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“My shoes express my personality - I have two favourite pairs. I only buy them if they match me.� Renato, size 9 Restaurant owner
“With work I wear a lot of boots.Those flat black boots. I think they look smart and comfy. And I’ve got a really tall boyfriend so I can get away with heels too. It’s actually quite nice to look him in the eye now and again.” Megan, size 8 Photographer
IS AN EXPRESSION OF CHARACTER. Founded in the British Midlands, J is inspired by the centuries of quality shoemaking from the region. Seamlessly blending British heritage, traditional craftsmanship, modern design and independent style – J is an expression of personal taste and individual character. Taking classic silhouettes such as the Brogue or the Chukka, J applies a little unexpected colour, material or texture, to produce timeless shoes that enable you to show your true colours. Like the wearer, J never tries to fit in or conform to fleeting fashion trends. Instead, J takes inspiration from these unique personalities and for each season creates shoes that are completely individual to help you express your own style, whatever that might be. After all, your character is born from within. It can’t be taught or applied - it’s knowing your strengths and your weaknesses, it’s not a price, an age or a size – it’s selfknowledge. It takes years of living to discover, but it’s these little nuances that make us who we are. J gives you a platform to help you express these little differences and express your true character.
“I can remember exactly when I bought each pair of my shoes, and the exact reason why, even if I bought them on a whim. These were for the colour.� Pippa, size 6 Personal assistant
IS A NEW ICON. J’s design always begins with an icon - classic shapes, silhouettes or details, which become the focus and inspiration for each collection. Through developing a seasonal narrative around the reinterpretation of these traditional styles, a new shoe is created that is completely unique to J and their wearers.
(Up to 75 pairs of hands may contribute to the creation of each pair of shoes.)
THE BROGUE
Derived from the Gaelic Bróg, meaning ‘shoe’, the brogue is traditionally characterised as a strong outdoor shoe with ornamental perforations in the leather, allowing water to drain when crossing wet terrain. Nowadays, the brogue is considered appropriate for casual or business occasions too, as well as a slow Sunday stroll.
“I’m quite practical - that said, I have my own sense of style. I appreciate well-made things and attention to detail. I didn’t want to buy them just for one season, I’m going to be wearing them for a long time. I’m quite sure.” Saena, size 8 Woodcarver
THE DERBY
The Derby was originally popular as a sporting and hunting boot in the 1850’s, but by the turn of the 20th century, it was regarded as appropriate to wear in town. Sometimes called an ‘open front’, this is a lace-up shoe where the eyelet facings are traditionally stitched on top of the vamp.
(Quality leather made from Argentinian cow hide is used to create the soles and heels of J Shoes.)
(On average, your J Shoes will go through 85 individual steps before they find their way onto your feet.)
“I hate having shoes that look brand new.They always look solid and uncomfortable. There is something about how they look when they are worn in that just looks better. It’s something to do with the leather. A little scuffed, the natural marks on the surface, a little bit more character.” Sam, size 9 Musician
(Leather hides naturally vary in thickness, so to make sure each visible edge of the shoe is consistent, all leather is skived.)
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Toe cap Shoelaces Tongue Welt Vamp Throat Eyelets Quarter Heel Counter
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“Architecture and shoe design are quite similar. While we work in a completely different measurement scale, we both deal with colour and shape we’re both designing for specific functions, and these are quite intricate shoes.” Paddy, size 10 Architect
(Soles are buffed by hand – an operation requiring the craftsman to stop when the sandpaper touches the welt. If the sand paper digs into the welt the whole sole is lost.)
THE LACE-UP With origins firmly entrenched in the military and work wear, the Lace - Up is a sturdy item of footwear, covering the foot, ankle and sometimes the lower leg below the knee.
“Of course I want to look stylish when I’m going out for dinner, but it’s important even when I’m pushing the pram or playing with Zachary.” Hanna, size 7 Actress
MEANS BEAUTIFUL CRAFTSMANSHIP. J expects nothing less than a pair of beautiful shoes with as much character as the people who wear them. Each pair is meticulously designed and engineered in a process celebrating the quality and individuality of hand crafted products. That’s why J’s leathers and fabrics are sourced from all around the world. They’re selected for their distinctive colours, textures and natural blemishes, so that character lies at the heart of every pair before they’ve even been taken out of their box. For J, shoemaking is an art form, there’s as much excitement during production as there is in
seeing the finished product. And like any other art form, J works with highly skilled artists who have huge pride and passion in their work. Within a carefully structured process, whether it’s hand-burnish or stitch, cut or split, trim or buff, stain, wax or polish, all are supported by hours of research to make sure each stage is performed to the highest quality. All in homage to a lost era of classic British shoes, always made beautifully. The production process is only the start of each shoe’s character development. As they are worn, they will take on their own natural blemishes and interesting variations as they accompany the owner on their journeys.
“I think your character moulds into your shoes, and when you start to see yourself according to your shoes, you think, that is the only pair, you can’t just go into a shop and buy them again.” Miko, size 6 Hairdresser
IS HERITAGE. J was born in Market Harborough a town in the Midlands, England with a strong and vibrant history of shoe-making. Beginning with a collection of casual shoes for men in 1996, J quickly expanded to the US and the global market. In 2011, J opened the first stand-alone boutique store in Singapore, and today has 11 store fronts across Asia.
Distribution:
Store fronts:
United Kingdom USA Canada Ireland Netherlands Switzerland Germany Thailand Singapore Vietnam Japan China
Singapore Thailand Vietnam Malaysia China
THE CHUKKA Named after a period of play in the game of polo, the Chukka was originally worn in boot form by the British Forces in the Western Desert campaign in the second world war, before gaining popularity in the late 1940’s and 1950’s as casual wear.
“I have lots of very different shoes and I think that says a lot about me. It depends what kind of mood I’m in when I get up in the morning. For a man I think I have a lot of shoes.” Martin, size 12 Film director
“The City has got a bit of a uniform to be honest – I go to a meeting and it’s like looking into a mirror almost. But with the laces it just gives it an extra edge that you wouldn’t expect.They’re incrementally different.” Stephen, size 11 Lawyer
jshoes.com @jshoes #jshoes