Vass Shoes Review: U Last Austerity Brogues In Dark Brown Museum Calf

Hungary Does It Again

It’s quite astonishing it took me so long to Review Vass Shoes.

Well here they are and they are wonderful! In today’s article I will Review a pair of MTO Vass Austerity Brogues in Dark Brown Museum Calf on the U Last.

We will discuss details, construction, quality and of course sizing like always!

Grab some coffee and let’s talk shoes!

Genuinely Handmade Shoes

Not so long ago, I wrote an article about the word “Handmade” and its abuse in the shoe industry.

Why I am mentioning this? Because Vass Shoes are probably the best example of genuinely handmade shoes for an incredible price.

This means that they are hand-welted, hand-lasted and even have handsewn soles. Vass Shoes only closes the uppers with a machine, which is absolutely fine in my book.

While this is not new and I reviewed many handmade shoes in the past, it is the price that makes them such a value proposition. An exceptional deal for $500-$600 and no contest if you get them during sales.

Ask yourself, if you had a choice (for the same price) what would you pick? Shoes made by a machine or genuinely by someone’s hand?

The only thing that remains is to see if they are worthy entries in the Best Dress Shoes List.

Vass Budapest History

Other than writing the actual review, I always enjoy the journalist aspect of blogging.

You know, when you delve into the unknown and try to uncover the history, mysteries and small hidden stories of your topic. I was quite familiar with Vass Shoes Budapest, but here is a quick history lesson.

The first you should know however is that it’s not pronounced “VAS”. Instead the pronunciation sounds more like “VOSH” according to a local friend. Allegedly it also means “Iron” in Hungarian.

Over 40 years ago when socialism and the soviet presence was strong in Central/Eastern Europe, it was impossible for people to really open up their own shops and workshops.

Vass Budapest might not have the 200 year old history of English Brands but shoemaking runs strong in the family. Mr. László Vass is the founder and owner and it might be a familiar name for some.

He is the author of the legendary book “Handmade Shoes For Men”. While remaining extremely passionate about his shoes today, he gets valuable help by his daughter Eva and excellent sales consultant Rezső Kuti.

Since opening their first official workshop in 1978, Vass Shoes gained reputation as some of the best shoes you could buy.

Dig deeper and you will find some excellent interviews with Mr. Vass detailing his favorite styles and subtle differences between Austrian and Hungarian Shoemaking.

Specifications | Vass Austerity Brogue

Before telling you about the juicy specs of this pair, I should disclose something first.

I received this pair by Vass Shoes for a Review BUT I did not get it for free. In fact I asked to pay for it myself as I believe that good craftsmanship should be rewarded. There are no affiliate paid links, nor I get any commission at all if you buy something from them.

The Austerity Brogue I am reviewing today is part of some unique models only available through Made To Order. It means that you choose a model, leather, sole and other details to make the pair you really want. The process seems to take anywhere between 4-8 weeks I would say.

Let’s get on with the show:

• Brand: Vass Shoes Budapest
• Model: Austerity Brogue
• Type: Oxford (Closed Lacing)
• Leather: Full Grain Calfskin
• Color: Dark Brown Museum Calf
• Construction: Hand-welted, hand-lasted
• Eyelets: 5 Blind
• Lining: Leather
• Sole: Handsewn Single JR Sole
• Last: U
• Size: EU 42 (UK 8/US 9D)
• Shoe Trees: Lasted
• Details: Metal Toe Tips (Flush)
• Origin: Hungary
• Price Estimate: $600 (Add VAT if you are in the EU)

Beefy specs for what looks to be a great pair of shoes on paper. For your MTO inquiries or general questions I recommend emailing Vass here.

Ordering & Delivery

I formally placed my order on the 13th of April with an estimated delivery date of May 20.

However I received the most exciting news on the 30th of April that my shoes were ready! Please note that I got my shoes faster than usual and that could be due to the lack of work during the pandemic or because I would review them.

Like I mentioned before, 6-8 weeks (or more) is a good estimate and lead time for your shoes. In the order I made sure to include lasted shoe trees (€30) and metal toe tips (€20) which are great additions for high end shoes.

