Wildsmith Shoes: Shoes Made in England from Herring

British shoemaking, and in particular English shoemaking, is still centred around Northamptonshire where skilled workers have made the finest shoes for centuries. Although the industry sadly contracted during the last decades of the last century, it is now on the up and English-made shoes are sought after the world over for their comfort, style and robustness. 

Wildsmith Shoes were worn by many renowned clients: the brand has been revived by Herring Shoes

Herring Shoes have been around for a relatively modest  half century, but their commitment to English manufacture was underlined when they recently revived an old shoemaking name. Wildsmith was established in 1847 and supplied King George the VI with a stout house-shoe, now called the loafer. Other renowned clients included royalty, President JF Kennedy, Cary Grant and David Niven. 

Matthew & Rebecca Wildsmith

They clearly had the right idea about shoes; as John Wildsmith once said, “You are either in your bed or in your shoes, so it pays to invest in both.” Sadly the name disappeared until it was acquired by Herring Shoes who sent me a pair of Wildsmith Grant brogues to try. British-made, they are made with leather soles using classic Goodyear-welted construction. A slim shape and a different but sleek broguing design give them a contemporary and elegant appearance. On the foot, they are very comfortable indeed. 

My Grant brogues from Wildsmith

For anyone looking for a blend of traditional shoemaking skills with a contemporary design, Wildsmith from Herring is a range to look at including loafers, brogues, boots and plain oxfords and derbies. Prices will range between £275 and £400 at launch. More information is available on wildsmith.com and see also Herring Shoes.

This is a sponsored post.

The Restory: Bringing Leather Goods and Shoes Back to Life

The Restory is a service which repairs shoes, handbags and other leather goods. This is, of course, a good thing in an age when too many repairable items are thrown away as soon as they become worn or broken. Better to take a sustainable approach than to unnecessarily top up our landfill sites.

Convenience is essential and this is a doorstep to doorstep service. Pick-up and drop-off times are at your convenience from home or work and they will collect from neighbours or safe places. I sent two pairs of shoes to be reheeled. They were picked up from my home and delivered back when the work was complete. The workmanship was excellent, as it would have to be for repairs or the best bench-made shoes or top quality handbags. 

I sent my favourite Loake shoes to be reheeled - a superb job was done to them, far superior to high street shoe repair

Obviously this costs more than your average high street shoe repairer, but the overhaul had clearly been carried out by an experienced cobbler rather than a young person with a big pot of rubber glue. The Restory has its own team of in-house specialists who can bring your shoes, bags or leather luggage back to looking their best. Highly recommended, both for convenience and for quality of repair and service.

The service is available across the UK and Europe. See The Restory for more information.

This post was sponsored by The Restory.

Edward Green Shoes: Made in England

Among my most comfortable shoes are these from Edward Green who've been making shoes in Northampton since 1890. Through careful attention to detail they've built an unrivalled reputation among shoe lovers. Having tried a couple of pairs I can now see why. The leather-soled suede derbies, although worn regularly for over a year now, have the unusual property of hardly wearing down at the heel, despite much London pavement bashing. They are a beautifully made pair of Cardiff derby brogues in olive suede. I'm lucky enough to have the same shoe in Delapré calf which is supple and soft to touch as it's been treated with nine different leather fats - this pair has a rubber Dainite sole.

My Delapré calf (left) and olive green suede Cardiff derbies from Edward Green

But how is it that such a stylish-looking shoe can be so comfortable? I asked Euan Denholm of Edward Green to explain these properties to me, surely a shoe is a shoe is a shoe? He told me, "Those soles and heels [on the suede derbies] are oak-bark tanned for nine months - it creates a sole which is highly durable yet light, comfortable and flexible (although one pays far more for the raw material!)". This underlines the importance not only of the quality of construction, but also of the materials used. There are no short cuts to true quality. See Edward Green.

The shoes were sent for review. This feature is unsponsored and all views expressed are mine alone.

Grey Fox Slippers by Donhall & Bell

Donhall & Bell was founded in 2012 by Londoners Peter Mulhall and Martin Bell to give men 'a more interesting alternative to mainstream footwear'. Their D&B slipper is an elegant offering for the gentleman who likes to stay smart at home or wishes to party or stay casual in style.

