SHOES from the Italian maker A. Testoni have long been described as among the world's most expensive labels - and, by far, one of the best. While the company makes refined women's accessories as well, it is perhaps in the area of menswear that it has its greatest following: shoes, belts, briefcases and ties. This season, A. Testoni has launched calf leather belts that feature discreet carved buckles. Even the ties are discreet and understated, whispering style rather than screaming it. A. Testoni's footwear line has been named 'Black Label' and features shoes in soft karibu leather in gentle shades like cognac or tan. At Cerruti, the accessories team has come out with a line designed to complement the label's seamlessly structured ready-to-wear collection: briefcases, wallets and keychains are in soft, pliable leather and in classic shades of brown and chestnut. Menswear has long been a strong suit for the house of Lanvin. This season, the Concorde Collection of small leather goods features European boxcalf which has been treated to develop a lustre with continued use. Slightly unconventional colours like burgundy and tobacco have been tried. In footwear, there are lace-up boots in dark brown boxcalf, or derby shoes with interesting saddle stitching in suede calfskin. Do-it-yourself belts come in the form of nine straps and 20 buckles, allowing the customer to mix and match and find the perfect combination. For the really busy man, Florsheim of the United States has just launched the maintenance-free shoe, a patented model that requires no polishing, is waterproof and scuff resistant.
