10 Questions to Ask Before You Commission Bespoke Shoes

Commissioning your first pair of bespoke shoes is a bigger decision than buying off the shelf. You're paying for a pair built around your own feet, you'll wait months for it, and you can't try it on in a store first. The best way to protect that investment is to ask the right questions before you place an order, of any maker.

Below are the ten questions we think every man should ask before commissioning bespoke shoes, along with how we answer each one at Bondeno. Use them as a checklist when you compare makers. The first four are about fit, the reason to go bespoke in the first place.

1. Will my shoes be made on lasts carved for my own feet?

A last is the foot-shaped form a shoe is built around. Many "custom" services adjust a numbered stock last, adding a little width here or height there. True bespoke means a last made for you. Our guide to bespoke shoe last making explains how it's done.

Our answer: We never adjust numbered stock lasts. Your left and right lasts are each carved from scratch from the shape of your own feet. We expect your two feet to differ, so we never mirror one last to make the other.

2. How will you capture the shape of my feet?

Ask exactly what information the maker collects, and how. A tracing and a tape measure capture length and width. They don't capture volume, the shape of your instep or how snug you like a shoe to feel.

Our answer: Bondeno fittings happen entirely at home. We ship you a kit with Bio-Foam® precision foot molds, made by Smithers Bio-Medical Systems in Kent, Ohio. You step in and out of the molds, take six photos of each foot from specific angles, and record five girth measurements that tell us how snug you want the shoe in different areas. The process takes 10 to 15 minutes. You can follow the printed manual or book a video call so a bespoke specialist guides you. Then you send the molds back with the prepaid shipping label in the box.

Together, the molds, photos and measurements give us a replica of each foot up to 2 inches above the ankle bones, including its volume and your fitting preferences. You can read the full process on our at-home fittings page.

3. Will I see my lasts before anything is made?

With many makers, you see nothing until a trial shoe or the finished pair. It's worth asking whether you can check the design of your lasts first.

Our answer: Yes. Within five business days of receiving your molds and data, we email you a digital blueprint of your lasts so you can check the toe box shape and overall look. Revisions are unlimited, and each one takes two business days. Your wooden lasts are carved only after you approve the blueprint, which takes up to five business days.

4. Can you account for my orthotics or a foot that's hard to fit?

If you wear insoles or orthotics, have one foot larger than the other, or have a high instep or a sensitive toe, raise it before you order.

Our answer: If you wear orthotics, place them under your feet while you complete the foot molds, and they become part of the shape of your lasts. We can also raise the pattern around the ankle so your heel doesn't slip once the insole is in. When your feet are different lengths, we build each last from its own foot. Our FAQ lists the fitting problems we help with most often.

5. How long will it take, from order to delivery?

Lead times vary widely across bespoke makers, especially when several fittings have to be scheduled. Ask for a realistic estimate and what it depends on.

Our answer: Production takes 5 months. Before that, the molds reach you in 2 to 3 days within the U.S. and Canada (international orders ship by DHL and usually take 4 to 7 business days), and your blueprint arrives within five business days after we receive the molds back. Because your fitting happens at home, the timeline doesn't depend on travel or appointments.

6. Who makes the shoes, and where?

"Handmade" can mean many things. Ask who actually makes your pair and where.

Our answer: Your shoes are handmade in Florence, Italy, from beginning to end, by our sixth-generation shoemaking family, whose craft dates back to 1908. Bondeno was founded in New York in 2015 to bring that craft together with modern CAD/CAM technology.

7. What construction and materials can I choose?

Construction affects how a shoe wears, how water resistant it is and whether it can be resoled.

Our answer: Our men's shoes are made with Blake or Goodyear construction, depending on the model. A Blake Stitch single leather sole and a Blake Rapid double leather sole are included at no extra cost, and a Goodyear welt with a double leather sole is a +$495 upgrade. You can choose an Italian Pietro Presot leather sole or an Italian Vibram rubber sole. Our calfskin comes from Tanneries d'Annonay, part of the Hermès Group. Our guide to Blake Stitch vs Goodyear Welt vs Blake Rapid explains the differences.

8. What's included in the price, and what costs extra?

Some makers charge separately for the lasts, for each fitting or for the trial shoe. Ask for the full cost of a first pair.

Our answer: Our bespoke shoes start at $1,990 with Blake construction ($2,485 with a Goodyear welt), and boots start at $2,490 ($2,985 with a Goodyear welt), as listed on our pricing page. Your personal lasts are included. The only time we charge for lasts is if you want to buy and keep them yourself, which costs $1,000. The at-home fitting option, with the Bio-Foam® molds, insured UPS delivery and return of the molds, and insured delivery of your shoes, is +$100. All prices are before tax.

9. What happens if the shoes don't fit the way I want?

This is the most important question on the list, and the one makers answer least clearly. Ask what happens if the finished pair isn't right.

Our answer: Every order is covered by our Fit Guarantee: a remake is offered when the shoes or boots don't fit the way the client wants. Before a pair ships, we also check the interior dimensions of the finished shoes against the data you sent us. When your shoes arrive, try them on with the same socks you wore for the foot molds. Every pair also carries a 12-month workmanship warranty from the day you receive it.

10. What happens when I order my next pair?

A first bespoke pair is usually the start, not the end. Ask what a second order involves.

Our answer: Your lasts are stored at our warehouse in Italy, so a reorder doesn't need new molds. Reorder shipping is +$50. Because feet change over time, our Lifetime Free Last Adjustment Program adjusts your lasts with each new order.

How to Use This Checklist

Write the ten questions down before you compare makers, and ask for each answer in writing. A good maker will answer clearly and explain what happens when something doesn't go to plan. If a maker can't say whether your lasts are carved from scratch, whether you'll see them first or what happens when a pair doesn't fit, treat that as an answer too.

If you're ready to start, you can browse our men's styles, from Oxfords and Derbies to monk straps and loafers, in our Heritage Bespoke Shoe Collection, or read which style to order first. Then order your at-home fitting kit with your first pair. Questions before you order? Text us at (917) 398-0980 or call (212) 903-5650.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I be fitted for Bondeno bespoke shoes at home?

Yes. Bondeno offers at-home fittings only. You capture your foot shape at home with Bio-Foam® foot molds, photos and girth measurements, and a bespoke specialist can guide you by video call if you'd like.

How long does the at-home fitting take?

About 10 to 15 minutes. You can do it on your own or with someone helping you.

Are the lasts really made from scratch?

Yes. Your left and right lasts are each carved from scratch from the shape of your own feet. We never adjust numbered stock lasts.

How long do Bondeno bespoke shoes take?

Production takes 5 months.

What if my shoes don't fit?

Our Fit Guarantee covers every order: a remake is offered when the shoes or boots don't fit the way the client wants.