Shoemaking has a long and storied history in Britain. While bespoke handmade shoes are not as common as they used to be (due to mass market production), the British shoemaking industry is still going strong.
Whether you are shopping for a budget pair of loaders or high-end Oxfords, there are plenty of high quality English men’s shoe brands to choose from. Here are the best ones.
English Men’s Shoe Brands
1. Loake
Northamptonshire was and still is the heart of the British shoe making industry. Loake was one of the largest shoe companies to set up their factory there in 1880. They are still located there today.
The family-owned company specialises in making luxury men’s Goodyear welted shoes. These types of shoes are known for their durability and ease of repair (they can be resoled over and over).
Loake’s catalogue includes a wide range of men’s shoe styles including boots, brogues, loafers, trainers, boat shoes and more.
In addition to the usual shoe sizes, they also offer men’s shoes in regular, narrow and wide fit sizes.
You can also order accessories to take care of your new shoes including waxes, creams and shoe trees.
Loake doesn’t just sell new shoes; they can also repair your old or damaged Loake shoes. Book a repair online and send your shoes in for repair.
Overall, Loake is one of our most favourite English men’s shoes brands. It combines high quality workmanship with fairly affordable price tags.
2. Edward Green
Edward Green is another Northampton based shoemaker. It was established in 1890.
It’s one of the best English men’s shoe brands if you are shopping for high-end luxury shoes. Just keep in mind that their shoes are quite steep with many of their shoes fetching over a thousand pounds.
Edward Green shoes are made from fine Italian and French calfskin leather, hence the high prices.
Their online catalogue is more limited than Loakes. Styles include loafers, brogues, boots, monk shoes and others.
You can also order custom made shoes, with plenty of patterns, details, leathers and lasts to choose from.
3. Grenson
If you are shopping for something less expensive, Grenson is a great brand. They are, of course, based in Northamptonshire, where they’ve been around since 1866.
Grenson’s catalogue includes a wide range of styles, sizes and collections, so it’s easy to find exactly what you are looking for.
They even sell waterproof outdoor boots as well as slippers and sandals. You can also get the usual styles including loafers, Oxfords, brogues and other formal and semi-formal men’s shoes.
You can order shoe care products when you buy your new shoes plus accessories like laces and socks. If there’s a problem with the shoes in the future, Grenson also offers a repair service.
4. Cheaney
Cheaney, also known as Joseph Cheaney & Sons, started operations in 1896 in Northamptonshire, where they have a factory to date. Initially, Cheaney manufactured white label shoes for high-end retailers.
The company later switched to producing and selling their own branded shoes. Cheaney was sold to Church’s in 1964.
Today, Cheaney manufactures and sells a wide variety of women’s and men’s shoes. Men’s shoes include brogues, Oxfords, boots, loafers, monk shoes and trainers.
Cheaney shoes are in the middle of the pack compared to other brands. They are not on the same level as high-end brands like Edward Green, but they are considered a level higher than Loake, Grenson and other cheaper brands.
5. Church’s
Church’s is a Prada-owned brand. So, as you can expect, they sell high-end luxury shoes that are Goodyear welted.
Thomas Church, along with his three sons, started Church’s shoes in 1873 in Northampton. It was acquired by Prada in 1999.
Church’s catalogue is wide and varied with lots of men’s shoes styles to choose from including Oxfords, brogues, monk shoes, loaders and derby’s.
There are also Church’s boots, sandals and trainers. So whether you are shopping for formal office wear or a luxury pair of leather slippers, Church’s has something for you.
6. George Cleverley
George Cleverley is a good pick if you are shopping for mid-range luxury men’s shoes. Their prices are a bit higher than what you’d normally get at a high-street store, but they are not as expensive as Church’s or Edward Green.
The George Cleverley brand goes back to 1958, making it one of the youngest English men’s shoe brands on this list. It is also one of the few popular brands that was not founded in Northampton. It’s based in London.
George Cleverley shoes have been worn by many notable men including Winston Churchill, Clark Gable, Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone.
George Cleverley offers two categories of its men’s shoes: ready to wear and bespoke. If you don’t find what you are looking for in their ready to wear collections, you can request what they call the bespoke experience.
7. Oliver Sweeney
Oliver Sweeney is one of our top recommendations if you are shopping on a budget. It is one of the most affordable English men’s shoes brands with many of their brogues, Oxfords, loafers and other shoes priced under £250.
The brand was founded in 1989, though Oliver Sweeney had been working as an apprentice since he was 16.
Today, Oliver Sweeney shoes are manufactured in Marche, Italy. But the company is still based in the UK.
Oliver Sweeney shoe collections include everything from formal Oxfords and Derbys to trainers, boots and even sandals. There are plenty of budget to mid-range options in different styles.
Oliver Sweeney also offers a repair and resoling service.
8. Barker
Barker Shoes is another good choice if you are looking for a budget to mid-range English men’s shoes brand.
Barker Oxfords, Derbys, loafers and brogues range from about £200 to £350. Their sneakers and sandals are even cheaper.
Barker Shoes was founded in 1880 by Arthur Barker. Today, the brand is owned by Newbury Holdings.
9. Crockett & Jones
Crockett & Jones is a high-end English mens shoes luxury brand with prices in the same range as Edward Green and Church’s.
The high price tags mostly come down to the calfskin leather that’s used on most Crockett & Jones shoes. Calfskin leather is finer and more expensive than other types of leathers.
Crockett & Jones was established in 1879 in Northampton by two brothers. They still have a factory there to date.
Their shoes are made using the Goodyear welted process, a long and labour-intensive process that produces high quality and durable shoes.
10. John Lobb
If you don’t mind spending more on a luxury pair of shoes, John Lobb is one of the best high-end men’s shoes brands in the UK. Many of their shoes sell at over a thousand pounds.
A lot of craftsmanship goes into the manufacturing process. The brand says that their ready to wear styles go through a 190-step process and high quality materials.
If none of the ready to wear shoes appeal to you, you can also request for a custom made pair. The manufacturer will work with you to create the exact shoe you want.
John Lobb is one of the oldest British shoemakers. It goes as far back as 1849 when John Lobb started making shoes in London. He opened the first store in 1854 in Australia.
British Made vs. British Designed Men’s Shoes Brands
Simply because it’s an English brand it doesn’t mean that a particular company manufactures their shoes in the UK.
Our list above includes both British made and British designed men’s shoes brands.
British made men’s shoes are designed and manufactured in the UK either by large factories (most of them in Northamptonshire) or smaller artisanal manufacturers.
British designed men’s shoes are designed locally but manufactured elsewhere such as Italy or India. Some manufacturers also make part of the shoe locally while outsourcing other parts of the process.
