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These Bold, Beautiful Dress Shoes Bring New Meaning to “One of a Kind”

Allen Edmonds teams up with Engineered Garments to prove that patchwork patterns, high style and technical chops can seamlessly coexist.

Pair of dark brown leather shoes with textured and smooth panels on a red background.Allen Edmonds
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By Steve Mazzucchi

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Finding dress-quality shoes that rise above the ordinary without being obnoxious can be a rather elusive quest. 

Thankfully, renowned designer Daiki Suzuki’s Engineered Garments specializes in putting bold yet stylish spins on traditional products.

Pair of black textured leather and suede monk strap shoes with wooden shoe trees inside.
As anything more than a passing glance reveals, these subversive shoes are far from symmetrical.
Allen Edmonds

The New York City-based label has done just that with everything from affordable basics to backpacks, and now it’s tackling footwear.

Behold the new, totally on-brand Engineered Garments x Allen Edmonds Bryant Park Double Monk.

Texture and toughness

Growing up in Japan, Suzuki came to appreciate the blend of form and function of some American products, a viewpoint that informs the philosophy of Engineered Garments. 

The brand consistently brings a unique approach to outdoor gear, workwear and other items, as evidenced by this second collaboration with premium shoemaker Allen Edmonds.

Dark brown leather and suede double monk strap shoe with black rubber sole.
The double monk strap design is much more traditional than the rest of the shoe’s upper.
Allen Edmonds

The essence of the design is a blend of conscientious tailoring and utilitarian reliability, highlighted by an unexpected mix of materials. 

Employing a classic double monk strap design, the upper is composed of a combination of pony hair, scotch-grain leather and suede.

Close-up of dark brown textured leather and suede with a black metal buckle.
Suede, scotch-grain leather and pony hair all play a role in the patchwork.
Allen Edmonds

These textiles are arranged in a patchwork fashion such that the shoes themselves are strikingly asymmetrical upon close examination.

As unorthodox as the upper is, the shoe also boasts the quiet technical prowess for which Engineered Garments is also known.

Black textured leather slip-on shoe with thick black sole viewed from the back side.
Metal hardware and Goodyear welt construction ensure these shoes will stand up to the long haul.
Allen Edmonds

Toward that end, it is more durable than your average dress shoe, courtesy of sturdy metal hardware and Goodyear welt construction. 

Meanwhile, a leather footbed layered over a high-density EVA midsole provides plenty of cushion and support for long days on your feet. 

Close-up of a black textured rubber sole with a yellow Vibram logo.
The Vibram Christy wedge outsole is sure to provide much more traction than most dress shoes supply.
Allen Edmonds

Meanwhile, the Vibram Christy wedge outsoles deliver plenty of grip on the wet, slippery, downright treacherous surfaces Old Man Winter is so fond of sending our way this time of year.

In other words, they should serve you well far beyond Port Washington, Wisconsin, where Allen Edmonds is based and every pair of these superlative shoes is handcrafted.

Availability and pricing

The Engineered Garments x Allen Edmonds Bryant Park Double Monk is available now in black and brown varieties for $495.

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.

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