I received an invitation from International Famous Franchises & Al Sallal Projects Trading Company for dinner with the CEO of Harrys of London, Mr. Giuseppe Bonfiglio, at Sabah wu Masa restaurant at 360 Mall.
Short after I arrived, Mr. Bonfiglio, and some of the company’s staff showed up, and joined us at the table. Now let me tell you something, there’s nothing more charming than meeting someone with passion towards what they do, a true passion that is. And that’s exactly what the inspiring Mr. Bonfiglio was all about throughout the evening.
He is a very humble man with a great experience, a huge amount of devotion, and a true love for cultures, travel, and above all, shoes!
We spent sometime chatting over dinner, then decided to head to the store, Harrys of London, where we heard such inspiring stories about the place, the shoes, and a whole lot on how each pair is made.
When you first enter Harrys of London, you get a feel of the typical British style and a royal touch of elegance, that you really wouldn’t miss!
They carry a small collection for women, that is available only in Kuwait throughout the Middle East region, and is getting bigger with the launching of their new branch soon.
Mr. Bonfiglio took charge, and started sharing with us the story behind their best-selling pairs and styles.
It felt like each pair goes under a generous amount of research before it is produced and carried out in the store. The Fabric, the sole, the downing, the footbed, and the movement..Nothing was made out of a coincidence, it all has a team working hard behind it day & night.
Even the fabric that you see carried out by other high-end brands is not the same with Harrys of London! One of the insights we learnt is that their Suede comes from the uniquely soft African Kudu Antelopes, which are specially sourced in South Africa and Tanned in England; with amazing natural characteristics that is often noticeable, and therefore no two pairs are ever alike.
They have so many options for men with style. It’s the kind of shoes you’d wear and it changes your entire look.
They also carry a line of Alligator skin shoes, made specially for collectors, and men who seek nothing but the top-notch. They carry this line in 4 permanent colors, however, they would custom-made an order for any color or design you’d like to have! Sweet! And a GREAT gift idea, I’d say!
The work of detailing that goes into each pair of the Alligator shoes is fascinating! Starting with choosing the skin, and for Harrys of London it always has to be the Alligator’s belly as it’s always smoother than any other area of the skin.
Another ravish fact is how they perfect the pattern on both shoes of each pair, despite the authenticity of the used skin. They actually, use the skin of 2 alligators for each pair of shoes! They cut into the same place of the belly skin to guarantee that the pattern of each pair looks the closest to one another, as you can notice in the picture below! A true work of art!
Another thing they chose to be unique while doing is their advertising method. They tied up with British illustrator, Chris Burke, to create an advertising method that relates to the British culture in a way like no other advertising was done. And the reaction they are getting back home is great!
Another thing they did not forget is ‘accessories’, starting with socks, available in so many colors, and made of Sea Island cotton and blended with cashmere to provide a luxuriously soft construction.
They also make belts, passport holders, and wallets. All the essentials of a modern, elegant man.
Thank you Mr. Giuseppe Bonfiglio for such an inspiring tour! Loved every bit of it.
Harrys of London is located at 360 Mall.
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