Prince Jorge
Outsourced Goodyear welted shoes, Markowski heritage, Portuguese and Spanish ranges
Website in permanent maintenance since 2024, Facebook page closed. 100% outsourced production with no own workshop. The Prestige range is TLB Mallorca private label, available direct for less. The brand's future is uncertain.
Philosophy
Prince Jorge is the final chapter of a story that begins with Marcos Fernandez Cabezas, a Spanish serial entrepreneur who emigrated to France and successively founded Bowen, Emling, then Markowski in 2007 with Claude Makowski. When Marcos sold Markowski to launch Septième Largeur with his nephew, the new owner gradually buried the Markowski name in favor of Prince Jorge, the premium line. The original idea was sound: offer decent Goodyear welted shoes at accessible prices, first made at Carlos Santos in Portugal, then at TLB Mallorca in Spain. But without the founder's vision, the brand drifted. Positioning became unclear, caught between Italian Blake at 250 euros, Portuguese Goodyear at 300, and Spanish Prestige at 400, with no distinct identity. Since 2024, the website has been in permanent maintenance and the Facebook page is marked closed. A brand on borrowed time that never found its own voice.
History
The story of Prince Jorge is inseparable from that of Marcos Fernandez Cabezas, a towering figure in French footwear despite his Spanish origins. Arriving in France as a child when his parents fled Franco's regime in the 1940s, Marcos cut his teeth in the 1970s as commercial director at Alby Stone, introduced Sebago to France, and helped restart Paraboot. In 1985, he launched Bowen, the first Goodyear welted shoe brand in a French market dominated by Italian Blake construction, with financial backing from André Rousselet, founder of Canal+. Rapid success followed. He sold Bowen to the Manfield group in 1990, then launched Emling in the midrange, which he also sold. In 2007, Marcos founded Markowski with Claude Makowski, the name being a contraction of their two surnames. Production at Carlos Santos in Portugal and Andrés Sendra in Spain, with aggressive entry-level positioning. Around 2012-2013, he created the Prestige line named Prince Jorge, with superior leathers and finishing at a 100-150 euro premium. But Marcos is a launcher, not an administrator. He sold Markowski to found Septième Largeur with his nephew Mathieu Preiss, then Orban's to compete with Bexley. The new owner of Markowski gradually buried the parent brand, keeping only Prince Jorge. Production moved to TLB Mallorca for the Prestige range. In 2021, a major 50 percent clearance sale signaled difficulties. Since 2024, princejorge.com displays a permanent maintenance page. The Facebook page, last active in June 2024, is marked closed.
Iconic Products
Richelieu Prestige
The Prestige range oxford, made by TLB Mallorca in Spain on a classic last. Calf leather, Goodyear welted, leather sole. An honest shoe at the original 400 euro price, but the same model is available direct from TLB for considerably less. The original owner at the Paris boutique was described by a specialist forums customer as proud of his line, even a bit snobbish.
Derby Blake (gamme italienne)
The derby from the Italian Blake range, entry level at 250 euros. Blake construction, softer and lighter than Goodyear. Made in Italy, likely in the same workshops as dozens of other French brands. Decent, nothing more.
Bottine Goodyear (gamme portugaise)
The boot from the Portuguese range, made at Carlos Santos for 300 euros. Goodyear welted, calf leather, Dainite sole. The best value in Prince Jorge's former lineup. Carlos Santos is a respected manufacturer that also produces for Loding, JM Legazel, and Emling among others.