These Shoes Are More Comfortable Than Mephistos
Plus, for Shoesday #4, why it’s so hard to get your hands (and feet) on a pair right now.
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These Shoes Are More Comfortable Than Mephistos
In the last 6 weeks alone, my arsenal of grandpa-approved Mephisto sneakers has exploded, as in that span I’ve gone from owning exactly 0 pairs to four. It all started back in March when I bought a pair of the Mephisto Match—what might be French shoemaker’s most famous style—which are basically like bulbous Stan Smiths with extra width to stave off corns and bunions. Then came a pair of Rainbows that were graciously sent to me by the brand itself and which I’ve come to realize are, at least to me, more attractive looking on feet than the aforementioned Match. And lastly, because a) I loved wearing my other pairs so much while racking up 10,000+ steps a day, b) I proclaimed them my favorite sneaker of the year so far and most importantly c) I’m a certified sicko, I got both pairs of the brand’s recent collab with 18East.
Now, all of these are excellent shoes that, though I wouldn’t exactly call them “handsome” in the traditional sense, have an air of geezery cool factor that I find endearing. Frankly, it’s been fun to see fellas 50 years older than me walking around the Upper East Side in similar styles, like we’re all members of the same comfort-conscious club. But last week, I came across a pair of similarly-intended orthopedic shoes from a Danish brand called Jacoform. Now, while none of my Mephistos will be leaving my rotation any time soon, I’ll be honest—right now the Jacoform 360 is the shoe I want to wear the most. In fact, they’re kind of the only shoes I want to wear these days.
When I initially encountered them at C.H.C.M., my first thought was, well, that I had never heard of the brand “Jacoform” before. But my next was that they sort of looked like wonky Clarks Wallabees, featuring an exaggerated, wide, and somewhat squared off moc toe, which was complemented by a buttery soft leather upper and a “negative heal” that I would later learn promised to deliver a neutral, foot-friendly ride. Intrigued by their shelf appeal, I decided to try ‘em on, and found their off-the-rack comfort nothing short of impressive. I could tell right away that the uppers (which were also lined with suede) would require absolutely no break-in, while the ability to wiggle my toes with complete freedom was something I’d previously only experienced with shoes via open-toe sandals. By the time C.H.C.M owner Sweetu Patel—who always looks cool and was rocking his own pair when I stopped in—told me he’d been sporting 360s for twenty years, I was already sold. The following day I wore them on a long walk through Central Park, and by the end, as unlikely as this would’ve seemed to me even just a month ago, I found myself thinking that they might actually be more comfortable than any of the Mephistos I own. It’s a sentiment that’s stuck with me ever since.
Later, I decided to do some more research on Jacoform, only to discover that there really isn’t a ton of info about the brand out there. What I did find is that though the brand is brand new to me, it’s actually been in the shoemaking biz for nearly 60 years. More accurately, it was founded in 1968 (for what it’s worth, around the same time that other iconic comfort shoes like Birkenstock sandals and the aforementioned Mephisto Rainbow first hit the scene) by two people, Danish professor/orthopedic specialist Jorgen Keller and shoe designer Gerhard Lehman. Apparently Jacoform’s line-up has seldom changed in the time since its founding, which I believe if for no other reason than the lack of overt “tech” in any of their styles. As a result, generally speaking their models—which include everything from boots to slip-ons—are quite simple, yet almost everything in the range features that same distinct toe shape.
As you might’ve guessed, the reason for this exaggerated forefoot design isn’t just to upset people who love sleek aesthetics, but because it’s, according to the brand, actually a better way to make shoes in terms of foot health. The claim is that by allowing your toes to naturally spread out, you can in turn prevent friction or things like hammer toes. The same goes the natural ride, which is achieved through a slight “negative heel” design (meaning the back of the shoe is, unlike most footwear, actually lower than the front), meant to mimic the feeling of walking in sand, and could support better posture. (This is the part where I’ll mention that yes I love shoes, but I’m not a podiatrist, so I don’t know if any of this is actually true, but anecdotally I’ll just say they really do feel amazing.)
And yet, while these shoes are designed with ergonomics and comfort in mind first, aesthetics later, I do actually dig the way they look—even if it’s in a “so bad that they’re actually good” sort of way. Part of my openness to them may also be that their signature shape brings to mind Loewe’s recent footwear offerings, which—and this is just pure speculation—makes me wonder if designer Jonathan Anderson might’ve stumbled upon them one day (perhaps at the defunct, trendsetting Manchester retailer Oi Polloi where they were once carried as far back as the early aughts) and decided to create his own luxury riff.
They’re also definitely conversation-starters—something I learned first-hand when last week my barber inquired about them mid-cut. Though, now that I think of it, I can’t be too sure if it was because he wanted to buy a pair, or was just curious as to why I left the house wearing such monstrosities. But I will say that despite their somewhat jarring aesthetics, they look a lot more extreme in product photos than on foot. In the context of an actual outfit, they kind of take on more a regular moc toe shoe appearance, especially when paired alongside things like baggy cargo pants, jeans, or shorts. (In fact, I can’t imagine wearing them with anything slim fit. Well, I can, but the image is not a pretty one.)
Anyway, the issue for me here ultimately isn’t convincing you to like ‘em. Whether or not you want to join me on Team Jacoform is totally up to you. The problem is that if you do decide you want a pair, actually copping these days, I’ve learned, is quite difficult. C.H.C.M. is all but sold out, while the label’s own site has barely any sizes left of their most popular styles. Apparently this is because, as multiple retailers I spoke to told me, the brand is ceasing distribution until further notice, and are seeking a buyer to take over operations.
This is a bummer, beyond just me being unable to link you to what just might be the most comfortable dang walking around shoes I’ve ever owned. Rather, I just think it’d be a shame if this was the end of a decades-old independent shoemaker that, despite my limited experience, I’ve learned is putting out a truly great product, and, considering the handmade nature of each pair, doing so at a reasonable price at that. ($235 is what I paid at C.H.C.M., while the 360s go for 149 Euros on the brand’s own site.)
All I can really say is that I sincerely hope things get sorted out on this front. In the meantime, I’d implore you to give the brand a follow on Instagram to, if nothing more, at least show them there’s interest in their cozy-ass, crazy-looking shoes. (I’ve gone ahead and made this post public until this point to drive as much traffic to their IG as possible.) I’ve also dropped a bunch of links below (that part’s beyond the paywall) to every place I’ve found them online, though most of these aren’t to the exact 360s, but rather, very similar styles they make like the 350 and 353. So I’d say any pair you can scoop up now you should, because I genuinely don’t know the next time they’ll be available. I’ve emailed and DM’d the brand for more info and will report back next week if I hear anything.
Every Link I Could Find To Buy Jacoform Shoes
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