They kindly fashioned me a pair of bespoke slippers, which I wear as I write. Comfortable in velvet, beautifully made with leather sole and quilted interior, this is no mere carpet slipper, this is footwear for sophisticated clubs, parties or a quiet and sartorial evening at home with a fine malt, a good read or an evening of television.

See Donhall & Bell for their bespoke and ready-made ranges.

I was given the slippers for the purposes of this review - all views expressed are mine alone.

Loake Launches New 1880 Range Export Grade: The Best of British Shoemaking

Loake has launched a new top quality collection of Export Grade men's shoes as part of the Loake 1880 Range. I visited their Kettering factory this week where the company's Head, Andrew Loake, told me that they wanted to show how factory-made shoes could be made to the highest standards, while remaining affordable.

One of the first things that impressed me on my visit was the immense feeling of pride in the new range. Brendon Drage-Dawes, Chief Shoemaker at Loake, has put together a team of the best to work on every aspect of the shoes. As he showed me round I was struck by the enthusiasm and pride of these men and women in their work.

Brendon was wearing a pair of the shoes and spoke highly of their comfort. They've been built with a fitted fiddle-back waist (giving elegance to the central part of the shoe) which provides good support on the insole. 

They are quite light in weight and are made from a high quality Italian calf which is soft to wear. Stitching of the uppers is immaculate, with a much higher than normal stitch count, giving the shoes a high quality, crisp look. Most importantly, they are beautiful shoes, with that elegance only seen on well-made and designed high quality shoes.

The actual construction and assembly of the shoe is where the magic happens. The first step is attaching the welt to the uppers and soles and this has to be done very precisely by eye. The shank, which stiffens the middle of the sole is attached and the sole and uppers are then joined. Once attached, the sole is shaped very precisely, again by eye, and the heel nailed on. 

There are many steps involved, each carried out by a skilled and experienced worker. It was good to see that a good proportion of the team are young men and women, so the skills required have been effectively passed down with the workforce at Loake.

Once the shoe is built there is still much to do: painting the soles, waxing and polishing the heels, soles and uppers, adding the laces and packing the shoes for sale. The waxing, buffing and polishing is done by hand, with one worker using his fingers to apply different layers and colours to the uppers to achieve, on the final burnishing, a depth of colour and shine that would do a guardsman proud.

Before I looked at the price of these beautifully made shoes I'd guessed a piece of approaching £500. Loake will be selling them for £295. However, they will be in limited supply from selected retailers and Loake shops; they won't be available online. Their labour intensive manufacture takes time and you may need to wait - but it will be worth it. For more information, see the Loake website.

'Loake 1880 Export Grade comprises three timeless, elegant and understated designs: Hanover, a toe-cap Oxford; Trinity, an Oxford semi–brogue; and Warwick, a wing-cap Oxford ‘austerity brogue’ shoe. A fourth style, Grosvenor, a wing-cap Derby brogue, will be added in March 2017'. [Loake]

Loake sponsored this post. All views are my own.

Summer Shoes for beach, boat and bar: Sarah Gilfillan's selection

Sarah Gilfillan is such a successful personal stylist, helping men around the world with their sartorial choices through her website SartoriaLab, that I feel very lucky to have her contributing from time to time here on Grey Fox Blog. Here she selects summer footwear:

[Sarah writes] Many men aren't comfortable with wearing sandals and are faced with a dilemma about what to wear on their feet in the summer months that will be light and cool, plus comfortable enough to wear without socks. So what are the options? Here are my top five choices for keeping your feet fresh and fashionable this summer:

Shorts Reiss, boat loafers Swims

Club Monaco slim-fit chinos Mr Porter, Castañer espadrilles Mr Porter

Gant chinos, Oliver Sweeney denim slip-on

Indigo shorts Paul Smith, suede espadrilles Manebi

Chino J Crew, boat shoe Kurt Geiger

For information about Sarah's personal styling services for men, see SartoriaLab.

This post is unsponsored.

