One of the finest luxury brands that you can find in the Corso Manfredi 219 store or in the Paglione Calzature online shop is Church's. Church’s history can be traced back to 1617, but Church & Co. was officially established in 1873 and still manufactures the finest handmade luxury “English” shoes in its Northampton historical factory. Timeless in aesthetic and exceptional in quality, these handmade shoes are contemporary luxury icons.
Where are the Church's produced?
Beyond the red brick façade, there is more than just a building; there are craftsmen who developed a deep sense of belonging to these spaces over the years. Passionate workers, who feel entrusted with the preservation and handing down of the priceless secrets of manufacturing tradition, backed by a level of productive efficiency made possible only by modern work planning.
Church’s manufacturing journey began in a small workshop located at 30 Maple Street, which then moved to a larger production site on Duke Street to finally establish its longtime headquarters on St. James Road.
The history of Church’s has always been inextricably linked to the district and the city of Northampton, known for its footwear industry. The area’s leatherworking tradition, dating back to the Middle Ages, gave way to a flourishing footwear industry when, in the late XIX century, shoemakers made up almost half of the population of the English town.
The meaningful places of the tradition of Church’s surround St. James Road’s headquarters, acquired in 1957 and restored with care by the Prada Group.
The structure built during the late Victorian Age, was originally arranged as a stretched out and narrow production site with adjoining accommodations for its craftsmen. Enlarged and renovated in 1965, for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II and the conferral of the prestigious Queen's Award to Industry for its export performance, the facility was restored once again in 1998 following a flood that destroyed over 15,000 pairs of shoes and production tools.
How are the Church's produced?
Expertise and technical ability have always been Church’s hallmark. Every shoe encapsulates the story of endless manual steps performed with pride and dedication, meticulous attention to details, featuring exquisite leather. Every morning at 8 am, Church’s Northampton factory welcomes the passionate protagonists of the creation of the finely manufactured classic British shoes.
As for the Crown Collection – crown jewel of the brand - the manufacturing process begins with quality control and an accurate selection of the best leather, which is then manually cut running a metal blade through special rigid molds called dime, to prevent fraying or wavering.
After thinning the edges and having uniformed the thickness, parts of lining and upper are sewn together with a cotton thread in the hemming process, forming the final model.
The following step is the special “welted” stitching, that ensures the possibility of an easy resoling to avoid damaging the upper. The leather strip called welt is sewn between the sole and the upper and leads to the sewing of the sole to the welt. A special technique that requires the use of two different cotton threads to ensure maximum resistance. The space created between sole and insole is filled with special cork.
The sole edges are then finished before the dyeing phase. This step is performed freehand with special attention by Church’s skillful artisans.
Finally, inside the ‘shoe room’, the room where shoes acquire their final color, they are fastened, brushed and polished, resulting in the final ‘look’. Burgundy or sandalwood are just some of the typical nuances of the brand. This construction method was introduced in 1869 and is employed to this day. The production of a pair of Church’s requires approximately 12 weeks of work and over 300 accurate and skillful steps.
A simple guide to cleaning your Church's.
The style guide.
Don’t know your Oxfords from your Derbys or your Loafers from your Drivers? Not sure when to wear a Monk, or curious as to how the Sneaker got its name? Browse our Style Guide to explore the key features of each style, their history and, most importantly when, where and how to wear them.
Oxford
The original formal shoe, the Oxford unsurprisingly took its name from its birth at Oxford University in the early 1800’s when it evolved from a desire to move away from the outdated Oxonian boot, toward something more modern.
Oxfords can be whole-cut, plain toe or can be finished with brogueing in the form of toe cap, half brogue or full brogue. Our most famous Oxford is the toe cap Consul which is crafted on the bestselling 173 last.
Derby
The Derby, also known as the Gibson or Blucher, was born in the 1850’s as a sporting shoe - the adjustable fit and pieced construction adapting perfectly to outdoor activities such as hunting.
Derby’s also have brogue finishing, as with one of our bestselling styles, Grafton, which is famed for it’s classic English round toe.
Monk Strap
Named after the monks who originally donned them, the Monk Strap is similar in shape and construction to the Derby, but replaces the eyelet closure with a band of leather, fastened at the instep with a buckle.
For a classic, formal Monk opt for the timeless Westbury.
Loafer
Originally intended as a house slipper for King George VI of England, the Loafer grew in popularity in the 1930’s as a casual shoe, until it began to be teamed with suits by American businessmen and lawyers in the 1960’s.
The longstanding Pembrey is your go-to weekend shoe, available in a multitude of leathers, colours and finishes. For a more formal, office loafer, try the Keats 2 tassel loafer.
Chelsea Boot
Born in the Victorian era as a practical alternative to the rigid, laced boots of the time, the Chelsea Boot’s classic style has transcended fashions through the decades: from adoption as the Paddock Boot by equestrians to a rise in popularity in the 1950’s and 60’s thanks to The Chelsea Set and later, the Mods.
If you’re looking for the classic Chelsea Boot, try the the Houston, Or for something a bit more rugged, opt for the Goodwood R with it’s Dainite rubber sole.
Desert Boot
Originally developed using crepe-soles and suede uppers, the lightweight Desert Boot was worn by British soldiers during the North African campaigns of World War II, having been inspired by Veldskoen boots from South Africa.
The Ryder is the classic Desert Boot, complete with crepe sole and suede upper.
Sneakers
Stemming from humble origins as ‘plimsolls’ in the early 18th century, the Sneaker - so-called for allowing its wearer to ‘sneak’ around without being heard - developed into a popular canvas-topped, rubber-soled sporting shoe thanks to Charles Goodyear’s (of Goodyear welt fame) rubber vulcanisation process.
The Mirfield, available in calf and sueded is our bestselling classic sneaker. Looking for something a little edgier? Opt for the new CH873.
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