Loafer Vauban

Forever snapshots

He wears white gurkha shorts, a button-down cotton shirt, a beautiful Serica watch, thick hair, he is sitting with his legs crossed, he is wearing his pair of Vauban. Aluminum Table and chair, the seaside in the back. The place is Florida. Taken with a polaroid.

He is standing in front of New York taxi, wearing light-coloured chinos, a cream polo shirt, a small Haliburton suitcase, a tobacco linen Paperboy cap and a pair of Vauban. He seems to be looking at something high up in the sky, or is he smiling at someone leaning at the window of a flat? His bull terrier on a leash jumps out of the cab onto the sidewalk. Taken with a Minolta and Agfa film (as written on the back of the photo).

They are walking up the Avenue de Breteuil in Paris, sometime in September, he in a flannel suit, leaning on his striped umbrella, his feet in the autumn leaves. She, pleated skirt and her large ball necklace standing by his side, tilting her head with her big smile. It’s a black and white photo. In the background, one recognizes the Place Vauban.

He poses in front of what appears to be a wall of huge stones. Is it in Baalbeck or Saint-Malo? He has a lot of allure and is wearing his old pair of Nylor sunglasses. The picture is slightly blurry, he is barefoot, carrying his tireless Vauban in his hands.

Who is it? That’s him. It’s her. It’s me. And it’s you.

These run large, so choose a half size smaller than your usual size!

– Insert raw wood shoe trees into your shoes as soon as you take them off: They absorb moisture and preserve the integrity and shape of the shoe.

– Use a shoehorn for your comfort and to protect the shoe’s heel counter.

– Rotate your pairs of shoes as much as possible because leather needs to dry properly to remain supple and maintain its shape. Never leave your pair near a source of heat or moisture.

– Brush the leather regularly with a special suede brush, before or after each outing. Use a Saphir waterproofing spray every 2 to 3 months to ensure its protection.

– In case of stains, shampoo using a clean brush with a mixture of lukewarm water and Saphir Médaille d’Or Omni’Nettoyant. For grease stains, sprinkle with Terre de Sommières (Fuller’s earth). Let dry on shoe trees, then brush once dry.