This week, staff writer Graham Winfrey wrote a feature for Inc. on Paul Evans, the business model, and, of course, our exceptional Italian leather shoes.

Winfrey notes that as far as high-end men’s footwear goes, prices tend to stretch towards to four digits for a quality, stylish pair. While other corners of the menswear sector have seen great success with direct-to-consumer sales (Winfrey gives a shout out to Warby Parker and Bonobos), nobody was using that business model to deliver men’s Italian leather shoes at a fraction of the cost… until we came along.

“Like many companies today building business models based on cutting out middlemen, Paul Evans is skipping the wholesale market by selling handmade leather shoes exclusively through its website. From a design perspective, the company's shoes represent a modern take on classic styles. Earley and Fript source their product from a family-owned factory in Naples, Italy, that also makes high-end shoes for a number of department store brands.”

While department stores and specialty stores have to jack up their prices up to two-and-a-half times before reaching the consumer, we skip the middlemen to bring the same beautiful shoes to our customers at a much more reasonable investment.

The lower price doesn’t mean a sacrifice in style. Winfrey does us a kindness, comparing our handcrafted men’s shoes to Parisian line Berluti, who have been around since 1895. We share a lot of the same elements of design: rich color, classic shapes, and natural finishes. And all of our shoes are expertly handcrafted in Italy. We’re just able to offer them at a price that is a reflection of their true value, rather than having the consumer cover the brand’s marketing costs.

It’s not easy work, but it’s what we do. Read the entire article over at Inc.com