John Lobb is a giant in the world of shoemaking since 1849. In 1851 a young man from Cornwall named John Lobb went to London to become an apprentice bootmaker. First rejected, he persevered and later on, after he journeyed through Australia during the Gold Rush, he became a sensation by creating a bespoke boot for the Prince of Wales (future King Edward VII), without ever meeting him (he only saw a print of the prince’s feet in the mud). His craft earned him his first Royal Warrant. By 1863, he was the official bootmaker for the prince and founded his shop on Regent Street in 1866.
Three years later, he opened a second shop in Paris. From the late 19th century to the 1970's, the name John Lobb was already a legend due to the incredible talent of the Lobb family and the string of Royal Warrants they received. William Lobb invented for example the best double buckle shoes ever, named after him. Shoes from the bespoke shoemaker were worn by the Royal Family (King Charles III is a regular customer since the 1960's), head of states, Hollywood stars and singers like Fred Astaire and Frank Sinatra, and other celebrities like Jacky Kennedy and Aristote Onassis.
When ready-to-wear became the norm, the company struggled and decided to sell parts of its operation to the Hermès group. Therefore, since 1976, the name Lobb is owned by the Hermès group, except for the original shop at 9 St. James Street in London (under the name John Lobb Ltd. Bootmaker, also known as John Lobb St. James or John Lobb London).
In 1982, the first ready-to-wear collection of John Lobb Paris was born, with classic models such as the Lopez Loafer, the City II Oxford, the William Double-Monk, and countless more. The Parisian bespoke shop, 32 Rue Mogador, continues to produce perhaps the best bespoke shoes in the world, entirely handmade, with the best leather. A bespoke pair by John Lobb Paris starts at 8000 euros, without the 1200 euros bespoke shoe trees. The waiting time is between 6 months and a year for a pair.
I'm proposing a stunning example of John Lobb Paris work: a pair of bespoke brown hollow shoetrees in wood. These shoetrees were made in the 1980's in their Rue Mogador atelier, and are perfect to keep your best shoes in shape. They are hollowed out to keep the form of the shoes without adding weight.
As always with John Lobb Paris, everything is done by hand, from the shape to the hinge. You cannot find such level of craft these days. The Lobb name is engraved and the serial number of the shoes is marked inside. The condition is excellent.
The size is similar to a 9UK/43EU. Check the measurements below to be sure they fit you:
- Length of the left shoetree: 29,4cm
- Width of the left shoetree: 9,8cm
- Length of the right shoe: 29,6cm
- Width of the right shoe: 9,5cm
The quality is equivalent to the following bespoke houses:
- In England: John Lobb Ltd Bootmaker, Nikolaus Tuczek, Dominic Casey, Foster & Son, Gaziano & Girling, Henry Maxwell
- In Italy: Stefano Bemer, Gatto, Ricardo Freccia Bestetti, Marini, Pettrocchi, Beppino Rampin, Roberto Ugolini,
- In France: Aubercy, Berluti, Corthay, John Lobb Paris, Massaro, Philippe Atienza, Stephane Jimenez
- In Japan: Yohei Fukuda, Eiji Murata, Tye Shoemaker
If you have questions regarding the shoes, don't hesitate to ask.
Possible to try them in Paris 15th Arrondissement