ACME Shoemaker

The company offers products across four categories: ready-to-wear (RTW), made-to-order (MTO), made-to-measure (MTM), and bespoke, with all categories using identical hand-welted construction standards. ACME maintains an international presence through a showroom and lounge in London operated by Arterton London.

ACME Shoemaker was founded in Beijing, China in early 2020 after nearly two years of development. Oliver Tang established the company following his tenure as a partner at Xibao. The company received backing from the founders of Medallion Shoes, a retail operation with stores in Beijing and Shanghai.

At its founding, ACME made an initial investment of €80,000 in leather sourcing from premium European tanneries. As of October 2020, the workshop employed 15 people and maintained a production capacity of approximately 70 pairs per month, with demand for made-to-order, made-to-measure, and bespoke orders exceeding this capacity.

The ACME workshop employs more than 15 artisans with an average experience level exceeding 30 years in shoemaking. All shoes produced by ACME, from ready-to-wear to bespoke categories, use hand-welted construction with identical standards across all product lines.

The construction process includes hand-cut uppers, hand-welted soles, and hand-stitched soles with 12 stitches per inch. The sole stitching employs both fudged and stitch-pricked techniques. ACME uses very thick insoles with real leather heel and toe stiffeners, layer-by-layer heel construction, and blind welted bevelled waists.

The company offers multiple welting techniques including classic hand-sewn welt, 180-degree Norwegian stitch, 270-degree Norwegian stitch, 360-degree Norwegian stitch, and storm welt. ACME also produces cemented loafers described as fully handmade using the same materials as welted shoes. A newer product line introduced in the early 2020s features handwelted construction with machine-sewn soles at a lower price point than the fully handmade offerings.

ACME sources leather from premium European tanneries including Weinheimer, Annonay, Du Puy, Charles F. Stead, Haas, and Zonta. The company also procures exotic leathers from HCP, including alligator and crocodile, and shell cordovan from Horween.

For shoe construction components, ACME uses fine Italian vegetable-tanned outsoles, insoles, and stiffeners. The initial €80,000 investment in leather sourcing established relationships with these premium material suppliers at the company's founding.

ACME offers seven last styles for customer selection. The T89 is a chisel last, while the Q90 provides an elongated profile with a small square toe. The N83 features a soft square toe, and the A20 offers a classic round toe design. The F75 provides an almond toe shape.

For loafer styles, ACME offers two dedicated lasts: the AL01 with a round toe and the AL02 with a soft square toe.

ACME produces shoes across four categories: ready-to-wear (RTW), made-to-order (MTO), made-to-measure (MTM), and bespoke. All categories share identical construction standards using hand-welted techniques.

The product range includes multiple styles of oxfords, derbies, and brogues. Ready-to-wear shoes are available for immediate purchase, while made-to-order allows customization with a 10 percent price increase over RTW and six to eight week delivery. Made-to-measure pricing varies based on last modifications required and requires eight weeks for delivery. Bespoke orders require eight to 10 weeks for completion.

As of 2020, ACME's pricing structure positions ready-to-wear shoes at €1,100, approximately $1,280 USD. Made-to-order shoes carry a €1,250 price, representing a 10 percent increase over ready-to-wear with delivery in six to eight weeks. Made-to-measure pricing varies depending on the extent of last modifications required, with an eight-week delivery timeline.

Bespoke shoes start at €2,000 ($2,350 USD) with delivery in eight to 10 weeks. Casual loafers are priced at €530 ($570 USD). Reviews from the early 2020s indicated that fully handmade pairs were priced approximately $1,500 to $1,600.

ACME maintains a showroom and lounge in London through Arterton London, located at 12 and 13 Princes Arcade. This location serves as the company's primary international retail presence outside of China.