Delivery was smooth and quick in Europe though I must admit sometimes their communications is not great. Rest assured that if you bought RTW shoes they will ship them as soon as possible.

Unboxing Experience

The box is often a rather underrated aspect of the whole shoe experience. It ensures (or not!) that they will arrive safely without scratches or unfortunate marks.

Vass uses their own custom box, but also safeguard it inside a cardboard fitted one for transport.

The box itself has this reddish color which is like a mix of maroon, burgundy and wine red to my eye. It is very simplistic with the Vass logo and nothing more. There are no stickers or anything on the side.

I honestly don’t care about it, but I can see it could be a slight annoyance if you have multiple pairs and store them in their boxes.

Apart from the shoes and whatever accessories you ordered, there’s not much inside. Vass uses some nice quality branded paper and some lovely crème/beige shoe bags that are big enough for your shoes.

While far from the most luxurious unboxings I’ve done on Misiu Academy, I couldn’t care less about the lack of accessories. I have 23 billion shoe horns and I am fine with the eco friendly paperless approach.

Think of it as a Ferrari F40. You don’t even get a carpet inside, but it’s a properly fast car.

Design & Initial Impressions

It’s a good looking thing isn’t it?

This is a brilliant example of a great Austerity Brogue by Vass and I think it’s the choice of last that amplifies that. For those unaware, an Austerity Brogue has the exact same pattern as a wingtip but without the actual broguing perforations.

Aesthetically the proportions seem balanced to me. It’s extremely easy in my book to get the “W” part of the wingtip wrong. I saw a model the other day and it looked like two flabby butt cheeks.

There is no rear traditional backseam (dog-tail or straight). A bigger piece of leather runs all the way around the quarters and acts as part of the back.

I am not sure if this is standard, but the shoes had already a nice shine and slightly glossier look. It does feel like a pretty heavy and hefty shoe with the trees inside.

I liked the styling and it was my first choice next to the Italian Oxford Adelaide. You cannot go wrong with this model and Austerity Brogues are a superb versatile shoe for all occasions.

Tip: Read more about Austerity Brogues and Types of Dress Shoes Here!

Leather & Museum Calf

You should know by now that I don’t speak much about leather quality in-depth these days. Not unless I find something wrong with it or I do manage to get some wear out of them.

One reason for this is because good leather will show its true colors after loads of wear.

Anyways as I mentioned in the previous section it does look good and the creasing was gentle and nice across the vamp after a few wears.

The finishing seems also nice and uniform but I want to take a moment and discuss museum calf. For the uninitiated, museum calf was a term John Lobb coined for leather with a marbled, mottled appearance.

Its popularity is increasing but until now I never had one. I must admit I was a little skeptical about it and unsure what to expect.

To my surprise the color on these is rather uniform with very slight hints of lighter brown. But in most occasions it will look like a dark brown shoe. Which for me is great! I do expect the shoe to develop some richer patina with wear though.

What I believe is that museum calf will show better in lighter colors such as the Gold Museum Calf Vass has.

The leather itself seems to be a little thicker when you feel it with the inner lining. It feels good to hold these shoes.

Tip: Read my Ultimate Guide to Types of Leather!

Construction Quality

We already covered early in the Review that Vass Shoes are genuinely handmade.

So they stitch the welt, lasting and even the sole by hand. I wish I could cut them in half to understand the interior components better at the heel. But I know about the shank and a few surprises you will see in the sole section.

It does feel like a substantial shoe, not because of its weight but because of how structured they are. A very rigid heel stand and very structured sides give it a very defined form.

In other words, whatever corners they cut to keep the price lower is not visible to the naked eye. Nor it will have an impact in my opinion. I don’t mind the laces either.

The bottom line is I don’t think anyone will (or has) complain about the build quality of Vass Shoes. If you had a bad experience with it, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Honestly as a man with 23 thousand shoes I don’t expect to resole these shoes ever. Nor would you with a healthy rotation of 10 pairs.

Certainly not perfect (and no shoe really is) but it’s truly staggering how much shoe you get for the money.

