GranGoran shoemaker is a rising star out of Osaka, Japan. His work has caught my eye on Instagram and I feel he deserves some recognition for his talents, not only in shoemaking but also in his design work. I cannot say that I know much about him, to be honest. My first post about a shoemaker is usually just an opinion on their style, as you will find in this post. Should subsequent posts follow, that is where I tend to get more factual knowledge.
One thing that I can say, is that I did have a short back-and-forth conversation with the man behind GranGoran shoemaker. His actual name is Massachika Morita. He has two IG accounts, one for this brand and one for his personal, both of which he showcases his shoemaking ventures. His style caught my eye as being heavily influenced by Roberto Ugolini. I asked him if he apprenticed there and, in fact, he did. It is amazing how much your apprenticeship can influence your personal style going forward. I have seen this in many of Roberto’s previous shoemakers, and the same can be said of those who trained at Stefano Bemer. I love that, as blending Italian design with Japanese craftsmanship, for me, is what produces some of the coolest shoes that we see today.
I won’t claim to know much about pricing or anything practical details, but I can say that I appreciate his design and coordination of colors. The derby boot featured is something to behold. Very cool and right up my alley. The balmoral line design is fun, unique, and very flowing with the rest of the boot. Most important, it is completely different than what everyone else does. I always respect a shoemaker that is willing to risk it by being different and GranGoran shoemaker doesn’t seem to shy away from that risk! And I respect that.
Read more about other cool Japanese Shoemakers here.
Learn more here: https://grangoron.wixsite.com/website
—Justin FitzPatrick, The Shoe Snob
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