Episode 4 – Mickael Korausch

Meet Mickael Korausch, founder and owner of La Bowtique, a company specialising in bowties and everything Black Tie. As a self-professed Black Tie specialist, Mickael is fast becoming one of the world’s most authoritative figures on modern black tie etiquette and recently released his first book on the subject: Modern Black Tie. His book and his bow ties are available in our Savile Row store as well as online at labowtique.com.

Frustrated by the lack of quality bow ties available on a shopping trip many years ago, Mickael simply started making his own. Starting with a simple sketch on a piece of paper, he quickly learned the skills required to make his own. Now he makes arguably the best quality Ready to Wear and Bespoke bow ties anywhere in the world. He has slowly built a unique and close-knit global community of Black Tie enthusiasts and through his recent book launch has pulled together the most comprehensive guide to dressing for black tie.

For all of his years wearing black tie and dressing for all manner of occasions, the one shoe Mickael doesn’t have in his wardrobe, despite almost every single dress code guide across the world saying is the number 1 pair every guy should own, is the classic Black Cap Toe Oxford.

So it felt only right when we invited Mickael to take part in the Shoe Talks series that a pair of Black Oxfords was a must for him to fill that gap in the collection.

There’s not much that hasn’t been said about a pair of Black Oxfords, but the small tweaks we made for Mickael’s pair make it personal and perfectly fitting for the proportions of his foot. A slightly higher heel gives the arch and heel a slightly more bespoke and sculptured aesthetic and some additional room around the instep to allow the laces to close a little neater than the generic size would allow ensure the perfect fit straight out of the box.

There’s no doubt a pair of Black Oxfords are an absolute classic, they have a place in every wardrobe. For Mickael, this probably won’t be the last pair of shoes he commissions for his various black-tie outfits, but it certainly ticks all the boxes should he ever feel the need to keep it elegant and classic.

The Oxford is also one of the perfect templates to begin a Made To Order project. Whilst the standard model is as classic as they come, the ability to change the stitching to brogueing, change the leather to something more casual, change the toe shape and sole, there’s so much scope to come up with multiple variations that you could make enough combinations to last you a lifetime.

Michael’s model specifications

Model: Oxford

Upper: Black Calf

Lining: Black

Toe Shape: MH71

Sole: Single Oak Bark Leather

Other: Added 2 heel stacks and extra room on the instep.

You can come and see some of Mickael’s Ready to Wear bow tie collection in our Savile Row store, or visit his online store for his full collection. Want something for your own black tie outfit or occasion? Simply come and visit us or give us a call and we will happily assist you.