We speak about walking a mile in another’s shoes to express how we might see through their experience, to better understand how we might help a loved one through times of hardship. However, we don’t tend to look much further than the notion of wearing footwear that might be a little too big, or small, or just generally fit a little differently.
To delve further into the metaphor – these shoes into which we slip – what style might they be to best fit another personality? Which complexion could best meld with their closet? What materials have enveloped our loved ones, and held them as they strode? It’s something we might not think about too much until it comes to the purchase of a very special pair of shoes, something that when cared for, will stay with us for a lifetime.
The Imperial Collection – York Capped Oxford in Black Calf Leather
My visit to Joseph Cheaney & Sons was on an admittedly very average afternoon, London was hot and busy (as always), I was running between meetings (as always), but their New Bond Street store (having opened this August) and my personal shopping appointment were a haven of respite in all manners. I was warmly welcomed by store manager Ian, sharply dressed with an infallibly cool personal style, who introduced me to the ranges as we walked around the store.
Founded in 1886, Cheaney still calls Northampton their home, and their present factory has been an anchor to the brand since 1896. As one of the few English heritage shoemakers to still hand-make their product from start to finish on native soil, across the 200-odd hand or hand-tooled processes all conducted in-house, each shoe takes around eight weeks to finish. Their Imperial Collection is the closest to a made-to-measure shoe one might be able to pick up same-day, and feature hand-painted fiddle waists, oak bark tanned soles with in-channel stitching and dedicated lasts. It’s a fidelity to craftsmanship rarely maintained.
Hand-tooled in-channel stitching
Whilst best known for their men’s footwear, their women’s selection moves through all classic and eternal styles. I relished the moment to trace my eye over buttery soft gleaming leathers, velvety suedes and enticing grains – all adorned with bright buckles and eye-catching trims – from steadfastly thick soles to delicate slithers forming the silhouette. Running my hand over each along the shelves, I wondered what might become of the next hour, to reshape my personality or frame it presently with my stylistic choice. Luckily, I was in Ian’s very capable hands when it came to working out what I might like to add to my wardrobe.
Crowndale Wholecut Oxford in Dark Leaf Calf Leather
‘When it comes to personal style, if you start with impeccable shoes the rest will follow’, Ian mused. Throughout my personalised shopping experience, Ian amiably asked me about the colours, textures and shapes I would usually put together, showing me their different styles on the shelves with excitement and explaining how they might work with wide-legged trousers, jeans, a full skirt or a slinky dress. ‘I am my own best customer, I always find a gap in my wardrobe’, he admits sheepishly.
He brings out the Lara M Derby Boot first, a timeless apron work boot with a slightly rounded toe, constructed of a lithe grain nubuck in a soft liquorice black, and gently fits it to me.
‘With a greenish-blue undertone, you can wear it with predominantly black outfits, it adds another texture, another layer’, Ian assures me, ‘but it looks fantastic with red too.’
Lara M Derby Boot in Liquorice Black Grain Nubuck
Walking around the store, the movement through the Vibram Mirto rubber sole has an addictive quality, with a curve through the arch and a flick to the toe that feels airy and light for their sturdiness. The only thing that gets me through the dismay at taking them off is the thrill of seeing what else he has lined up for me.
For Ian, the shoes tell the story of the person, as he lovingly regales tails from a family of loyal customers. ‘I had a client visit, his shoes, supposedly made in England by a competitor, had fallen apart in the rain. He bought our version of what he was wearing, took his shoes off and asked me to put them in the bin. It happens more than you think, you can put a Cheaney on your foot and walk right out of the store.’
Lara M Derby Boot with Vibram Mirto rubber soles
Thoughtfully, he takes the Henrietta D Derby Boot off the shelf, fitting it smoothly to my foot. With a slimline appearance and a higher fit to the leg, its minimal detailing lets the black hatched grain leather sing. A more demure choice with a finer sole, it gives great diversity for complementing tailored looks, flowing hemlines and weekend wear.
‘We gravitate to what we usually wear, our comfort blanket, but when we put it on, something you might walk past on the shelf can really pop’, Ian contemplates.
Henrietta D Derby Boot in Black Hatched Grain
With bolstered confidence, I asked about a piece which caught my eye the moment I saw it. A lower profile, constructed of black hatched grain leather, paired with an authoritative Vibram Mirto rubber sole, and a sparkling chunky nickel chain atop the vamp. Modern yet classic, and nothing like anything else I own, despite the initial tentativeness of the unfamiliar, it was love at first sight.
Ian slipped on the Cassie M Chain Trim Loafer, explaining the fit would be very different to what I’m used to, with a little gap at the heel for the shoe to move slightly off my foot with each action. As I admired the look and marvelled at the action, Ian explained, ‘Our foot bends 2000 times per day’, highlighting the importance of well-fitting footwear.
Cassie M Chain Trim Loafer in Black Hatched Grain Leather
‘They are a premium shoe, but don’t be afraid to wear them. For nearly four, five hundred pounds you could think “I should keep these for best”, but they are built to last, they are strong. My father says to me, “You‘re the only man I know who does the gardening in five-hundred-pound boots”. But the ageing process, the scars and the scratches are all part of the character.’
As prophesied by the master of footwear, it was a step into the unknown for me, as my first pair of loafers joined my wardrobe. I will always be a girl for a pair of boots, but I know this pair of shoes is here for the journey, mile after mile.
