Valentino Blake-stitched black lift +6cm

COUSU BLAKE — Black Valentino

Handmade. Made to last.

A timeless classic, with a textured signature. The Valentino is the only model in our Prestige Collection to feature premium suede leather — this velvety, matte material softens the silhouette of the oxford without taking away any of its elegance. Its line remains rigorous: cap toe giving structure to the toe, classic lacing with a clean design, slender silhouette. But its deep matte black, hand-patinated finish brings a touch of modern casualness that immediately sets the Valentino apart from smooth leather oxfords — a velvety black that pairs just as well with an anthracite suit as with raw denim and a dark jacket.

A shoe entirely hand-stitched. No glue, no shortcuts. The sole is stitched to the upper stitch by stitch by the artisan, using the Blake method — the most noble shoemaking technique. This process takes time and skilled labor, but it changes everything: the shoe is supple from day one, it breathes better because no layer of glue suffocates the leather, and above all — its sole can be replaced by a cobbler when the time comes. A Cousu Blake pair is not thrown away; it is cared for and passed on.

Suede leather, in its premium version. Suede is not a “less noble” leather — it is calf leather worked on the flesh side to reveal a velvety, matte grain. When well made, it requires a very high-quality raw material: only the most even hides allow for the uniform, dense finish that characterizes the Valentino. Leather upper and lining, genuine leather sole stamped Mario Bertulli. The matte black patina is hand-finished, shade by shade, by a patina artist: it gives the suede its velvety depth, those soft reflections that change with the light — a black that absorbs light rather than reflects it.

Mario Bertulli craftsmanship, applied to excellence. Like all our models, the Valentino secretly gives you +6 cm thanks to a completely invisible internal lift. What sets it apart: the shoe around it. You are not simply wearing a height-increasing oxford — you are wearing a true shoemaker’s piece, designed to last.

A pair that can be resoled, cared for, and age with you.