Warsaw and Its Craftsmen
When I read the interview with the Warsaw tailors, Zaremba & Kamiński, by Manner of Men & Welldressed, I was reminded of a trip to Warsaw I took a couple of years ago. The city still has quite a few remaining craftsmen and a number of pleasant areas. In my archive I found some pictures of Warsaw which I will not hold back from you. In general, the price level is considerably lower than Western Europe. There are still a few bespoke shoemakers left, as well as all kinds of leather craftsmen and an umbrella maker. Often, they work from home or a tiny backyard workroom. Finding Brunon Kaminski took me a little while although I knew his address. That’s why your best bet is to talk to a shoemaker for addresses of other craftsmen. The craftsman might also be willing to drop by at the shoemaker, which is, in my opinion, advantageous since someone will be able to translate for you. At Kielman and Kaminski, the staff speaks English, whereas 80 year old Januszkiewicz speaks Polish only.
The three most well known bespoke shoemakers in Warsaw are:
Brunon Kaminski
ul. Nowy Świat 22 / Warszawa
+ 48 22 826 7024
Tadeusz Januszkiewicz
ul. Chmielna 10 / Warszawa
+48 22 827 9360
Jan Kielman
ul. Chmielna, 6 / Warszawa
+48 22 828 4630
Glove Maker Warsaw
Here are some addresses of good glove makers:
Pracownia rękawiczek Koziarski
ul.Ogrodowa 13/Warszawa
+48 22 652 36 06
Pracownia Rękawiczek. Tomasz Kowalski
ul. Chmielna 10 / Warszawa
+48 22 827 48 70
Pracownia Rękawiczek. Marian Bąkowski
Świętojańska 9 / Warszawa
+48 22 831 35 21
If you now feel eager to explore Warsaw, you ought to take a look at this blog which lists quite a few inside tips for craftsmen in Warsaw! There is even an English version (although it seems that it is no longer up to date).
Beautiful shoes and buildings.