10th PROJECT: 02. Deciding on specifications
At the first planning meeting, the special item that symbolizes the 10th anniversary will be the model "Mikey", which can be said to be the face of blueover, and we will tell you about the process of creating it with special specifications using the technology acquired through 10 years of connections. Yes, this series.
Last time, we decided on a direction that would emphasize ``Mikey-ness.''
At the second meeting, we will decide on detailed specifications for everyone's first sample of Mikey.
Go to "01. Planning meeting"
Go to "03. Leather and sole materials"
Go to “04. Completion of “Sample””
Person introduction
Watari
The founder and designer of blueover. Tama's hobby is wood carving.
East (Azuma)
Shoemaker. Works on blueover shoe samples. I like cats.
Egawa
blueover/struct staff. During the winter, I fell in love with knitting.
Egawa
This time, we will decide on specific specifications when making the first sample. please.
Watari please
Azuma
thank you
Is the sole McKay? Goodyear?
Egawa
To briefly summarize what we talked about last time, a customer has requested to replace the sole of Mikey, but the cemented manufacturing method typical of sneakers is not suitable for replacing the sole. At the 10th anniversary "Everyone's Mikey" event, we talked about wanting to use either the Goodyear welt manufacturing method or the Mackay manufacturing method, which allows for interchangeable soles.
Watari
is not it
Egawa
I joined in 2016, so I think this will be about before that...
Have you always had a request to replace the sole?
Watari
Looking back, there were voices like that about Marco from early on.
Azuma
Marco was also cemented at first, just like Mikey is now.
Watari
Many people use Marco as business shoes on weekdays, and when that happens, the sole inevitably gets chipped.
Azuma
At that time, those who wanted to replace the sole were asked to understand that the upper would be damaged.
Egawa
Mikey continues to use cemented shoes, emphasizing the sneaker-like feel, but Marco's specifications were changed to the Mackay manufacturing method in response to requests for sole replacement. I have a question, but when you changed the sole of Marco from cemented, why did you choose Mackay instead of Goodyear?
Watari
At the time, Goodyear was not an option given the connections with the factories.
Azuma
The Folse that appeared in 2019 is Goodyear, but that's something we were able to do while continuing with blueover.
Watari
McKay was able to make this happen thanks in part to its connections with factories that had the machinery from back then.
Also, I thought the lightweight and comfortable McKay was a good choice for Marco, who wears it for a lot of business purposes.
Azuma
Goodyear shoes are known for their solid, heavy feel, and because they have a lot of padding, they are also hard on the feet.
Watari
The price will also go up lol.But if I had been able to choose Goodyear from the beginning when I changed the sole specifications for Marco, I would have chosen Mackay.
As a sneaker brand, we also need ease of use.
Egawa
It's true that Marco has a business-like silhouette, but it's as comfortable as sneakers.
McKay was the best choice to make that happen.
Azuma
Yes, Marco is a model with lightness in mind.
Watari
It's light, isn't it? light.
Sole had a hard time
Egawa
They are light like sneakers, can be used for business purposes, and the soles can be replaced.
This is the point Marco has reached after repeated updates.
Egawa
By the way, I rediscovered it when I wrote an explanatory diagram of the Mackay manufacturing method in an article about the previous planning meeting. The McKay manufacturing method refers to the "McKay sewing" of the insole and sole, and whether or not the outsole is attached is not included in the definition of the ``McKay manufacturing method.''
Azuma
I agree.
When you look at the soles of men's shoes, you can see the stitching...many of them don't have what Marco calls an outsole. In the case of Marco, even if the sole wears out, all you have to do is replace the outsole, and the shoe itself is less likely to get damaged.
Watari
Runmarand was also made using a method of sewing the midsole and pasting the outsole.
Egawa
At first, Runmarand's midsole was made of leather.
Egawa
I still want the midsole to go back to leather! Sometimes we hear that
Azuma
Although the appearance and reputation were good, there was an incident where the sole peeled off because the EVA and leather materials were not compatible...
I've improved it by changing the specifications from leather to micro sponge.
What I learned at that time was that it is also important what materials you use.
Egawa
Regarding the McKay manufacturing method, blueover has made quite a few efforts to arrive at the current specifications...
Egawa
Going back a little bit, the themes of the Mikey we're creating for our 10th anniversary are to have a ``Mikey-ness as a sneaker,'' ``leverage blueover's 10 years of technology and connections,'' and at the same time make the sole replaceable.
In that sense, it seems that the Mackay manufacturing method is suitable for the sole, taking advantage of the technology cultivated by blueover.
Azuma
Goodyear or Mackay? As a sneaker, Mackay has more nimbleness. Regarding the appearance, if you use GY and give out the edges, it will look like boots.
Watari
I agree. Overall, I want a pair that is easier to wear than the GY and easier to change soles. Okay, let's make it with McKay!
Azuma
I agree!
The leather for the upper will be made from now on!?
Egawa
Now that the sole has been decided...next is the upper!
At the first planning meeting, blueover's original waterproof leather and oil leather were selected from famous leathers such as Chrome Excel.
During that time, we talked about nubuck, but in my mind, I still have an image of Mikey being made of brushed leather.
Watari
right. I've made Mikey out of smooth leather several times, but the matte texture of velor or nubuck works best for me.
Egawa
It goes without saying that the classic velor color is very popular, but when nubuck Mikey is released in limited quantities, it always seems to run out of stock quickly.
Azuma
However, since it's the 10th anniversary, I feel like I want to use blueover's original leather, which was completed with the cooperation of the long-established tanner Sanyo.
Watari
That's right. Hmm...
Egawa
Hmm...
Watari
I'd like to try making leather with a brushed surface using oil leather and waterproof leather...
Egawa
Eh, can you do that!?
Watari
I can't predict what kind of leather will be finished.
Egawa
It is true that nubuck refers to the raised surface of leather. So if you brush smooth leather, you can make nubuck.
It would be perfect if I could do that...
Azuma
Please consult with a tanner once. Let's make a sample
Watari
You won't know unless you try it
Azuma
I don't understand
Egawa
I'm a little nervous...
Mikey's lining is definitely the "usual" choice.
Egawa
Next is the lining. What shall we do
Azuma
Mikey is currently wearing pigskin.
Marco, Folse uses an original cow steer.
Egawa
If you want to make it feel special, why not also have beef steer...?
Watari
No, Mikey's lining is my favorite pigskin. That's one choice.
Of course it's raw
Egawa
Mr. Watari even said in the 20AW interview that he prefers pigskin to Mikey rather than cow steer! That's what he said.
An outpouring of love for pigskin...
Watari
It's breathable and comfortable
Azuma
It's softer than beef steer.
Egawa
I also feel that pigskin is ``like Mikey.''
The lining was decided right away lol
Azuma was quick lol
Egawa
So...this time, we decided to make the soles McKay and the uppers made of nubuck. The lining is pigskin, which is an instant decision. I'm curious. I'll see what happens when blueover's original waterproof leather and oil leather are made into nubuck, so I'll wait for the samples from the tanner and continue next time!
Next time, we'll check out nubuck leather samples that we haven't seen yet!
