It’s safe to say that many of us share a soft spot for craftsmanship, particularly when it comes to handmade leather goods. While thumbing through last month’s issue of Monocle magazine, a brief
article featuring
Joseph Cheaney & Sons, a U.K. based shoemaker, caught my eye. Despite gaining a reputation for the quality of their shoes since the company’s founding in 1886, the small shoemaker’s obituary was all but written until several years ago. In 2009, cousins Jonathan and William Church purchased the company from its managing conglomerate and have since lead Cheaney & Sons to experience a renaissance of sorts. Today the company employs 120 craftsmen working inside the original Joseph Cheaney production facility to produce oxfords, brogues, and double monk strap shoes -- still handcrafted from the cutting of the leather, through stitching, to final polishing. A notable standout for the company is the
Cheaney Imperial Collection, which features shoes constructed from premium calf leather, oak-bark soles, and hand painted details. After expanding throughout Central Europe and Asia, Cheaney & Sons have their sights set for the U.S. market. I have a strong feeling we will be seeing more from Joseph Cheaney & Sons stateside in the near future.
