Who started it?
John Lobb was born in 1829 in Cornwall, England. During his teens he moved to London to study shoemaking. After his apprenticeship, he set off for Australia and made boots for gold-rush miners. In 1862, he won a medal for quality at the Great Exhibition in London. The next year, Lobb was awarded a royal warrant. He returned to England in 1866 and opened a shop in Regent Street, London, which became a favourite with high society, including Oscar Wilde. A second shop followed in 1880. Lobb died in 1885. In 1901, his son, William Hunter Lobb, opened a store in Paris. During the first and second world wars the business suffered, and lost the royal warrant after the death of George V. In 1939, William's brother, Eric, took over the management of the business.
Who's behind it now?
The brand grew during the 1950s and 60s. The Paris branch and John Lobb brand were bought by French company Hermes in 1976. In 1982, a ready-to-wear line was launched to complement the bespoke service. In 1990, the first full-service shop was opened in Paris, followed by ones in London, Japan and New York. There are more than 40 stages in the production process, and it takes four weeks to make each pair of shoes. About 500 pairs are produced each week.
The look?
Collections are launched twice yearly and there are four main categories: Oxford, with closed lacing; Darby, with open lacing; Loafer or Moccasin; and Buckle, fastened using one or two buckles. The brand uses full- grain skins, with calfskin linings. A limited-edition shoe is launched in October every year to celebrate St Crispin's Day (patron saint of shoemakers). As well as the ready-to-wear line, there are made-to-measure (custom) and made-to-order (personalising styles from the Lobb classic collection) services.
Who wears it?