Menswear: How luxury footwear fares in a pandemic

There are 190 different stages in making a high-quality leather shoe that is forensically examined to eliminate any flaws before going on sale

John Lobb SS21 'Pier' boating plimsoll: available in water-resistant suedes

Long before the pandemic, footwear trends began to change. While footwear has dominated men’s wardrobes for decades, frenzied sneaker culture has reigned supreme in the fashion conversation in the last decade. Just last summer at Christie's, Michael Jordan’s signed and game-worn Air Jordan 1s fetched $615,000 at auction during a sneaker memorabilia series. Some people take sneakers as seriously as artwork. Meanwhile, on resale websites, limited edition trainers carry five-figure asking prices.

Similarly, when offices were forced closed last March, the carcass of our past lives was visible in an unworn suit, the unloved tie, and the shoes that gathered dust. Slippers, slides, and even Crocs, took their place.

For John Lobb, the 172-year-old bootmaker company, which has paved a well-soled path to become chief among the world’s finest cobblers, the pandemic posed a threat. While wardrobes, right down to footwear, have changed in the last 12 months, CEO Philippe Gonzalez is not worried. Rather, the brand is adapting.

For one, they have acceded to the rise of informal styles. “Casual shoes and sneakers go hand-in-hand with lightness, flexibility and immediate ease, which has become imperative in any footwear, including dress shoes,” said Gonzalez, highlighting that the brand’s Lopez loafer or the Foundry sneaker are prime examples of how they have “worked tirelessly in developing new technologies and techniques, to ensure that we are able to provide our customers with the utmost comfort from the very first wear".

They have added Goodyear Tensile construction which ensures that dress shoes are comfortable from the first wear, especially when paired with unlined natural-grained leathers they have introduced such as supple deerskin or, in more casual instances, water-resistant suede.

Alongside this, they have introduced lightweight walking rubber soles designed not only to reflect the importance of movement but to account for the most valuable aspect of any shoe, especially when spending thousands: weightlessness, flexibility, and comfort

Established in 1849, John Lobb has become a premier cobbler, earning the patronage of the sartorially sophisticated from actors, bankers to royals including the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince of Wales. The French luxury brand Hermès acquired John Lobb, its factory in Northampton, England, and its Paris studio in 1976 but the London bespoke operation operates independently and remains family-owned.

The brand is known for its double-buckled monk-strapped dress shoes and elegant penny loafers but above all, fabrication and construction, luxurious and labour-intensive in each case, that have solidified the brand’s standing in the luxury arena. In light of the pandemic, this approach to artisanship has taken on new meaning as shoppers around the globe flock to support skilled craftspeople.

“Craftsmanship is paramount and is at the core of everything we undertake at John Lobb,” said Gonzalez, from bespoke operations in the Paris atelier to the ready-to-wear division made in Northampton down to the casual wing of the business.

'Lopez Unlined', revisited with an unlined interior and hyper light Tensile sole.

To the untrained eye, the lofty price tag — which can typically come in around four figures, and five for more exotic skins — for a single pair of shoes might not be immediately understood. Gonzalez insists that it’s important to understand the quality, the processes, and the time taken in order to understand a pair of John Lobb shoes.

The brand says there are 190 'steps' involved in the making of a John Lobb welted shoe. Each shoe is crafted from a single skin of high-quality and exotic leathers before it is forensically inspected to ensure the absence of even the most miniscule of flaws.

The journey from factory floor to the store will take weeks, a process that encompasses many expert artisan hands meticulously labouring over every detail to produce a shoe that is pristinely new, faultless, and handled with immeasurable care.

From buttery leathers to waxed or grainy styles, and beyond, fabrication is as paramount as construction which often includes Goodyear-welting (a strip of leather, the ‘welt’, is stitched around the shoe before an outsole is stitched which allows for several repairs for the shoe; it also facilitates flexibility and movement) or hand-welting (a careful process that typically involves stitching a rib into a leather insole that bonds the welt, upper and insole).

Welted construction gives the added benefit of extending the lifespan of the shoe as it can be resoled repeatedly, “making our shoes and boots innately sustainable,” said Gonzalez.

While price will alienate a large cohort of shoppers, purchasing luxury footwear remains one of life’s opulent pleasures for the nattily-dressed gentleman. An impeccably crafted shoe is built to last and, in many instances, can outpace the lifespan of cars — a correlative luxury designed with movement in mind — should one have it repaired.

Gonzalez said: "This service has been part of the house since its foundation, an idea rooted in tradition which resonates even stronger in the current times.”

“Purchasing expensive footwear may seem daunting but it shouldn’t be as for many, particularly styles from brands such as John Lobb, one of the world’s oldest cobblers, they are a true investment and will last for years to come,” said David Morris, buying manager at online retailer MR PORTÉR, which stocks John Lobb.

He suggests investing in a classic shoe that transcends trend cycles such as a pair of Oxford, Derby or brogues.

Morris said: "The classic phrase buy quality and less often should always apply to footwear. A well-made, well-soled shoe is worth the extra investment.”

At John Lobb, luxury footwear is not just a product but a process.

“We design footwear for a personal experience by means of a constant quest for innovation, comfort and excellence,” said Gonzalez, “pushing the boundaries of what is possible while opening a dialogue of subtle codes and hidden signs, only recognisable by those who share the values of the house and form part of the John Lobb community around the world.”