Black Wing Shoes, 12 Erano Manalo Brgy Sto. Nino (2026)

14/06/2025

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15/02/2025

I have been planning a personal project for quite some time but only started moving this year. AmnI coming out of retirement? Nope. But I am back to designing. Right now am in my slouch-relaxed phase which means loose shirts and cargo pants! It feels like high school all over again. And I guess this kind of revived an old goal of making sneakers and other casual items, I remember studying Onitsuka when I was first starting out thinking... We could make those here. But my lack of experience and expertise back then held the endeavor back.

More than a decade later and I'm taking another jab at it. I wanted to make a convenient sneaker. Something unique to stand out in a sea of casual shoes but based enough to seamlessly integrate into most outfits. And washable! I just hate sneakers that I can't clean with a good soap and scrub. So here we are, a local sneaker of original design and locally sourced materials. Handmade and proudly homegrown. I might put this under a brand that I want to launch but ainjust want to share this with you guys right now.

Thanks for checking it out and am hoping for the support of you guys in the future! And sorry am still thinking of a name for this design. Will probably write about it in the blog describing the sneaker and design considerations that went into it.😅

20/12/2024

My last product post for the year. I will be turning over content posting to the marketing team. Aside from major brand announcements, I will be focusing more on solving a problem which I have been talking about for years and has finally caught up to us.

The Brills is an original sneaker design I made upon the request of our marketing team during the white sneaker boom. The heel pulltab is fully functional and adds that needed detail to a sleek and clean design without ruining the aesthetic. Napa leather is best utilized as the upper for its supple nature and ease of care.

It never truly ends as long as we have hope. Everything returns in it's changed form. Thank you for all your support and I hope that you will continue to give it to the artisans who have worked hard to preserve the craft.

13/12/2024

Things pass and fade into history. When traditions are forgotten and support given to parties which doesn't push our culture forward, the art dies. When the powers that be look at big numbers and listen to those on top instead of looking at those at the bottom an industry dies. When support is given to the commercial and denied from the cultural, our heritage dies. When an industry pulls out people from retirement to manufacture so that their businesses can continue we have a problem. When "experts" only sing one tune which does not match the beat of the people we only step on each other's toes. We are a mismanaged bunch. We are a fading kind. We are inefficient at making money they say, true... but we are the heart of an industry. We generate less profits but provide bigger impact to the lives we touch. We are the grassroots and we are fading into memory. They celebrate us while we are fading away. They say support but would not want to pay the proper cost and for that all growth is lost.

I have sought support for a program to revitalize the shoemaking culture for how many years and have been largely ignored. Crazy man, doomsayer, taga basag ng trip. But it's not a matter of if but a matter of when. Now there are no new makers that can make the quality of shoes worthy of memory. Demand isn't the problem, supply is. Government and industry leaders try to save a culture by relying on the industry which destroyed it. We are a shoemaking industry without shoemakers. Let that sink in while everyone celebrates a "thriving" industry. The emperor has no clothes. Long live the emperor.

Is there hope? As long as we live there will always be hope. Can we revive the industry? As long as old shoemakers are turned into mentors and instructors we can revive the industry. Will it be profitable? As long as we design the system to be fair and profitable for all parties it will be. But we need to build a new culture where we focus on people more than profits. That is the only way our culture, our heritage can survive this passing of time.

I'm sorry. I tried.

15/11/2024

A classy Timothy wholecut Oxford is as versatile as the classic Oxford Rothschild but adds a bit more flamboyance to the classic black shoe.

I have been asked many times now how people can support the industry. Well the market has spoken but just not the consumer market. The industry's labor market has failed to attract young people since the consumer market does not recognize the value of handcrafted footwear because the available products have given a lower price expectation. Marketing brands also earn more per pair than the worker/artisans and they see this. With this the next generation who wants to enter into shoemaking do not want to make shoes but rather just design and sell them. How can an industry thrive if one of the pillars is already gone. There is a shift that is needed and it will be painful for existing players and tough on startups.

