Of ever on a quest for the perfect boots, of late on quest for the perfect engineer boots. Tried, bought, exchanged, perused the usual suspects, then the not so usual. Pined over unattainable or never gonna fit ‘40s vintage engineers, then in new york, while not working, also while working, scoured the internet, and found myself in Japan a lot or most of the time, and most of what had been imported to some of the shops in nyc was long gone, save for the occasional size 13 1/2.
Then I happened upon Role Club. Or maybe it was Brian the Bootmaker’s Instagram, either way, same guy, Brian Troung. Ironically, this guy and his boots were in my backyard -- broadly speaking -- near downtown LA, in Historic South Central. But I was stuck in New York. The day after I got home I shot down to his shop and got fitted -- which is no easy task, I have a ridiculously complex orthotic prescription, because of course I do. The place is a photographer’s goldmine, I’ll post some 35mm when I get it back from the lab. His collection of beautiful old machinery with which he crafts these boots is worth the visit in and of itself. His boots are the best of their kind in my opinion. An amalgam of vintage influences (toe tracks man!) with a modern touch, replete with ridiculous details and truly stunning craftsmanship. And Brian’s a model of humility, owing his inspiration, education, and recent success to his “teacher,” “El Maestro,” Ignacio Palacios, pictured above. Check out their story, check out his shop.
This is an unpaid endorsement. Actually it’s a paid endorsement. And I’d pay again, for some brown ones.
