YUKETEN SANTIAGO CHUKKA FO RAME
- Opera’s Cashmere flesh-out Leather from Italy
- Natural Rubber Crepe Mudguard Sole Leather Trim
- Leather Insole Leather Tuck Shank Memory Foam Arch Support
- Genuine Cow Hide Leather Shoelace
- 1960s Moccasin Last
- Handmade in Portugal
Yuketen Santiago is a joyful leap in footwear design, bringing together the pliant comfort a simple aestheticism of a classic chukka boot style mixed up with the outsole distinctive from the 1950s masterpiece worn by Steve McQueen both on and off screen.
Each pair is entirely hand-cut and hand-constructed from select cuts of soft and silky full-grain flesh-out (reversed) leather from Opera leather from Tuscany, Italy who have been specialized in making flesh-out leather and suede since the 70s. Each piece of the leather is hand-selected and hand-lasted one by one to make sure that only a good part of the skin is used and to make use of the material. The leather is described as ‘flesh-out’ as it is full-grain leather that is flipped so that the flesh side of the leather faces outwards. The advantages of using full grain, flesh-out leather rather than split suede are two fold; full grain leathers retain their structure, thickness and durability for long-lasting strength and the smooth grain side of the leather wears pleasantly against the skin, negating the need for additional liners. This way, the wearer enjoys the benefits of full grain leather and the pleasant aesthetic of the nappy, suede-like flesh side of the leather.
Full vegetable-tanned leather insoles and leather tucks with steel shank reinforcements increase fitting in the arch and heel as well as lessen foot fatigue by forming a stable bridge between the heel and ball of the owner's foot which causes weight to be distributed more evenly across the foot. This results in reduced foot fatigue and improved comfort.
The traditional natural rubber crepe sole provides superb shock absorption and an incredibly soft and slip-resistant tread, ensuring sublime comfort for the wearer.