I don't know, maybe am just an old man rambling about things that I have seen and experienced. I am looking for young people to take the baton; to take on the responsibility; to continue the passion.

18/10/2024

Express yourself with unique combinations of style which doesn't lose itself in complication but rather shines with harmony. Shoemaking has so many layers and requires a deep understanding in order to fully realize itself. This faux Oxford is a slip-on brogue wingtip with gussets and a woven vamp which showcases variety and harmony at the same time. That merlot leather also makes quite an impression and highlights these details.

The local art of current shoemaking has now been diluted. It is an interesting topic since everyone is obsessed about increasing the perceived value of the product that they are selling that the art and artists are lost in a mush of marketing jargon.

Notice how all posts with local shoe brands feature senior artisans? Artisanal shoemaking is waning because it has failed in human sustainability. I wish that the collectivization of Black Wing was very successful so that we could use the model but like most micro businesses, it lacked the expertise to break through into mainstream without falling into the same pitfalls and traps that the previous generation of local brands experienced. What we need is a new business model for the new and next generations to make this craft survive. Otherwise we'll keep on seeing senior artisans being celebrated while they carry on as the last evidence of a once robust and beloved local tradition.

For those with suggestions on how the local shoemaking industry can move forward comment below or send us an email/DM. Apologies for being an old man here but I want to give it another try to give the give of the craft to the next generation as not just something to appreciate but something which can uplift the lives of those who are working in the industry.

11/10/2024

Final build for the full leather version of the Barrel Boy using brass hardware. The tag can be customized to have initials or a short word embossed. Using napa leather, the bag has structure while at the same time remain soft and supple to the touch. It is slightly longer than the original build so as to accommodate longer phones and the lining has been changed to canvas/fabric for more customization options. I think this is an upgrade to belt and body bags that most men wear nowadays especially if the attire calls for something more sophisticated. With proper care, this Barrel Boy will surely last a good couple decades of normal use.

The value in mid to high value handcrafted products lies not in the initial cost of acquisition but in the number of years that you can use the item. Synthetic materials AKA "vegan leathers" provide a cheaper alternative but will last less than a third or even less since those materials are designed to expire after 5 years from production.

The Barrel Boy is part of a small custom collection that I'm designing which includes my Carrier Chan and Rando Kun designs shifted for casual use. Stay tuned as we make leather versions of TCG accessories for my project over at .

04/10/2024

I have been wearing my personal test pair of Charlie recovery shoes for the past few weeks. This pair had slight a material change with the outsoles using upcycled tires instead of the light expanded EVA that was posted with the original prototype. It was funny since in the first wear of the shoes I was having a bout with gout. Yes, I somewhat regretted the decision to go tires for the first 2 says since that meant less bounce and more weight when walking but after the midsoles have settled after the 3rd day it was doing its job wonderfully. I'm sure that if I was using the EVA version it would have been a better experience since it would technically "soften" the break-in experience.

Do take note that this was designed to be a recovery shoe and not a corrective shoe. I can design one for the specific task of therapy to rehabilitate a foot depending on the condition and concern. I believe that while having an arch support helps, those are crutches that mechanically assist a foot to do its job which in time can make the foot lame due to over dependence on external support. I have spent years working on my foot strength as part of an ongoing learning experiment then apply my findings to the design of these specialized footwear. With many people thinking of the foot last, I have seen over the years from a variety of client stories and experiences that foot health is very important especially in the developmental years and when there is a sudden lifestyle change such as taking up running as a hobby.

Yes I know there are now fancy machines scanning and recommending running shoes but how about when you are not running? Design for the purpose matters. Experience in dealing with various foot concerns matter. Recovery and rehabilitation matters. The modern footwear design has caused so many issues because of the commercial push for further sales so am here to offer some basic help on crafting a pair of shoes which can assist in establishing a stronger foot to better support your lifestyle.

