A Look into Leffot with Steven Taffel

I’ll admit that walking past the boutique pet store with thousand-dollar chihuahua puppies in the window (not kidding) did make me question what I was getting myself into, but I stopped in at top-of-the-game shoe store Leffot to catch a word with founder Steven Taffel.

I’d be surprised if anyone looking at this hasn’t already heard of Leffot, but just in case you haven’t, it’s nothing short of the finest brick-and-mortar shoe store in the United States.  It’s a bold claim, but I promise arguing is futile.

Online retail has boomed bigger than ever in the last few years, but there are things a brick-and-mortar shop can offer that a webshop can’t.  Leffot’s got that perfect combination of service, a highly tactile product, and destination-vibe that e-commerce just can’t touch.

In 2008 Steven decided to get into the footwear game and didn’t think twice about opening his top-drawer footwear haven in the Village.  “Downtown is where we hang out, it’s where we go to eat, and it’s where we like to shop – why would I want to open up my store uptown?” is his simple answer, and his sense of feeling at home comes across immediately.  Pretense is noticeably absent, and you feel more like he’s sharing his collection than trying to sell you something.

That said, the first thing you’ll notice upon walking in is the veritable high altar of footwear staring you straight in the face.  A modern wooden table gleaming with all manner of calf and cordovan, tempered by the light-absorbing calmness of suede and scotch grain.  It’s a sight to see, and I promise you’ll want one of everything.

Steven or his wife Hiroko will likely approach you and see what they can do.  You want that Alden suede longwing to try on?  No problem.  You’d like to look through Edward Green’s made-to-order leathers instead?  Easy.  Just need to stock up on Saphir polish?  Gladly.  The service is exactly what service should be – warm and helpful, without being pushy or obtrusive.  Like I said, for a shop with stock that represents the GDP of a small country things are surprisingly relaxed and easy-going.

Steven is responsible for introducing brands like Aubercy and Corthay to America, and both Pierre Corthay and Xavier Aubercy trek down to Christopher Street for trunk shows.  And by “trek down” I mean from Paris, not the Upper East Side.

Take a quick look around Leffot’s website and you’ll get a sense of the immense variety of what they’ve got to offer.  Steven doesn’t have a specific “aesthetic” or “vision” he’s pushing over another, instead focusing on what’s under the hood.  Quality, whether it’s a camp moc, balmoral oxford, heavy-duty hiking boot, or classic penny loafer, is the name of the game.

“We’ve developed really close relationships with people like Pierre [Corthay] and Ron [Rider, of Rider Boot Co.], so we can hopefully offer something special.”  And if Leffot is anything, it’s special.