I ordered the Artisanal Line variant of the OXF. 571 as I loved the simple black toecap oxford design, but wanted the elevated detail of the fiddleback waist and matching welt stitching to the fudging. Throughout the process, direct email correspondence with Tim Liu and the Yearn Team has been nothing but reassuring and a seamless ordering experience.
Despite a slight quality issue on my initial shoes, the Yearn team guided me through the return process with complete transparency. A great product is one thing, but to have a team which follows up with their customers when something goes wrong is the best you could ask for, especially with shoes at this price range.
The final shoes I received are immaculate - the photos speak for themselves. Coming from ready to wear shoes that cost less than this, I can see where the added value of craftsmanship is going to. The beautiful welt fudging with stitches matching every groove is a particular detail that specifically made me choose the Artisanal Line version. And of course, the sharp fiddleback waist matched by the sculpted last makes the shoes appear like a bespoke costing an order of magnitude higher than they are. Having the upper leather curve tightly downward towards the soles, and wrap snugly around the heel area is something you don't see on cheaper pair of shoes, as it requires more handwork shaping the leather around the last.
There's nothing more that I could've hoped for - perhaps the only minor detail I could've wished for is for a little decorative wheeling along the sides of the heel. Nevertheless, everything as a whole is done well and I can highly recommend these - especially with the added attention to detail the Artisanal Line offers!
Many thanks again to Tim Liu, Zhoukui and the Yearn Team for taking care of me as a customer and offering an excellent pair of shoes that I'll treasure for years to come!