Ventela
Basic

It is not often that you see a pair of shoes that perfectly blends about ten styles into one, but the Ventela basic has done exactly that. My mate Joe was on holiday in Indonesia visiting his family when he saw these beauties in a shop out there. He sent me a picture and I fell hook line and sinker in love with them.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not a huge wearer of canvas shoes because they are usually so uncomfortable, but these have rectified this by having one of the most plush insoles that I have ever had my trotters on. The shoes are made from a super-heavy canvas that the factory says is much better than modern-day chucks and the compound used in the natural rubber soles is perfectly robust and comfortable.

One thing I really like is the very knowing nod to a popular pair of shoes in that it has the white stripe up the back of the shoe and the Ventela branding on a little rubber square. The eyelets are stainless steel, which is completely unnecessary, but it does look really great. Then, we get to my favourite part, the outsole. This outsole is super grippy and hard wearing and yet still has that comfort and glide that shoes like this are famous for.

Each pair is finished with contrast stitching and foxing with a woven Ventela label on the tongue. The shoes come in a lovely cotton bag that you can pretend is a sleeping bag for your shoes or you can take them out of the bag and store important notes in there… I won’t judge.

The shoes are expertly made in Indonesia, an area that is so famous for making shoes, even the biggest and best brands in the world manufacture there… and then Ventela takes all the best bits from the companies and makes perfect canvas pumps. Talent borrows and all that. If you are between sizes (as in you are 9.5, 8.5 etc), go down to your nearest size as they do come up a tiny bit big.

Get yourself something special, comfortable and unlike anything that you have ever worn before… That’ll do me!