Landry Lacour - A Man Deep In Patina Design

NB: We now have all of Landry's answers. It was difficult to get this interview up because of the language barrier, but I think you can adequately understand what he is saying. A big thank you to Landry for making a super effort to get these answers to us, I know I would not be able to do the same in French. 

Hello Le Noeud Papillon Readers!

My name is Landry Lacour. I'm a French crazy fan of shoes first ,  after spending  these 15 last  years in Paris 9,  I joined  last year Brussels, Belgium  where I have founded " Bespoke patina". I'm working as patina designer; I prefer using this term instead the common one “patinist”. Because I’m not just giving colour on shoes … I’m bringing a shape and movement to the colour.

1. Landry, when you start work on a pair of shoes, how long do you estimate one pair will take you in man hours to complete?

High quality patina takes time , As you know working on a brand new shoes colourless take's a little bit less time than a pre worn ... it's takes me about 6/7 hours for having the result i want mirror effect included , but you have to consider break between the different operation , leather is an alive material and need respect.

Some of Landry's recent work, a pair of brogues in reds and browns

2. Is being a patina expert something you think the average Joe could learn at home or is it something you need to train at? How long would that training take?

The only way to learn how to make  patina is making  patina , again and again and again  it's that I have done … Of course all depends about  the natural skills you have about it  and more about the love of what you are doing .

Some will spend years for becoming a master and some won't never be even they spend years it's a question of technique for sure but more a question of sense of aesthetism. That's really different between wanting to create a new patina line having your own style and just be a follower of what the other have ever done before. The way is to find your own style, I’ll surely open a patina school in the future …

3. Can you describe to me how you come to mix the colours, what dyes you are working with and how you begin to achieve the marbling effect in the leather?

For all my work I’m using  only the primary colour  ( penetrating  ) dye or ink  ( red ,  yellow ,blue )  and black  ,  I’m creating  all my own colour and shade by myself  … once again it's a kind of  absolute  freedom.

4. Can a patina applied retrospectively be just as good as a new patina? If yes, do you think there is a market for bringing in old shoes to have them treated?

You are right there is a little difference on working on an ever worn shoes and working on a brand new one … For making what  I called  a " rebirth patina " I had to cancel  first the colour existing ,      it's  take longer  time due to the kind of dye colour ( penetrating or not ) used at the factory and the way how the owner had took care about his soulliers. For all ways I got the solution. Somewhere it's like a doctor work, I had to cure the leather shoes before going in creation mode. These both exercises are different in the way to proceed and in term of time spent on it, but the both are interesting.You know working on a brand new shoes is like  beginning from a white page , the only limit is  imagination , the possibility are infinite depends of course  what the  shoemaker or shoe fan  want , of course I love having a white card !

Like an impressionist skyline, Landry Lacour works tirelessly to bring the finish of a shoe to take on a life of it's own .

5. Have you ever tried a patina on a loafer suede as I saw Berluti do this summer?

That's depends, Patina is a leather story, there are different technics on patina … in fact each kind of leather had is technic.

 The technic of work are really  different  between working on a veg fast /mid / long or extra-long  tanned process leather and a chrome tanned process leather … each " Maison " had his  kind of  patina style … but if your leather knowledge allow it  you can  mix  these different technic .

The most amazing shoes that I used to work on was a beautiful bespoke brogues calf & crocodile from Berluti, that's really cool  to work on a 9000 $ pair of shoes.

6. Do you have a ritual before you start work in the morning, if you do, could you describe that for our readers?

Making  a real " glaçage mirror effect  "   takes time and technique  but with experience it's going better and better even its won't never be fast ,   don't give up   !

 Your idea of a spit is not a bad one  but I don't … I’m giving you a tip … the best water  temperature  for making a real mirror effect  is around 37 degree Celsius  .

Some of Landy Lacour's most recent patina work

7. Have you experimented with the patina over patent leather treatment such as those done by Pierre Corthay in Paris?

All Maison have their own patina process, was fun for me to search and experiment the secret of patina on patent leather , you had to know Corthay's process is making first a patina on calf leather and then put the patent to cover the patina ...the result is really eye-catching ( photo below ) but to the detriment of the durability of the shoe . Was nice to mastered one more technic for me . In fact i'm a lover from the traditional handmade shinning mirror effect and patent leather patina deprive me from .

8. Apart from patina, is there anything else you have a passion for in men’s clothes and accessories?

The list is too long  , hard choice only five ,   but  I can tell  these shoemaker  :  Bestetti from Italy ( MTO & Bespoke ) , Clematis from Japan ( MTO ),  Vass from Budapest ( MTO ) , Graziano and Girling ( Bespoke )  and  Masaru Okuyama ( Bespoke ) from Japan ,  are today for me  ones of the most talent in design and in construction .

2013 will see little collaboration with several shoemakers and as you had seen on my Facebook page the sample of a new quality brand … www.bespokepatina.com