Crockett & Jones
Goodyear welted shoes, family-owned Northampton factory since 1879, five generations
Philosophy
One family, one factory, one town. Five generations in Northampton, everything in-house, from clicking to polishing. English shoemaking's best-kept secret, now a world benchmark without ever leaving Perry Street.
History
Northampton, 1879. James Crockett and Charles Jones open a shoe factory in the town that is to English shoes what Thiers is to French knives. At the time, Northampton has dozens of manufacturers. Today, a handful remain. Crockett & Jones is still there. Five generations of the Jones family. No investment fund, no luxury group, no holding company. One family, one factory, one town. The Perry Street factory employs around 700 people and produces over 100,000 pairs a year. Everything is done on site - from clicking (leather cutting, the most critical operation, the one that determines whether a shoe will be beautiful or mediocre) to Goodyear welt assembly to final polishing. For decades, Crockett & Jones was English shoemaking's best-kept secret. The factory supplied prestigious brands and retailers as OEM - shoes bearing other names but made in Northampton. Ralph Lauren, Peal & Co for Brooks Brothers, others. Same workshop, same quality, different logo. The transition to own brand happened gradually, and brilliantly. Today Crockett & Jones has its own shops - Jermyn Street in London, Rue du Bac in Paris - and a global network. The les passionnés community considers C&J the benchmark. Shell cordovan is called 'best period, stitching is perfect, higher SPI than Viberg.' Town leathers are 'fantastic, showing very little wear.' And the most common comment: 'No break-in period, comfortable from first wear.' Two ranges: Hand-grade (premium, hand-stitched leather soles, superior finishing) and Bench-grade (main line, already excellent). The proprietary City Sole - leather sole with rubber insert - has become a classic for city walkers who don't want to slip. And then there's James Bond. The Islay in scotch grain, worn by Daniel Craig in Skyfall, made Crockett & Jones known far beyond shoe circles. It wasn't product placement - it was the costume designer's choice. The best advertising possible.
Iconic Products
Coniston
The quintessential country boot. Tan grained leather, Dainite sole, 8 eyelets. More discreet than the Islay, more versatile, more timeless. The English boot that goes from country estate to office without changing register. Probably C&J's best-selling model, and most deserved.
Pembroke
The full brogue derby. Grained or smooth leather, perforated toe cap, Dainite or leather sole. The shoe that does everything, dressy enough for a suit, tough enough for London rain. The model connoisseurs buy first and rebuy when the first wears out. Versatility incarnate.
Islay
The boot that dressed James Bond. Textured scotch grain, Dainite sole, country-chic silhouette. Daniel Craig wears it in Skyfall, not product placement, the costume designer's choice. The entry model for those who discover C&J through cinema and stay for the quality.
Audley
The whole-cut Oxford. A single piece of leather, no visible stitching on the upper. The quintessence of formal English footwear, minimalist, elegant, unforgiving. The slightest leather flaw shows. Only impeccable clicking can produce an Audley.
Harvard
The Hand-grade penny loafer. Horween shell cordovan, Goodyear welt construction, a loafer with a derby's build. enthusiasts considers it the best cordovan in the segment: 'best period, stitching is perfect.'