Loake Shoes

pugh-the-special-one said:
Ken T M said:
I don't know enough about shoe manufacture, or have enough comparable experience to express a valid opinion on whether the durability and quality of finish is better in England/India/Italy/Kathmandu, and so I am not predisposed to believe that shoes finished in India are of a lower standard.

Nevertheless, I do know that for a fraction of the cost of most English "name" shoes (Loake, Church, etc.), you can pick up shoes of a much finer grade of leather in Spain, in an excellent finish. This is largely because Spain still has over 100 tanneries, some employing hundreds of people, meaning that leather as a raw material in Spain is a lot cheaper than in England, where there are probably fewer than a dozen tanneries, judging by online presence (although short of contacting the UK Leather Foundation, I can't support this). By it's very nature, however, the finer grade means that these shoes require considerably more care to last as long, so perhaps the trade-off is not that great.

And yes, I am a regular tubthumper for most things Spanish. Except Catalunya, which can snap off and sink into the Med for all I care.
Click to expand...

Sorry Ken I must correct you there, but English tanned leather as no challengers, it needs no introduction, just as we know the Swiss make the finest watches and Saville row make the finest suits, English leather as no equal, Spanish leather wouldn't even make it into the top 20.

Jamie.
Click to expand...

I had no idea that English leather held such a reputation (or that Spanish leather was so poorly considered). I defer to your emphatic argument, and stand corrected.
 
A good quality English saddle will set you back over a £1000, all premium products such as English saddles bridles harness, Dunhill brief cases, Mullberry handbags, most UK high end products, are usually made from English leather.

Jamie.
 
While I don't question the quality of English leather I did read an article in one of the major men's magazines that for ' leather coats' the best were produced in China because of their craftsmen. That because of the quality that they produced that their leather working skills was superior to other countries. ??
I know that last year when I was looking at leather coats I didn't find one not made in China.
 
part of what makes the quintisentially british shoe, is the use of a Goodyear Welt.

Italian / spanish shoes tend never to use this method of shoe making.

For those that don't know.. a welt is a strip of leather thats stitched onto the bottom of the shoe around the edge. The sole is then sewn onto this. It means that when the sole is worn out, you can just un-stitch it from the welt, and replace the sole, while the shoe retains its shape. It means you can replace a sole many many times without affecting the shape of the shoe.

on italian non welted shoes, you'd be lucky to get away with replacing the sole more than once before the shoe becomes a shapeless mess.

I wouldnt buy a leather shoe that wasnt goodyear welted. But then i'm a sucker for Crockett & Jones
 
Ken T M said:
I don't know enough about shoe manufacture, or have enough comparable experience to express a valid opinion on whether the durability and quality of finish is better in England/India/Italy/Kathmandu, and so I am not predisposed to believe that shoes finished in India are of a lower standard.

Nevertheless, I do know that for a fraction of the cost of most English "name" shoes (Loake, Church, etc.), you can pick up shoes of a much finer grade of leather in Spain, in an excellent finish. This is largely because Spain still has over 100 tanneries, some employing hundreds of people, meaning that leather as a raw material in Spain is a lot cheaper than in England, where there are probably fewer than a dozen tanneries, judging by online presence (although short of contacting the UK Leather Foundation, I can't support this). By it's very nature, however, the finer grade means that these shoes require considerably more care to last as long, so perhaps the trade-off is not that great.

And yes, I am a regular tubthumper for most things Spanish. Except Catalunya, which can snap off and sink into the Med for all I care.
Click to expand...

Hi just joined to support the excellent build quality of the Loake L1 shoe. I'm a cobbler and have to repair these bad boys on a regular basis and I have to say these shoes compare very well with churches on the bottom side, good welting, cork filler. wooden shank. Obviously the leather is coated, but the same is true of many so called top quality brands around today and really anyone can see this before they buy. With top calf Churches going at £500 plus this is a good shoe at a good price.
 
saddlehome said:
Ken T M said:
I don't know enough about shoe manufacture, or have enough comparable experience to express a valid opinion on whether the durability and quality of finish is better in England/India/Italy/Kathmandu, and so I am not predisposed to believe that shoes finished in India are of a lower standard.

Nevertheless, I do know that for a fraction of the cost of most English "name" shoes (Loake, Church, etc.), you can pick up shoes of a much finer grade of leather in Spain, in an excellent finish. This is largely because Spain still has over 100 tanneries, some employing hundreds of people, meaning that leather as a raw material in Spain is a lot cheaper than in England, where there are probably fewer than a dozen tanneries, judging by online presence (although short of contacting the UK Leather Foundation, I can't support this). By it's very nature, however, the finer grade means that these shoes require considerably more care to last as long, so perhaps the trade-off is not that great.

