Japanese Shoemaker ‘Khish The Work’ or ‘Khish Ken’ has been doing great things as of late. This year he won The World Championships of Bespoke Shoemaking with one of the sleekest loafers ever made in shoemaking history. His famed YouTube Channel ‘Crazy About Shoes‘ is loved by many as Khish Ken goes through the shoemaking process in precise detail leaving no question unanswered. And now, he has created a super impressive piece inspired by his winning shoe from this year’s event: The Horus.
The new Horus shoe, from his ‘Numbers Collection’ recently caught my eye on his Instagram page. What I loved about that strikingly unique toe cap is that it reminded me of something cosmic, not of this world. I don’t know why but it really pulled me in. The fine stitching leading to that point was reminiscent of ancient depictions of space/time, something you might find on an Egyptian hieroglyph leading to The Source. Quite fitting as Horus is ‘the God of the sky.’
It is breathtaking and for me, defines what shoemaking should be: The pushing of oneself to find the perfect harmony between design and craftsmanship. And Japanese shoemaker Khish The Work did just that with these shoes.
The upper stitching is among the best that I have seen. The precision is second to none. One cannot even fathom how difficult it is not only to sew that toe cap but to then last it perfectly onto the shape. It requires an eye, precision, and patience that few probably possess. Yet, Khish executed it flawlessly. It is no surprise that he took 1st place this year. Shoes like this show why.
He states on his Instagram page that he was inspired to make this shoe after having won the Championship and having pushed his artistic skills to the limit with those loafers. His inspiration was to then surpass those with this new creation. I dare say he did just that. He labels the main feat as the side gusset “having wings”, as he describes it, but I still think that the stitching and heel block, for me, are what make this more impressive than anything else.
You can expect great things from Japanese shoemaker Khish The Work and I invite you to keep up with what he is doing on his various media outlets. His channel is a source of inspiration for all aspiring shoemakers.
Learn more here: https://khish-the-work.com/
—Justin FitzPatrick, The Shoe Snob
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