive fan of suede but this Italian variant is totally extravagant. They are also ridiculously comfortable to wear and really are designed to be noticed.
The “Caius” Slip On won’t appeal to everyone’s tastes and definitely are not for the fainthearted. However, I love these shoes and admire Tim Waring’s courage to deliver this bold product to market. At £195 I also feel they offer clients good value for money.
For more information about Eves & Gray follow this link
