Sneak Peek at J Shoes AW 13 Collection

A staple favourite with British shoe designers, Dainite has been a market leader in shoe sole production since 1894 with their studded rubber soles.

For AW13, J Shoes has incorporated the studded rubber sole into their latest collection.

 Known for its durability and quality, the rubber soles are ideal for the winter months providing comfort and grip in all conditions, whilst not attracting or storing dirt.

The Dainite Studded sole manages to be practical whilst maintaining a smart timeless styling.

Available soon from
www.jshoesonline.co.uk

J Shoes launch Ltd Edtion Bowden Boot

British heritage Footwear Brand J SHOES are set to launch a new Limited edition Boot as part of their AW12 Collection. 

The Bowden Boot is made using vintage army blanket fabric. The concept being to find a material that was unique yet sustainable, no longer used in its original industry and to give it new life.

Designed by J SHOES Head of Design, Nick Drury, the Bowden is the first in a series of special designs for the brand. 

“We wanted to incorporate an interesting repurposed material outside of the norm. I came across army blankets online and bought what I could to create this style. We then matched the material with contrasting laces and soft kudu leather to compliment.” said Drury.

As well as the army blanket fabric, J SHOES have also partnered with Dainite, a historic sole manufacturer, famous for its studded rubber soles, which have been made in England since the 1900s. The factory is located in Market Harborough just minutes away from where J SHOES began and the company has an excellent reputation in the industry as being one of the best in sole manufacturing.

The boots also have a Goodyear welt construction, which is a traditional method allowing the wearer to re-sole the boots repeatedly -- yielding decades of wear and an even longer life for the boot.

 Remember these are limited editions and only 200 of the style have been made worldwide!!

The Bowden Limited Edition will be available from July 2012 at www.jshoes.com and exclusively at AUTHOR London.

Behind the Scenes of J Shoes AW12 Campaign

For Autumn / Winter 2012, British footwear brand J Shoes will be launching a collection that stays true to their signature style – a modern approach to traditional craftsmanship.

Watch the making of the JShoes AW12 campaign:

Notable key styles and stories for AW12 include:
The Harborough collection, named after the town of J Shoes birth. For this range the shoes will have Dainite soles which is a traditional rubber sole manufactured in Market Harborough. The range will also be Goodyear welted, a first for the brand.
The Guild range features a technical process also a new design innovation for the brand where the sole and the welt are dip-dyed to stain the leather and produce a more individual feel. Colours of red, blue and brown are used to create this look.
The AW collection includes monk straps, rubber dipped lace ends, colour-screen printing and heavy duty soles. Hand burnishing and finishing in this collection creates a unique feel and individuality as no two pairs will be the same.

 Soon to be available from www.jshoes.com

Sneak Preview of JShoes AW 11 collection

The inspiration for JShoe's AW11 'Era' collection is the Nouvelle Vague (New Wave) of the 50's and 60's when a group of French filmmakers began experimenting with shots away from mainstream cinema techniques. 

Above is the 'Operator', a two tone finish boot with lace hooks on the ankle. This style takes on a more casual approach with softer shapes and a handcrafted feel.

Brogues are softened with the distressed look.

And don't you step on his blues suede shoes!

There is also the 'Portland'- a lace up moccasin style mid calf boot featuring:
a waxed wrinkle leather upper
a natural crepe sole
sheep skin lining
handstitch detailing.




JShoes goes for Heritage colours in their 'Woodland' inspired collection of traditional styles with a modern twist.

 One of the key styles is the 'Overlord'- a leather lace up military style boot featuring a secondary layer around the ankle which is removable. Comes in black/olive, dark brown/olive or truffle/dark brown. 

The AW11 collection will be available soon on www.jshoes.com

THE BROGUE – the country shoe with soggy origins..

This hardy shoe has soggy origins. Originating in Scotland and Ireland, it started as heavy untanned leather with perforations which were not for decoration but to allow water to drain from the shoes whilst walking through bogs and other wet lands. Brogueing now is purely decorative. The name derived from Brog which is Gaelic for shoe. It became a country walking and sports shoe when the gentry saw the benefits.
A Brogue can be any style of shoe Oxford, Derby, Monk etc, but it becomes a Brogue due to the decorative perforations and serration along edges of the leather. There are also different types of Brogues:

The Full Brogues or Wingtips- called a wingtip because the style forms a W shape and looks similar to a bird with extended wings. This W shape is perforated and serrated along the edges and usually there are additional decorative perforations in the centre of the toe cap

Loake's full oxford brogue from www.rubbersoles.co.uk

Loake from Northampton is most famous for its Goodyear welted footwear and make the traditional full brogue in the oxford style at a reasonable price of £94.99 sold through www.rubbersole.co.uk . This comes in brown or black and Rubber Sole offer free next day delivery to any UK mainland destination if you order before 4pm.

Grenson's Noble oxford brogue

Another heritage brand from the Northampton shoe capital is Grenson established in 1866 and re-launched in 2006 by new owner and creative director Tim Little “to bring the iconic brogue to a new generation of men”. Here they show that full brogues can range from the fine to the chunky.
For the more understated elegant look Grenson’s Noble oxford type full brogue has tiny punching and the design is kept to a minimum to provide a lighter weight brogue. The price is also of lightweight design, originally £150 but on sale for £120. Calf leather comes in tan (as shown in image), or black. www.grenson.co.uk

Grenson's Archie derby brogue

For the chunkier brogue Grenson have the derby style shoe Archie with its oversized perforations and thick triple leather soles.The only thing not exaggerated about this shoe is the price at a reasonable £180. Comes in honey calf hi shine leather (as shown in image), or tan and black calf smooth leather.

H by Husdon's Rafferty oxford brogue

H by Hudson, the errant younger brother branch of Hudson shoes, throws their full brogues in to the washing machine to create an all over washed look. Don’t try this at home though (especially not with the whites) as Hudson does use a careful process of washing the shoes to transform them in to a vintage look. Their Rafferty shoe is a washed brown vintage look brogue with a hidden elastic section for added comfort and ease of wear. Price £100 in brown or black from www.hudsonshoes.com

J Shoes' Charlie oxford brogues

For another youthful look go for J. Shoes from www.jshoes.com . Their Charlie brogues have the faded look and come in dark grey, peanut, brown and bone colour – the peanut and bone are great shades for the summer months.

Angelo Galasso oxford brogues

Also for the summer months there are the light weight Angelo Galasso white oxford brogues with pale blue trim and AG perforated on the toe cap. – can be purchased at his stand alone shop at 8-10 Hans Road London. 0207 584 3978.

Herring's Disraeli monk brogue

And for the Monk style, go to Herrings own range of footwear made for them by Barkers, Cheaney, Loakes and Sargents on www.herringsshoes.co.uk Here shown in chestnut calf leather , the Disraeli from their Premier Collection also comes in black calf leather. Price £225.00

Nothing soggy about the brogue now!

The other brogue styles to follow in next blog.