Anastazi Service Boot

When a personal calamity made me start looking for diversions, I quickly found quality boots and shoes. Stitchdown appeared, and led me to Viberg, which instantly resonated. My childhood was spent around the forests of British Columbia and Viberg boots were the go-to for quality logging and forestry boots. I read Ben’s deep-dive article and was very happy to learn that Brett Viberg had twisted his grandfather’s legacy to appeal to a youngish demographic, keen on quality and integrity in a world of mass production. I just had to have some service boots. But now I live in Western Australia, a long way from BC. Luckily, I had an alternative. Back in 2014 Bodkin’s Bootery, in High Street, Fremantle, Western Australia, sold me some Chelsea boots for a wedding. They were made by Mr Kosta Anastazi. The boots fit with a comforting magic that is hard to describe. And they just keep getting better. Perhaps he could make service boots. Kosta Anastazi is now 83. He apprenticed in 1958 in Greece to his bootmaker father, who had started shoemaking as a refugee from Turkey, at age 8. The family emigrated to Western Australia in 1973 and quality handmade footwear appeared. They specialised in Chelsea style boots, equestrian footwear, motorcycle boots, and exotic leathers, especially crocodile. The local cool dudes of the 80s and 90s had their Anastazis. When band KISS showed up in 1980, they ordered their stage boots from Anastazi. Big heels, with stars!! Kosta, a former boxer, is a man of strong opinion and few words. Can you make me a service boot boot like this Viberg picture? – of course. Can I have a Vibram commando sole? – no you won’t like it, have this light one, much better. And with that, and my right Chelsea, he left. A week later my wonderful boots are delivered. After six months of hard Thunderdoming they feel and look and wear like the wonderous pieces of authentic craft they are.