About Monmodel
About Mon Model
Our philosophy: We want to preserve artisans’ skills for the future.
In recent years, the men’s fashion industry has changed dramatically.
The economic downturn following COVID-19.
Rising prices.
as fashion becomes fast fashion.
are valued over “leather shoes made to be worn for a long time,”
“things that are cheap, fast, and easy to buy”
An era has arrived in which
Meanwhile, in recent years, many shoe manufacturers and factories have been forced to close.
along with the techniques of artisans passed down over many years,
The leather shoe culture itself,
it is quietly being lost.
and yet,
They continue to dye and sew the leather one pair at a time,
have artisans who continue to polish them.
Mon Model’s leather shoes
they are made using the artisans’ hand-dyed Senju-zome (hand patina technique).
By layering dye over the leather,
Expressing variations in color and depth.
it is by no means an efficient process.
Even when the color name is the same,
Each pair has a different character.
That is
it is an individuality that can only be born from human hands.
through mass production,
more cheaply,
Faster,
could perhaps make them more uniform.
Even so, we
the reason we continue time-consuming handwork.
That is
Because we believe that leather shoes have a “culture.”
Leather that develops a rich patina over time.
The artisans’ dyeing techniques.
Europe’s classic aesthetic.
Such things are
and cannot be preserved through efficiency alone.
The more they are worn, the more luster they gain,
gradually develop a character that is uniquely yours.
Such leather shoes
we want to continue making them.
Even as the times change,
does not want the value of handwork to disappear.
Mon Model
With that feeling in mind,
Today, we continue making leather shoes one pair at a time alongside our artisans.
In French, MonModel (モン・モデル) means “my model.”
There is a famous saying about shoes: “The shoes a person wears reflect that person’s character itself.”
Our shoes become “an irreplaceable pair that reflects and expresses who you are,”
We want them to become “your own model”...
With this aspiration, we launched the Mon Model brand.
We make each pair with care and dedication, creating shoes that captivate the world as a Japanese brand.
Senju-zome
Senju-zome (せんじゅぞめ)
This is a leather-dyeing technique independently researched and developed by Mon Model through many years of trial and error. By applying layer upon layer of color, it creates distinctive variations, while blending various colors to express depth and dimension, dyeing the leather with an even more artistic beauty and character.
As this is a delicate technique requiring not only sensibility but also precision and meticulousness, it demands highly skilled craftsmanship. Every Senju-zome product is carefully hand-dyed and completed one by one by hand-dyeing artisans.
The greatest characteristic is the remarkable beauty and almost painterly quality of the layered colors. Influences from artists known as the Impressionists, along with experiences cultivated throughout the dyer's life and sources of inspiration, are reflected in the application techniques and color tones, resulting in a finish that makes the most of artistry and sensibility.
The detailed techniques of Senju-zome are a trade secret, but the dyes used for coloring are independently blended from carefully selected dyes and creams from countries including France, Germany, and Japan. The leather used for the shoe upper is specially produced by an Italian tannery for Senju-zome.
There are various theories, but because Japan is blessed with exceptionally beautiful nature and abundant seasonal changes, it is said that Japanese people actually possess a more refined sensibility and emotional appreciation of space and color than people in Europe and the United States.
We believe in the uniquely Japanese sensibility, and continue our daily research so that we can create new values in leather shoes through the expression of color. We hope to deliver shoes that can be worn subtly in everyday life, quietly reveal your individuality, and make you look effortlessly stylish.