Tag
The split toe derby is a model that has been extra popular in recent years. A derby with a so-called apron and then a vertical stitch at the tip of the toe. The history on how the model evolved is, as is often the case with footwear and clothing, about practical function.
In many cases a retrospective view on things, “It was better before,” can be quite boring and negative, and mainly be due to nostalgic reasons. But in the case of quality shoes, it’s in many ways a truth that you can’t disregard. It really was better before – and it will most likely never be possible to make the same shoes again. Here’s why.
I have visited quite a few factories that produce Goodyear welted shoes, and although it’s often nice places, it always strikes me that they are relatively small factories, much smaller than many might think. In the Crockett & Jones factory in Northampton, on the other hand, I’m almost overwhelmed by the large, well-trimmed production.
These are perhaps the best made shoes I’ve ever seen, with a precision of the work that is extremely impressive. The shoes are a small series made by Crockett & Jones for an International craftsmanship exhibition in Turin in 1911. The story of these and pictures of several of them in today’s post.
Monk strap shoes is often considered as one of the younger models among those usually referred to as the backbone of the classic shoe models. However, it’s a shoe type that goes far back in time, here’s a review of its history.
Articles continued:
A machine that had a huge impact during the industrialization of the shoe production was the lasting machine, which made it possible to pull the upper leather over the last with a machine. A part of the shoe production which many thought would never be able to do with a machine.
Classic quality shoes are in many ways well connected to it’s historical roots, which in a way makes it even more interesting to understand it’s heritage. In several articles I will cover different aspects of the history of shoes, and this one is focusing on the historical base of the welted construction.