20/09/2024

This ankle boot is more casual than utilitarian while still looking rugged. The zipper adds convenience for travellers and morning rushers. This configuration makes use of crazy horse leather uppers and leather outsoles with a natural finish.

13/09/2024

I remember back having a Giordano backpack back in the 90s. It was such a popular bag that almost all the kids in school had one. It was a canvas bodied bag with a leather flap cover and usually came in green. I decided to try and recreate one for my son a couple of months ago and it came out nice that I decided to release a MTO line of bags with similar material combination. I remember that it was my favorite bag. I had a green one which was loved for over 2 years before it gave in from the daily wear and tear hauling my customized binder and metal pencil case. Green was the most popular color but those also came in navy blue, maroon, and beige. So much stuff from my youth that I wish that I had taken care of more but at least now I get to recreate then and share with you guys.

Color combinations between leather and canvas can be discussed via DM and will be subject to availability but generally for canvas we'll be having black, beige, cream, green, navy blue, and maroon. This line will be called the Nostalgia line since that is my reason for designing this collection. The Nostalgia Barrel Boy will be available to order for p2500 while the Nostalgia backpack will be at p3500 and the p4500 for the Nostalgia briefcase. These are canvas lined and the outer canvas can be sprayed with water repellent products to resist dirt and liquids.

06/09/2024

Am starting this personal design line in parallel with the house styles. I have been working on what we call "recovery shoes". These are shoes which allow the feet, especially the toes, to recover from wearing narrow shoes. The pandemic yielded good information and data regarding foot problems ranging from bunions to collapsed arches to lower back pains. This has inspired me to start designing products which are absent in the market but are now vital because of the state of footwear design and how the commercial aspect of selling shoes is beginning to impact lives negatively.

Recovery shoes have a wide toe box, wide enough for the toes to spread inside the footwear so that muscles can stretch and flex in order to build foot strength. Arch support, while it offers benefits, is limited to being a crutch but the foot needs to build a natural strength to support the body. This has become more concerning as younger people have started to develop foot problems due to wearing improper fitting footwear over extended periods of time. These recovery shoes are designed as a transition footwear in order to build up strength since it isn't advisable to go directly into barefoot style footwear when coming from regular commercial shoes. We are using crazy horse and nubuck leathers for this design as they provide the suppleness and structure needed to create a soft and comfortable shoe that provides structural support without looking floppy. I will write more about this soon in the blog.

I am calling this line of recovery shoes the "Charlie" in honor of my best friend who gave me significant inputs while I was researching for this line a couple of years ago. So introducing the Charlie which aims to help mitigate health issues arising from poor foot health.

These will be available made-to-order in standard sizes (wide fitting toe box) and a custom podiatric version which will offer more support and correction. Colors available are black, mid brown, dark brown, tan, navy blue, and maroon/merlot.

31/08/2024

It's been a while since my last post but here is a classic with a slight twist. The Churchill wingtip makes use of gussets to enhance the comfort of the fit. I'm working on a new collection so we will have new in-house designs available for MTO (RTW sizes) and MTM. And bags! I have updated our in-house designs to have a new twist. Looks so clean so stay tuned. Will post them next week.

The collective is still adjusting to changes while trying to find a new footing as we approach the kids 2020s. Changing business, workforce, and consumer trends have been hard on micro businesses. It is clear that we cannot rely on help for proper support since most politicians and consultants have their own agendas. People gotta feed themselves first right? It is human nature to take care of the self first before the environment after all. The market cannot support industry needs while the industry has failed to adjust to economic realities. Funny though how now, 8 years after writing about it, that the few shoemakers that are left are now starting to demand daily wages instead of piece-rate deals. I'll probably start writing about these topics again soon. Apologies for the long absence but the collective is still working and will be shifting in order to cope. I hope that you will give them patience as they learn how it is to manage and operate a business.

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Black Wing Shoes

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20/12/2024

13/12/2024

15/11/2024

18/10/2024

11/10/2024

04/10/2024

20/09/2024

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