Monsieur Chaussure shoe care comes to the UK

Monsieur Chaussure is a French shoe care and accessories specialist, selling shoe care kits, shoe horns, shoe trees and many other useful items for the shoe lover through a website at and a store located in Paris. 

Monsieur Chaussure is now opening its virtual doors for business in the UK and a selection of products for cleaning, storing and maintaining footwear can be found on its website, together with advice on shoecare. You can also send your shoes off to have them professionally cleaned or polished to a glassy finish, with a patina being applied if required. Substandard shoes can ruin a stylish look, so this is a service to try.

Cheaney Avon brogue with Cherchbi Herdwyck tweed

I've been meaning to get hold of a pair of these Cheaney x Cherchbi Herdwyck tweed brogues for weeks. The chance came recently when I borrowed a pair for a photoshoot. Cheaney manufacture in Desborough, Northamptonshire and the Avon is a classic country brogue available with leather or rubber soles. This version includes tweed made by Cherchbi from my favourite sheep, the hardy Herdwick of the English Lake District.

Adam Atkinson uses the wool of the Herdwick for his Cherchbi bag collection and here it's used for this stylish shoe collaboration with Cheaney. I tried them briefly for the photoshoot but wasn't able to walk any distance in them as they had to be returned in as new condition. However, the waterproof tweed was comfortable and flexible.

I wear Cheaney Avon Herdwyck brogues at a photoshoot, image Nick Maroudias. Trousers Scotland Shop

Ideal worn with jeans or a tweed suit, the Cheaney Avon brogue with Herdwyck No.10 tweed costs£325 from Cheaney Shoes of Northampton. See also Cherchbi for more products made from Cherchbi Herdwyck tweed.

This post is unsponsored.

Marcus De Shoes made in Northampton

Marcus De Shoes is headed by Miguel De Almeida, the grandson of Marcus De Almeida, whose name is given to the business and whose style and love of a good pair of shoes inspired his grandson to make quality footwear for men. Having studied shoe and boot making some years ago, Miguel designs and makes his shoes in England's shoe capital, Northampton, closely overseeing their construction to ensure the highest standards and using the best leathers and materials he can find.

Miguel gave me a pair to wear and try for review on the blog. They are beautifully made, with the detailed workmanship seen in the best hand-made English shoes. These are made in small quantities and you are buying into the best of English shoemaking craftsmanship. Needless to say, they are comfortable and stylish, attracting many admiring comments. Miguel's love of detail and British manufacture even shows in the care he takes to make even his laces and shoe boxes in England.

I wear Marcus De Navy Pebble grain/Suede brogues. Image Nick Maroudias. Trousers Scotland Shop

I'm wearing Marcus De navy pebble grain/suede brogues, £575. For the complete collection see the Marcus De collection here. Prices usually from £495 but, as an introduction to his collection for Grey Fox Blog readers, Marcus is offering the current AW15 shoes at prices from £395 to £445 for a limited time from Wednesday 3rd February.

Cheaney Thomas: shoes made in Northampton

I borrowed these Joseph Cheaney & Sons Thomas shoes for a recent photoshoot and fell in love with their robust elegance. Available in black or almond grain leather, these capped derbies have tassel leather laces and rubber Dainite soles. The black pair bridge the gap between informal and more formal shoes. I wore them only for a short time, but was struck by their comfort.

Ideal for wear with suits, jeans or chinos. The best of British manufacture. From Joseph Cheaney & Sons: £325.

I wear Cheaney Thomas capped derby in black, from image by Nick Maroudias. Trousers tailored by Scotland Shop

This post is unsponsored.

Carreducker: Kickstarter for ready to wear summer shoe Made in England

Carreducker are well-known for their bespoke footwear, all made in England. For next summer they have developed a ready to wear shoe and are raising funds for it on Kickstarter. The range of Winkers resort shoes is designed in London and made in England. 

Carreducker Winkers resort shoe: One of the nine designs available

Here is what Carreducker say about them:

• They are Limited Edition - maximum of 500 pairs
• They are inspired by the classic espadrille
• They will retail at £199
• They are made on a well-fitting, comfortable last that we have developed specifically for this project, with plenty of room for the toes
• They are available in both full and half sizes from UK 5 - 12
• They are leather lined with a leather sole and heel
• They are made in a choice of nine beautifully tactile but robust Designers Guild fabrics. (Designers Guild is renowned for its high quality, creative and innovative designs).

