Lasts
2. What does the last do - background information on anatomy and history
2.2 Infinite number of last shapes
The lászló last shapes
Based on these principles (see below), lászló-Budapest has developed four basic last shapes that really fit and take up different European cultural traditions. They thus accommodate different foot shapes and preferences.
- London shape, English last type (George, Henry, Edward models)
- Merano shape, Italian last type (Francesco, Alessio models)
- Vienna shape, Austrian last type (models Johannes, Julian)
- Budapest shape, Hungarian last type (Istvan model)
Last shape London
Don't like any fuss about yourself? Then our London last, which is inspired by English classicism, is just right for you.
The island has a tradition of close-fitting shapes that change the shape of the foot only sparingly. The forefoot area of the shoe, which is worked over our London shape, looks discreet and unobtrusive. Like a tailor-made suit, the lászló London shape follows the natural anatomy as closely as possible without interpreting it in a more striking way.
Seriousness and reliability, which allow the wearer's ego to fade into the background, are therefore the strengths of our London last and make it particularly suitable for formal business.
Ideal for normally proportioned feet and average body weight.
Last shape Meran
Are you the curious, bright type with a certain playfulness? Then you should like our Meran last.
For this modern shape, we were inspired by the slender "physique" of Italian shoes. With a slightly elongated shape, our Meran shape shows the typical Italian spirit of sprezzatura, which combines elegance with a certain pleasure in staging.
The forefoot is slightly tapered and unobtrusively interprets the natural shape of the foot. Below the ball of the foot, the Meran last shapes the midfoot with a careful curve and ends at the front in a flattened small square. Overall, the proportions appear somewhat less conservative than the English solidity of the lászló last London and breathe a Mediterranean feeling of life and body.
Ideal for a slender physique with a tendency towards a lean foot and lower volume.
Last shape Vienna
Do you value impeccable service, hate wasting time and want to be able to rely on your counterpart? Then our Austrian-inspired Vienna last has a lot to offer you.
One striking feature is its cap. It is slightly fuller in the curve than the classic London last and rises slightly steeper in front of the toes. The last volume in the midfoot is also fuller for a neat urban comfort. Our lászló styles, which are crafted on top, feel immediately familiar. Because the cap requires less length allowance in front of the toe (in try-on and in construction) than the Italian-inspired Meran models with a flattened toe, lászló shoes with Vienna proportions make the feet of tall men appear less long.
Ideal for strong men and larger feet.
Last shape Budapest
You find fashion stressful, you don't like rules and you have other things to worry about anyway. Then our Hungarian-inspired Budapest last offers you an "all-round carefree package".
In combination with a double leather sole and double-stitched construction, our Budapest shape gives the wearer the maximum support and dimensional stability imaginable for stitched shoes.
The fully rounded toe shows the typical Hungarian, almost rectangular toe cap, which is vaguely reminiscent of the little boat of oat shoes and gives the toes perfect freedom. The slightly more voluminous midfoot and the strong sole, which is only slightly indented in the joint area, support the load-bearing capacity and down-to-earth nature of the Budapest shape.
With this undogmatic interpretation of a classic, the wearer is always comfortable and, for most of the time, well-dressed without having to think about it.
Ideal for very strongly built, mature men whose feet appreciate a shoe with greater stability.
What does the last do - background information on anatomy and history
Good form
Does last have anything to do with performance? Quite possibly. The last is one of the most important tools in shoe manufacturing: it fills the inside of the shoe during production and gives the shoe its shape and subsequent fit.
Alongside a stitched sole and good leather, the shape of the last is therefore of the utmost importance for the quality of the shoe. Only an attractive shoe that fits is a good shoe. But when does a shoe fit? ... When it fits well and works together with the anatomy of the foot.
Our big toe plays a special role in this. It steers and coordinates our gait - and as the "rudder of our foot", it normally does this as ergonomically as possible. Anyone who walks or stands "over their big uncle", as is currently very fashionable with female Hollywood stars - or even puts the tips of their feet outwards, like Charly Chaplin in his parade role as the "Tramp" - will eventually develop knee problems.
Our joints and fasciae are not designed by evolution for such inward or outward rotation. They work best when our feet move straight ahead in a relaxed manner. The big toe on the inside of the foot shows us where to go. It needs special respect in the shoe.
An infinite number of last shapes
Sounds simple and logical and should be easy to implement in shoe production? No way! Humans are thoroughly emotional beings and only follow reason when absolutely necessary. As a result, we have been changing the shape of our shoes an infinite number of times since we have been wearing them - probably for over 20,000 years, as modern science assumes - and in the process have also produced completely impractical but breathtaking extravagances. Just think of the medieval beak shoe or the wide cow-mouth shoe of the Reformation era.
But although our foot anatomy is unmistakably asymmetrical, as we have seen, for most of history we have simply ignored this and instead enthusiastically worn symmetrical shoes without a right-left distinction - because we simply find these shapes "more beautiful". And this applies not only to even symmetrical faces, but actually also to the way we look at the shoe.
The art of compromise
Since the 19th century, we have finally learned more about the connection between foot anatomy and walking movement and have banned perfectly symmetrical shoes from our repertoire: Because they have been proven to ruin feet. But remnants of this old ideal of beauty are still alive.
The fine art of creating a beautiful and suitable shoe therefore consists of finding a charming compromise between the necessary consideration for the structure of our body and the demands of aesthetics. These are determined by cultural traditions, but also by fashion. And as we know, fashion wants this today and that tomorrow - but the same foot should always fit in.
That fits
The modern man may consider himself a responsible consumer and by no means a slave to fashion. But regardless of the aesthetic habits of the time, only Diogenes was in the garbage can. All other people want to please - and that is not forbidden. A responsible shoe manufacturer, as we see ourselves at lászló, should therefore take this complex challenge into account.
To ensure that LÁSZLÓ shoes not only look great and have first-class craftsmanship, but also fit in the best possible way, we take these three basic biomechanical principles into account:
1.the big toe gets enough space forward in the shoe when viewed from the ball of the foot, so that it doesn't "bump" anywhere.
2. the design of the toe of the shoe takes into account the functional mechanism of the toes and prevents excessive pressure. Pressure strains the joints and interferes with the transmission of power when walking.
3. in the midfoot, our shoes are shaped to fit close to the body and carefully pinched out. This gives the foot support and prevents it from slipping forward. The toes cannot be compressed and the tight fit feels good.
„Allways well shod“ -The secret of Prince Consort Philip, Duke of Edinburgh's iron health - in shoes by lászló.