Stitching & Welt

As for the stitching, everything is also fine.

If you really, really want to nitpick you can spot a few irregularities here and there. For example the double stitching is unevenly spaced in certain areas. But overall it’s as good as you would expect in 2021.

If you look at the welt, it has some classic fudging but look closer and it (looks) like the stitching follows the markings. On the other hand in most shoes the fudging is decorative.

So not the highest SPI density ever, nor the tightest welt in the world. The more I learn about shoes the less I care about these gimmicks. The feel of the car is more important to me in the end.

I have to stress that this looks and feels like a very well-balanced shoe. You learn to appreciate the little inconsistencies that are part of the “Vass Charm” or just due to the handmade factor.

Oh and if you check Bedo’s rip the sole apart everything looks great as well.

Interior

Short section here as there’s not that much to talk about.

A pleasant surprise is the full sole (instead of half). Other than that the lining is extremely smooth and some might notice the absence of a sueded feel at the heel.

On the side you can read some handwritten markings which I assume have to do with the date of production.

Vass trimmed their lining nicely at the top and that’s about it.

Sole & Heel

Trying to improve a Review is no easy feat and I am not the person that will just ramble about the same things every single time.

This time, I decided to pay some more focus on the sole and do some extra research. I watched this extraordinary video by Bedo’s Leatherworks who shed some light in some components you don’t know much about.

Beginning with the good news, Vass Shoes usually come with JR Leather Soles. Plainly said, they are some of the best quality soles on the market. They just have a great, robust feeling and durability factor to them don’t they?

I like how they stamp the JR logo on the front, or the very discreet Vass Budapest engraving on the waist.

You can also admire how lovely the it looks. Although a closed channel sole, you can visibly see the cuts which aren’t exactly sitting even from the edge. I did notice this trend a lot with the Central/Eastern European shoe brands.

Don’t mistake this for a negative especially for the price you pay. If anything it’s an astonishing reminder that Vass sews the sole by hand. Remarkable when you can simply operate a machine and stitch it in a matter of minutes.

The most interesting part of the sole however was the heel for me.

This is due to the fact that the heel block is fiberboard (compressed paper) instead of stacked leather which is better. The latter is also much easier to repair since you can peel off a layer and replace it. With fiberboard you need to change the entire heel block though.

Don’t let the 23 nails fool you either as only 3 nails hold the heel to the insole. These are not really negatives as you will really have to try to wear through the sole and the structural integrity is still fine. However it is understandably a good corner to cut to retain the superb price.

Lastly, another very interesting fact that Bedo’s revealed was the wooden pegged heel rand. Usually they nail it down, but this was fascinating to watch and nobody would know.

The heel block has a very rough edge at the front of the ellipsoid shape and certain parts of the edge dressing are not as polished. But who cares for that incredible price?

What I do like a lot is this inexplicable rougher texture the sole has. It’s not sleek and smooth but feels porous and almost…alive. I should mention they did a great installation of metal toe tips as well.

Vass Shoe Trees

Vass Shoes offers the possibility to get lasted shoe trees with every purchase.

And why on earth wouldn’t you do that for just 30 Euros ($35)?

It’s a bargain of a price and they fit quite well. In all honesty I can see a few points that might drive the cost down.

For starters, they are quite heavy bad boys. And then there’s the wooden rod connecting the two pieces. It’s extremely rigid and can give your hands a proper workout to compress.

It’s a bit of a struggle to get them out but they fit well and are exceptional value.

The Vass U Last

Vass has a plethora of different lasts with varying shapes, widths and insteps.

Their names are short and simple such as P, P2, U, K and F. People consider the F last a more balanced regular width last that you would take true to size.

Today’s Last is the U which is one of my favorites due to the shape. I am a very big fan of chiseled soft squares which sums up the U rather well. A true definition of a soft square as it’s not quite there, but it is. In other words, it is pointy enough to look good, but not square enough to make you grow chest hair.

For those that prefer a rounder classic last, the F or P2 will be fine albeit with a more bulbous look.

When it comes to the U Last, I like how it slopes from the laces with a nice arch and a gentle finish at the tips.