Choosing fabrics for the Carreducker Winkers resort shoe

By pledging now to buy on Kickstarter (ends 13th December) prices started at £125 (now all gone) but are (at the time of writing) available from £150 or you can pledge less for other attractive rewards. See Carreducker's Kickstarter page here.

I've got a pair on order and look forward to wearing mine in a suitable exotic location next summer. See the range below.

Carreducker Winkers resort shoes available on Kickstarter. Each is named after an English seaside town

OHW? stylish waterproof boots for autumn/winter

It can be hard to find robust, waterproof boots for more stylish country and dog walks. There are many available from outdoor and mountain shops that owe more to practicality than appearance.  The unusually named Ohw? have got design and looks right with their new (for Autumn/Winter '15) waterproof range of Goodyear welted boots with an internal waterproof membrane in hydrophobic full grain leather and treated suede and wool.

OHW? have released their new range for AW15

I've tried a pair of their Holden boots on wet and muddy dog walks. Robustly constructed of strong but pliable leather and suede, I found them comfortable and dry. Their moccasin shape, leather laces and rubber/phylon soles give them a stylish appearance far removed from the often unattractive approach shoes and boots sold for lighter duty walks.

Holden waterproof boots from OHW?

Ohw? aim to bring a fresh approach to men’s footwear with contemporary and functional designs manufactured in their own factory in China. It's refreshing to see a brand willing to be so open about the provenance of its products. I feel that the variety, quality and design of the finished product shows that they've achieved their aim.

To see their varied and stylish range of shoes and boots go to the Ohw? website or click on the advert on the right hand column of this blog.

The Loake shoe store: the lost art of selling shoes

Buying shoes is easy: you just buy online or nip into the department store and try on a few until you find some that look good and even may fit. That just about describes my shoe buying habits until I was recently invited to the Loake store in Princes Arcade off Piccadilly in London. Soon after meeting the manager, Tony Ryan, I realised that there is much more to buying a good pair of shoes.

The knowledge of the store staff of shoe construction is unequalled and this is an important factor in selecting the shoes you want, matching them to purpose and to your foot size and shape. The many models of Loake shoe are constructed around different lasts, each of which best fits certain customers. Tony and his staff will find out what you require from your shoes and measure and fit them with care. It's best to wear your new shoes at home on carpets for a while to ensure comfort. Loake will take back shoes that don't fit well, as long as they are in as new condition.

And the Loake service extends to  more than simply selecting shoes on the basis of fit and comfort. I was impressed that Tony was prepared to discuss the colours and outfits you might want to wear them with. He will even direct customers wanting to buy a complete outfit to tailors and retailers whose products will fit with the type, colour and construction of the new shoes and will suggest suitable styling. This deep knowledge and understanding of menswear takes the service way beyond a mere shoe fitting. 

The shoes I selected: Loake Perth from the 1880 range in burgundy

With Tony's patient help, I selected a pair of made in England burgundy Loake Perth plain derbies in soft and comfortable leather with Goodyear welted double leather soles. Unsurprisingly, Tony and his staff see many loyal customers returning to their shop. To see a Google tour of the shop, click here. For more on Loake, their shoes and suppliers, see their website here.

This feature was written in partnership with Loake.

Swift & Co: bringing back the manufacture of stylish footwear to Lancashire

I came across Swift & Co at Best of Britannia earlier this summer. Based in Burnley, Lancashire, Swift has been a family business for some generations and Richard Swift has set out to bring back footwear manufacture to East Lancashire. In this video, he tells us more about his shoes.

Technology And Tradition - An Introduction To Swift

They look well-made and lightweight with soft uppers and a comfortable technical sole and heel. As the image of their suede boots below shows (this is one of several styles available), they are also very stylish. I plan to try out a pair soon and will report back then.

Richard will be starting a Kickstarter campaign soon and I'll tell you more about that and the brand when that happens. Meanwhile, click here to go to the Swift & Co website.