The Shoemaker's Art - Edward Green

Quite Fascinating

In the video A Labour of Love (below) from old friends Edward Green, we see the entire process of creating a pair of their famous shoes. It's a composite, condensed into five minutes. Marvel at how the parts are assembled to create a product that will last a lifetime.

The process starts with patterns cut from the incredibly fine-looking leather used by Edward Green. You can't skimp on good materials. If rubbish goes in, rubbish comes out. All through the process you will see specific shoe-making tools and machines. Quite fascinating.

A person (with authentically manky fingernails requiring a nailbrush after their shift) uses a contraption to brogue the leather. The pieces are then stitched together to make the shoe's upper. The upper is shaped and tacked to the inner sole, which is then corked ready for the preparation of the outer sole (from a red-haired man wearing a nice pair of Edward Green shoes himself).

The sole is finished and the upper is is prepared with the application of polishes and your actual spit. Finally, the shoe gets that all-important Made in England stamp.



The hand of the diligent maketh rich.

The shoes that go into the box at the end appear to be the slim and handsome Inverness brogues, built on the 888 last in burgundy leather. What a magnificent result.




















Whenever you're in the market for shoes, look carefully at the construction and the materials used. Look the shoe up and down, inside and out. Smell it, feel it, try it for size. Does the shoe have that Made in England stamp on its sole? Or, rather — reaching vainly for profundity — does it have it stamped on its soul?