John Lobb
JOHN LOBB
Since 1866 in London and 1902 in Paris, John Lobb has been making the best shoes and boots for men. Its rich heritage is reinforced by the timeless qualities of craftsmanship, service and style – attributes that are now available to a wider international John Lobb audience. The company continues to maintain its tradition of bespoke footwear manufacturing in Paris, while maintaining the fundamental principles of bespoke footwear in the manufacture of its expanding shoe and leather goods collection.
John Lobb Bootmaker has been in business for nearly 150 years – and prides itself on maintaining its high standards and unique level of craftsmanship in the creation of handmade men’s shoes and boots.
John Lobb himself was born in 1829 in Cornwall in southwest England, but he came to London as a young man as an apprentice bootmaker. After a successful period in Australia making boots for gold rush miners, he returned to London to set up his first shop on Regent Street in 1866.
John Lobb quickly established himself as the leading bootmaker and shoemaker of the time, providing a tailor-made service to the aristocracy, as well as the political and business elite. In 1902, the company opened its first store in Paris, echoing its success in London and attracting a large international clientele. The company prospered in the post-war period with the launch of a number of classic models such as the Monk William shoe and the Lopez moccasin.
In 1976, John Lobb was bought by the Hermès Group. However, the custom-built London workshop, John Lobb Ltd, remained in family hands and continues to operate independently from its premises at 9 St James’s Street. The Parisian bespoke workshop, the By Request service, and the ready-to-wear collection, as well as all the other John Lobb boutiques, are part of the Hermès company.
Shortly after acquiring the company, Hermès recognized the demand for a John Lobb men’s ready-to-wear collection, as Lobbs were only available to custom customers, limiting access to a select few. In 1982, the first ready-to-wear collection was launched, with the first store featuring the RTW line opening in Paris in 1990.
In 1994, John Lobb opened his Northampton workshop, where today the ready-to-wear line is designed and handmade, followed by a London boutique on Jermyn Street. Over the past decade, the company has expanded its retail presence around the world with stores in major cities in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
John Lobb’s ultimate bespoke service is always available at the Parisian workshop, now located at 32 rue de Mogador. In the meantime, the ready-to-wear collection retains John Lobb’s main custom qualities in its 190-step manufacturing process for each pair of shoes. The collection includes all the iconic classics, as well as seasonal additions and new models, such as Grove, that reflect contemporary lifestyles and international audiences.
All his shoes retain the timeless traditions of John Lobb: exceptional quality, fine craftsmanship, comfort, durability and elegance.
