Men who appreciate the finer things in life value craftsmanship and heritage as much as they do design. John Lobb shoes offer the best of both worlds.
In 1863, Lobb was named the official bootmaker to the Prince of Wales and given a royal warrant. The bespoke brand has since expanded its range, and now appeals to boot wearers and non-boot wearers alike.
The bulk of its business now lies in ready-made shoes such as penny loafers, Chelsea boots and sneakers.
Creative director Paula Gerbase has been instrumental is setting the tone for the heritage brand. Aside from overseeing the design of its new collections, she also takes a hands-on approach to the look of its stores.
“Our flagship store in Hong Kong references Cornwall, where John Lobb was originally from,” Asia Pacific regional director Nicholas Holt said. “There’s a mountain of moss in the store windows, and we made use of a very soft wood throughout the store.”
Cornwall is a rugged, coastal area at the southwestern tip of England where the terrain is shaped by the elements. Holt said that visitors to the flagship describe it as “very cozy, like you’re sitting in a man’s wardrobe.”
Riff on classics
For autumn-winter 2018, Gerbase riffed on the classics, affixing sturdy rubber soles to loafers and boots alike. Made of lightweight EVA, the soles give functionality to the walking shoes but in a contemporary way.
“The Levah sneaker was one of Paula’s first sneaker designs for the brand, and has subsequently become one of our bestsellers,” Holt said. “She updated it with a white rubber sole that is very relevant today because people can dress their pair up or down. They wear sneakers with tailored clothes, and it looks fresh and new.”
The sole is stitched to the upper with bright yellow thread. Holt described it as a “functional stitch, it’s not just for aesthetics.
“You get a real fit of the shoe as opposed to it maybe being glued, and the stitching is just aesthetic,” he said.
This season’s collection includes double monk strap shoes (William) with anthracite or gunmetal gray buckles, and an unlined loafer (Thorne) that, Holt said, “fits like a glove.”
Since 1976, John Lobb has been part of the Hermès Group.
John Lobb is at G/F, Greenbelt 3, Makati City, beside Hermès.
