New York's Last Boot Factory: Inside Modern Vice

Nestled on west 38th street in the heart of Manhattan’s Garment District is the last cool boot factory in the city. Modern Vice, founded by guy-who-definitely-looks-like-he-owns-a-glam-rock-boot-store Jordan Adoni, makes unforgettable boots. Their signature is the Bolt Boot, emblazoned with a dramatic lightning bolt down the shaft, but whatever you get from them won’t be overlooked by passers by. Perhaps they have a striking fringe, or a row of badass buckles, a huge marijuana leaf, or maybe they’re something right out of the Glam Rock scene of the 1970s.

We visited their factory in Manhattan to get a behind-the-scenes look of the coolest boot company you didn’t know about.

To hear him speak of it, founder Jordan Adoni makes one feel as though boots are the be-all and end-all of fashion accessories – the pinnacle of sartorial expression. Adoni’s borderline obsessive enthusiasm comes through is clearly in the dynamic designs that Modern Vice creates. He notes,

I live in my boots. I’m a guy who wears boots in Winter, Summer, Spring, Fall, it doesn’t matter. I think boots are just essential to anyone’s wardrobe, if it’s a woman or a man, I think it completes the package. A good pair of boots makes you feel a certain way, gives you a certain amount of confidence, and for me it’s the ultimate accent piece. I find boots to be that powerful.

To walk into the showroom, or “Glass Shoebox” at Modern Vice in the Garment District of Manhattan, is to be greeted with near limitless possibilities of style and statement. The styles are diverse and edgy, the colors are vibrant and varied. But the options and variety are not limited to what is on the showroom floor, but extend to the design studio, leather selection room, and an entire customization experience. With meticulously chosen lasts made in Italy and a dizzying array of leather options, customers are able to have their dream boots created for a surprisingly affordable price.

Because Modern Vice boots are made to order, the only real limits to what your boots could be are the limits of your own imagination. With that having been said, there is very clear stylistic flavor that Modern Vice finds itself in – you’re probably not going to come here if you are a lumberjack or trying to look like one. However, if it’s a punk rock edge that your wardrobe is lacking, or the paradigm obliterating fashion of Ziggy Stardust is what your heart yearns for, this is certainly a brand worth checking out.

Check out Modern Vice’s website here.

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Troy Barmore

Troy Barmore is a watch, luxury, and heritage goods specialist and writer based in New York City. Growing up in the mountains of Colorado, Troy has had a passion for subtlety and detail since childhood. Whether it be denim, leather, eyewear or watches, he has made the study of quality goods a lifelong focus.