Full Grain Podcast with Nick Horween and Phil Kalas
For leather nerds! The finest leather, boots, shoes, bags, raw denim, drinks, watches, and more. Leather tannery veterans Nick Horween (5th generation, Horween Leather) and Phil Kalas (Founder, Ashland Leather) cover manufacturing, leather, boots, denim, everyday carry and the talented people who are creating the world's finest products. Get the inside scoop and a greater understanding for high quality goods with a new episode released every week.
Full Grain Podcast with Nick Horween and Phil Kalas
The Business of Luxury Shoes: Inside Leffot with Steven Taffel
In this episode of the Full Grain Podcast, we sit down with Steven Taffel, the founder of Leffot—one of the world's premier destinations for fine footwear located in the heart of New York City.
Steven shares the fascinating origin story of Leffot and how he curated a selection that includes legendary makers like Alden, Edward Green, and Joseph Cheaney. We dive deep into the nuances of footwear retail, the "lost art" of in-person sizing, and how Leffot is changing the secondary market with their unique pre-owned program.
Steven also opens up about the difficult decision to close the Chicago location and what he’s learned about the evolving landscape of luxury retail.
Topics Covered:
The Origin of Leffot: How a passion for shoes turned into a Greenwich Village landmark.
The Importance of Fit: Why Steven believes in-person sizing is still superior to online charts.
Pre-Owned Luxury: Inside the Leffot Pre-Owned program and the circular economy of high-end shoes.
The Chicago Chapter: The honest truth behind closing the Chicago operation.
Curating the Best: What Steven looks for in brands like Alden and Edward Green.
🔗 https://leffot.com/
https://www.instagram.com/leffot
Get a wallet that is made for patina and is guaranteed for life. Ashland Leather has you covered. https://ashlandleather.com/
The world's finest leather. Check our Horween Leather. https://www.horween.com/
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