Herring Shoes Journal

In the last few months, we have been introducing our newsletter subscribers to our new Classic Elite range. (If you are not a subscriber, you can sign up at the bottom of our home page.)

This range is a new sub-section of our Classic range. They feature Goodyear-welted soles and fine European leathers, but they offer something new.

By working our magic in design and specification, we have created shoes that have many of the features of our highest quality Premier shoes but at the more attainable pricing of our Classic shoes.

We have managed this by talking direct to the factories and choosing the best lasts, leather and combination of features to create something wonderful. The Haig double monk, for instance, features Goodyear-welted soles that are closed-channel stitched and hand-painted. We have also used a bespoke looking last that is slightly more generous than you usually find on a high-end shoe, so that it is comfortable from the first wear. We have a single monk version too in the Holmes.

Meanwhile, the Christie is a wholecut Oxford which means that the entire upper has to be made faultlessly from one piece of leather. Think of icing a cake perfectly with an expensive icing sheet and you will understand why these are the apex of shoe making! This model benefits from another highly skilled feature…the closed-channel sole stitch. This gives a more refined appearance to the sole and makes it almost indistinguishable from a far more expensive shoe.

The Montgomery is an austerity brogue style. The name is thought to originate in the 1940s when leather supply was restricted so the wingtip patterns were simplified to allow less leather to be used by omitting the brogue detail altogether.

Boots have not been left out of our Classic Elite collection. The Purcell Chelsea boot comes in both leather and suede, and is made on a classic last shape that will never be out of fashion.

Meanwhile, for more relaxed days, we have the Alanbrooke and Allenby loafers, with the latter featuring delicate stitching on the vamp.

Aside from the attention to detail and style, all these shoes share another important element in common…they can be repaired. In line with our commitment to supporting slow fashion, these shoes are all Goodyear welted, so they can be repaired over and over again.

So, while you a benefiting from more classic shoes with attainable prices, you are also investing in footwear that will last.

View the entire Herring Classic Elite range here.