2024 World Championship of Shoemaking | London Super Trunk Show | Kirby Allison

I'm back in London for one of bespoke shoemaking's most exciting and important events: the World Championship of Shoemaking! This contest, now in its 5th year, pulls together some of the best and most talented shoemakers in the world as they showcase their incredible work in competition with one another for the coveted title of World Champion in Shoemaking. Each year, the World Championship of Shoemaking selects a different iconic dress shoe model for the shoemakers to make. This year, we see these incredible shoemakers exercise the very pinnacle of their craft, making a light brown, full-strap loafer. This will be the contest's first casual model, a very exciting challenge for the shoemakers as they reinterpret this classic shoe to showcase their design and technical abilities. The shoes are judged in three categories: Difficulty, Execution, and Aesthetics. The first two categories can be awarded up to 10 points each by the judges, with the final category earning up to 5 points. Deductions can also be given if the guidelines aren't followed completely: 5% for small errors, 10% for large errors. The points are then tallied up and the winner is declared. This is truly a ground breaking contest, one that resurrects the famed World's Fair contests of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and continues to showcase the incredible examples of quality, craftsmanship, and tradition, so beautifully exemplified by the bespoke shoemaking trade. So join me as we document the 5th A