Northampton is known around the world for its shoemaking heritage with English shoemakers such as Barker, Grenson, Loake and Trickers continuing to make Goodyear welted footwear for over a century. A timeless shoe style synonymous with the County of Northamptonshire is the Brogue,a hole punched icon that over the years has became the archetypal English shoe.
Shoe care is often seen as a dirty business and a chore we tend to shy away from but when it comes to the lifespan of your Barker handmade shoes its time well spent and a worthwhile investment.
The archetype of the Country outdoor shoe, the origin of the brogue design leads to Scotland and Ireland where the brogue was originally worn as an outdoor shoe for removing bog water when crossing wetlands.
There are several ways to make your leather shoes last longer starting with how often you wear them, by rotating your leather shoes it allows each pair to fully dry out after wear and will in turn last longer. Where you keep your leather shoes also makes a difference as gravity, humidity and aridity can affect how long your leather shoes last, therefore is important to keep your shoes in a dry space to avoid dampness.
