Words: Anna Galbraith
In a throwaway age of unsustainable convenience, there’s something heartwarming about Crockett & Jones. The heritage shoemaker’s ‘Repairs Service’ promises to breathe new life into old footwear — giving you the chance to fix up and set right the shoes you’ve cherished and relied on for years.
And, thanks to the high quality leather used to create the uppers and linings of the brand’s shoes — not to mention the Goodyear-welted construction — it is completely possible for Crockett & Jones to remove and replace the entire sole of a shoe (a process that can be carried out up to four times).
It doesn’t end there. Not only will the lifespan of your shoes be prolonged for years to come, but each pair of shoes sent in to be fixed will be repaired upon the actual last they were created with — a rather romantic touch that sees some shoes reunited with lasts in the Northampton factory after 25 years apart.
James Fox, Head of Marketing at the royal-warranted shoemaker, says that those who use this remarkable repair service will essentially be given “a new pair of shoes” back to them — given how extensive the process is.
Shoes, Fox continues, can hold an equivalent emotional significance for a gentleman as jewellery holds for a woman. Whether it’s the pair you walk down the aisle, or the shoes in which you stepped into your first job, few items in your wardrobe are quite so nostalgic. And the ‘Repairs Service’ is Crockett & Jones’ way of showing they understand the bonds and ties we lace up with our footwear.
So, next time you’re looking to invest in the best pair of shoes you can buy, remember this: Crockett & Jones shoes don’t just last a lifetime — they last much, much longer than that.
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