Sizing Recommendation

Worry not, I am working (slowly) to make a super spreadsheet of lasts and sizes for most brands out there.

Until that happens, you will have to rely on my text for recommendations!

As some of you may know my feet are medium/wide with a higher instep on the right foot. In most cases I tend to select a UK 8 (US 9D) for regular width shoes.

Now the U Last has a reputation of being more narrow towards the toe and that is certainly true. Some say the instep is a little lower, but I found it adequately accommodating for my feet.

When discussing sizing with Mr. Kuti he recommended UK 8 indeed. For the most part this is true but I certainly can feel the narrow part of the toe. Especially under the fifth metatarsal (little finger).

It’s not as tight as the Passus 2000 which you have to size half a size up but it will need a little break in. My advice is that if you have wider feet or get annoying pinching around the toes you should size up in the Vass U Last.

Of course you should always consult with Vass Shoes for a sizing recommendation if you need to double check.

How Do I Style Them?

There are those people that will vehemently refuse to wear oxfords with anything but a suit.

The world is much more flexible now and you should not worry about it. Especially if a shoe has broguing – or faux broguing in the case of austerities – it will go with most clothes.

Austerities are such versatile shoes. Not too flashy, not too discrete. Wear them with chinos, jeans, formal suits and they will look good.

And then there’s the color. Few things are more versatile than a dark brown shoe. It might not be the most optimal choice for charcoal grey colors but it works with everything else.

My most common style will be suit trousers and navy suits for these!

Should You Buy Vass Shoes?

Let me put it very clearly. If you are the type of person that will argue until the end of time that $50 cemented shoes are good and you don’t need to spend more you will not buy these, or anything else.

Also, if you are on a budget or just starting and cannot get these on the rare sample sales (up to 50% off) it will not be a first choice. Or if you are the person that needs just some good everyday shoes and knows the sweet spot is around the $300 mark.

However, if you are even moderately a shoe enthusiast you will not be able to argue that even at full price, Vass Shoes are tremendous value. Which company can boast fully handmade shoes for less than $600 with lasted shoe trees?

You can get great shoes for less between the $300-$500 mark of course. But even as a shop that sells Crockett & Jones which are great shoes, I would find it hard to justify that purchase over similarly priced Vass.

Not only you support a small shoemaking family and workshop, but you also get a fully handmade shoe for a superb price. Great leather, construction, unique aesthetics and possibly the best shoe deals on the market during sales.

While I fully endorse them, my advice to people looking to enter the shoe world is to start with a pair from an entry line brand. Feel the shoes, understand them and you will appreciate the leap in quality later.

I see people on reddit all the time post their shoes and wonder if the tiny cut in the welt is a defect. Another bloke commented on my Petru & Claymoor Review saying “$1500 for a crooked split stitch?”.

He would never understand or appreciate the handmade factor. But he would maybe understand it better if he owned a pair of ghastly Meermins first.

Vass Availability

Buying Vass Shoes is a rather one-dimensional experience.

Since last year when they launched their updated and much improved website it is the easiest shopping experience. Quite functional and easy to navigate.

There used to be more retailers. Most notable a famous London one that does not seem to work with them anymore.

A few other channels is Mehra, Medallion Shoes and No Man Walks Alone. I find the last two grossly overpriced and my suggestion still stands. Support Vass directly.

I do feel the need to talk about something that bothered me about Vass and certain other brands like Carmina. They can be notoriously slow to respond or give you updates via email.

But also remember how small Vass is. I can relate having a small lean business with people doing multiple things. Granted, they can do better in certain areas but luckily this is improving with the help of Rezső Kuti.

On the other hand, a big international company such as Carmina has no excuse in my opinion when it comes to customer service.

In other words, cut them a little slack. Your order will be received and dispatched properly. If you feel like you need to contact them I recommend email.

Video Review

For those of you that enjoy the Video Reviews, here it is in all its 4K glory! Oh and make sure to Subscribe!

Conclusions

And we are at the end of this rather lengthy Review of my first pair of shoes from Vass.

Phenomenal shoes and no wonder I considered stocking them at The Noble Shoe.