And yes, I am a regular tubthumper for most things Spanish. Except Catalunya, which can snap off and sink into the Med for all I care.
Click to expand...

Hi just joined to support the excellent build quality of the Loake L1 shoe. I'm a cobbler and have to repair these bad boys on a regular basis and I have to say these shoes compare very well with churches on the bottom side, good welting, cork filler. wooden shank. Obviously the leather is coated, but the same is true of many so called top quality brands around today and really anyone can see this before they buy. With top calf Churches going at £500 plus this is a good shoe at a good price.
Click to expand...

Just wanted to throw my two cents into the debate. First up, on the quality of English versus Spanish versus other shoes - now I'm no aficionado, but i know that Spain, England and indeed other countries all have their own fine shoemaking traditions (Hungary comes to mind; check out lovely handmade Vass shoes). I actually own a pair of Berwick 1707s - Spanish despite the name! - and they're excellent goodyear-welted Oxford brogues, seemingly with no compromises at a decent price. And therein lies the rub: English shoemakers do seem to charge a premium. Whether that's because of their reputation, quality, or simply - as mentioned by a previous poster - the economics of local leather production, I can't say.

On the Loake L1s, I'm not feeling the love I'm afraid. I owned a pair and found the leather plasticky, the style a bit 'meh' and the comfort wanting. However, Loake 1880s is an entirely different proposition: made in Northampton rather than India, with leather lining and beautiful burnished leather uppers, I have the Heston brogue and the Aldwych Oxford. Both are seriously smart and desirable pieces of footwear.
 
I have 6 pairs of Loake shoes; 3 are 1880s and the others include shoes made in England, Italy and India.

I am happy with them all, and although the Indian made L1s do not have such good leather as some if the others, they are just as well made and cost half the price. The Nappa leather on the Italian made Loake loafers is so soft that they feels like slippers! They were only about £90...
 
I took delivery of my first pair of loake today the chester model in tan. I'd been looking for some shoes to get married in next year and while doing so stumbled across these and thought I'd treat myself I've been weighing it up for a few weeks. Not been worn in anger yet only for 10 minutes in the house.

On the subject of wedding shoes I was looking at loake and barkers, any other suggestions? Crockett and jones or church's maybe a little more than I want to spend unless they have good sales?
 
For a wedding, some of their cheaper shoes with high shine finishes can be quite dressy. There are a few here: http://www.loake.co.uk/web-exclusives.html

Great choice with the Chesters BTW - I love mine.
 
OrangeSport said:
For a wedding, some of their cheaper shoes with high shine finishes can be quite dressy. There are a few here: http://www.loake.co.uk/web-exclusives.html

Great choice with the Chesters BTW - I love mine.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link i'll have a look.
 
Wmmets said:
On the subject of wedding shoes I was looking at loake and barkers, any other suggestions? Crockett and jones or church's maybe a little more than I want to spend unless they have good sales?
Click to expand...

Loake and Barker are generally perceived to be the more 'accessible' English-made brands, while Alfred Sargent and Crockett & Jones are usually more expensive and 'desirable' - with maybe Cheaney and Sanders somewhere in between (though that's open to debate).

It's worth having a look at Herring-branded shoes, which are made for them by Loake, Cheaney and Alfred Sargent at different price points from about £150 to £400 - some of them are good value for money.

If you're willing to consider imports, have a look at Berwick (actually Spanish, not widely available in the UK) or some of the ranges sold by Pediwear. Pediwear's own brand 'Paragon' shoes are very smart, have some features typical of more expensive handmade shoes such as channeled stitching on the sole. They are, however, made in China...
 
Clifford said:
Wmmets said:
On the subject of wedding shoes I was looking at loake and barkers, any other suggestions? Crockett and jones or church's maybe a little more than I want to spend unless they have good sales?
Click to expand...

Loake and Barker are generally perceived to be the more 'accessible' English-made brands, while Alfred Sargent and Crockett & Jones are usually more expensive and 'desirable' - with maybe Cheaney and Sanders somewhere in between (though that's open to debate).

It's worth having a look at Herring-branded shoes, which are made for them by Loake, Cheaney and Alfred Sargent at different price points from about £150 to £400 - some of them are good value for money.

If you're willing to consider imports, have a look at Berwick (actually Spanish, not widely available in the UK) or some of the ranges sold by Pediwear. Pediwear's own brand 'Paragon' shoes are very smart, have some features typical of more expensive handmade shoes such as channeled stitching on the sole. They are, however, made in China...
Click to expand...

Thanks
I've seen herring shoes online before is there anyway of finding out what lasts are used? Reason I ask is there's only two shops in the uk so I'd have to buy without trying on if there was any I fancied
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom