Autumn Leaves Kicking Boot

After months of planning, mood boards, factory visits and samples, the fruits of the sixbysixbloggers project officially launch today. Now, if you've somehow missed my previous posts on the project (here and here), sixbysixbloggers is an exclusive creative collaboration driven by global online marketplace Farfetch that showcases the production skills of cool shoe powerhouse Six London whilst satisfying the design whims and extravagent fancies of a selection of bloggers. Along with Susie, The Man Repeller, Stockholm Streetstyle, The Cherry Blossom Girl and Facehunter, I've been able to create my dream pair of shoes - the Autumn Leaves Kicking boot. To think that this design idea has been pinballing around my brain for years has now been realised is nothing short of remarkable. Thanks to the talented team at Six London I've been able to create a true harvest festival of footwear in a limited run of just twenty pairs. Over the weekend, on a perfect misty autumnal morning, I squeezed my feet in to the sample and celebrated the imminent launch by kicking leaves in the park. 

As previously mentioned, the inspiration for my design centred around my love of the timing of its launch. Now is the time when the rich colours of autumn really come into play and I strive to envelop myself in nature's most magnificent palette as much as possible. These Autumn hues of plum, rich red, deep green and various shades of brown should all be celebrated. Even the sound of walking through crisp leaves excites me and I wanted to create a shoe that replicated this feeling even walking on the greyest of pavements. As I walked through the park, surrounded by leaves and little else (the odd dog walker aside), my love for the season was only heightened by the boots.

Kicking leaves in the boots for the very first time. 

My celebratory outfit includes Dries Van Noten jacket, Whizz Ltd knit and Chinos by Ben Sherman

It is a strange feeling wearing a pair of shoes that you have had some hand in designing. Something I really did not think I would ever do. These boots really are my dream shoes (for this season atleast) and I'm so happy with how they've turned out. This strange feeling will only be heightened if I ever see people wearing them out and about. Thankfully, I've been eased in to this week by a blog post from the lovely Anastasia and Duck. It'll be interesting to see them out of the blogosphere though. 

Now, if you're interested in the launch and in acquiring appropriate footwear for kicking leaves you'll have to be quick as there are only twenty pairs available. Given the limited run of the shoes, the sixbysixbloggers project launches privately today to those who signed up for updates, before launching for everyone else on Thursday. Now, I'm off to kick my way through more leaves...

Edit: As mentioned above the boots shot here were just samples. I was just too eager and excited to wait for the finished article. However, this morning I had a package from FarFetch. As requested, the leaf print has been tweaked for an even more intense autumnal feel. The result is a much richer print. Without further ado, here they are...

Currently only available to those who signed up to receive more information about the launch, the sixbysixbloggers will be on general sale tomorrow. Happy leaf kicking!

Unpicking the seams... British Remains' First Creeper

Following years of discussion centred around aspects of Britain that they like, hate and mourn, Daryl Saunders and Andrew Bunney launched British Remains. Unveiled last summer, the debut range of t shirts and totes set the tone by celebrating facets of Britain and localised symbols that would ordinarily not be known outside of these shores. Amongst the neglected and the forgotten rubble of Britain, London brickwork, toilet signage and Generation X were all highlighted. In offerings since, the pair have focused their design attention on the Royal Wedding and most recently celebrated the sneering youth spirit of 'them' and 'us'. For AW11, they reveal their first shoe - First Creeper.

Adopted by various youth tribes and factions of the British underground throughout the last half century, the wonderfully named shoe still has the ability to excite by providing quite the visual statement. A heady mix of comfort and rebellion. Traditionally a suede shoe with thick crepe soles, the creeper was borne out of necessity in the years following World War II. British soldiers returning from the desert wars had worn suede boots to which they had attached improvised rubber soles made from old rubber tyres. It is a Mary Shelley tale of a shoe. Returning to London, unsurprisingly the ex-soldiers were attracted to the most desirable undesirable “night spots”of Kings Cross and Soho. As they found their pleasure, they were still wearing this rubber sole footwear or derivatives that had been put together by their cobblers. Creeping around brothels was enough to give the shoes their name. Now, the brothel creeper immediately evokes images of youth, musical movements and hints at the more rebellious corners of society. 

With the mere mention of brothel creepers today, one immediately thinks of George Cox. Therefore, it should come as little surprise that the First Creeper was made in its spiritual home. In 1906, George James Cox founded his shoe company in the heart of England's traditional shoe making region, Northamptonshire. Crafting high quality traditional footwear at first, the company quickly gained fame for the iconic styles that would come to inspire generation after generation of subcultures. From the brothel creepers of the 1950s to the winkle pickers of the 1960s, George Cox have still produce delightful underground styles. Not interested in costume, British Remains wanted to create a creeper that stayed true its tradition whilst making creating a far more accessible shoe. With the thick crepe sole and aggressive notched leather welt softened by the simple suede leather derby upper, their First Creeper undoubtedly pulls it off. From the moment Bunney posted an image of the initial sample back in May over on honeyee, I just knew my ever growing shoe collection needed them. I've obsessed and dreamed about them ever since. Yesterday, following a quick visit to Goodhood my feet's dreams came true. To mark this happy moment and even before I took them out for a pavement stomp, I caught up with Bunney to learn more about my latest fixation...

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British Remains' First Creeper

SS: The First Creeper marks British Remains' first foray in to footwear design. What attracted you to the creeper?

Andrew Bunney: As the name suggests, the label is an exploration into the rubble of Britain. Amongst the neglected and the forgotten there are often gems, and the Creeper shoe represents something really exciting. The nature and shape of the shoe, the nefarious associations that it had, and connotations today make it something quite challenging to wear.

SS: What was your starting point/initial inspiration?

Andrew Bunney: Thinking about British style and British youth cultures, there is always an exciting moment where the looks start to merge and change into something new. What I believe in is creating products that different kinds of people can wear in their own unique way, something that I've done throughout my career. To make something with character that captures the imagination of people into all kinds of things is very special.

SS: Could you talk us through your research and how it impacted on the design? For example, I recall that you mentioned that the sole is the same height as many vintage styles.

Andrew Bunney: It's always interesting to see how things have progressed or changed over the years, and many of the creeper soles today are very high - very cartoon-ish. The classic styles didn't always have soles this high, and of course the idea was always to make this more accessible for today. We used the same height of sole that was used in the past, which would have been sold in places like 'Let It Rock' - one of the most important places for styles to butt up against one another.

SS: How did you go about stamping your take on this iconic shoe?

Andrew Bunney: The most important thing is to push forward - we're not interested in making costume. There are many things I like about vintage Creeper styles, but I want to make something that is relevant to what we're wearing today. The thick sole or aggressive looking welt are very much a 'Creeper', but the simple derby upper makes it much more wearable, and more modern.

SS: Craft and local manufacture are obviously very important to you. Collaboration with local craftsmen and heritage is an integral facet of your brand identity. Here you teamed up with George Cox, how did you identify the individuals to help realise your design?

Andrew Bunney: In some ways today, I think many have lost sight of the manufacturer or have a very hazy understanding of what that means. Of course, we want to find the best factory or the manufacturer for anything that we're making. Despite the many copies by other brands, this style is synonymous with the manufacturer George Cox - there is no other company to go to. However, I don't really think of this as a collaboration - simply using the 'correct' place to make a certain product.

SS: What items can we look forward to in the near and far future from British Remains?

Andrew Bunney: We want to make things that are surprising, and things that make one think a little. It's not interesting to make something unwearable, but for those that are sensitive to details, something challenging - even if it is slight - makes you feel a little more alive.

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I could happily listen to Bunney all day, everyday. Following this discussion I could only love my latest acquisition even more. This morning, I took a closer look at them before eagerly jumping straight in to them for the first time...

A closer look ar British Remains' First Creeper with the help of a few detail shots. In the last shot, I teamed them up with black wool trousers by Topman Design and socks by Wigwam. 

Through tits exploration of Britain, past and present, British Remains stirs up odd feelings about this island of ours. What it means to be British, what it once meant and how it has evolved. The class struggle, the rise and fall of subcultures, everyday symbols that are often overlooked. These are all things that make Britain so interesting. With its gradual evolution, I'm looking forward to watching this label continue to grow.

Details... Mr Hare's Idolescence

There's no better ambassador for Mr Hare's shoes than the man himself. Here, he teams up his Hannibal XI Black's from his Idolescent collection with a pair of well but perfectly worn Levi's.

SixbySixbloggers: My dream shoe

As soon as I was informed of the release date of the sixbysixbloggers project I knew precisely what I wanted to create. With absolutely no background in design and talent with a pencil, I thought about what I'm obsessed with during this season. As you should all know by now, I am always fascinated by Autumn colours. During November, the rich colours of autumn really come into play and I strive to envelop myself in them as much as possible. These Autumn hues of plum, rich red, deep green and various shades of brown should all be celebrated. Even the sound of walking through crisp leaves excites me and I wanted to create a shoe that replicated this feeling even walking on the greyest of pavements. To think that ideas that have been bouncing around my brain unreleased for years are about to be realised is nothing short of remarkable Thanks to the talented team at Six London I could create this true harvest festival of footwear.

My mood board for the shoe.

The above move board helps to demonstrate my obsession. From Fantastic Man's stunning look from October 2009,  my art attack dress up challenge and not forgetting the piles of leaves from Hampstead Heath and beyond that continue to inspire. The look from Fantastic Man really was the catalyst. Ever since my eyes first encountered the combination of autumnal hues and the comforting and playful layering I have longed to dress in the true spirit of this season of dropped leaves. Dressed head to toe in various autumnal hues, it is difficult not to have a little fun standing in a pile of crisp leaves. Am I slightly mad for wanting to dress like a fallen leaf? The answer is of course a resounding yes but do I care? Not a jot. Dressing each morning should be fun!

Having set the theme early on the rest of my design challenge was quite simple. The next step was to work on ideas of the shape and style of the shoe. What could be better to to kick through leaves than a desert boot upper with a creeper type sole. With this decision made, the first sketches were made and the process began to feel a bit more real. With this sketch and a head full of ideas and questions we landed in Guimaraes. With a beautiful Portuguese backdrop and with the help of the factory and expertise of its head, Paolo, the dream began to evolve in to a reality. Confronted with folders of options, from laces to welts to leathers, decisions were made and the Autumn leaf kicking boot began to take shape...

Decisions, decisions...decisions.

From this plethora of options and explored possibilities, the Autumn Leaf Kicking Boot was formed. Thanks to the expertise of Paolo and his team my ideas became a reality. The first sample and second prototype was ready just in time for the launch of the SixbySixbloggers project at the tail end of Paris Fashion Week. Aside from a few snapped images from the factory, the event was my first chance to see the design. I could not have been happier. The leaf print might be a little more subtle than expected but in all honesty I love it all the more for it. My photograph of fallen leaves now appears far more artistic than I could ever snap. The dream had been realised!

A few of the excited shots I took of the boot at its launch in Paris.

Aside from a couple of subtle tweaks, all that is left is for me to wear them and kick my way through a fresh pile of leaves. The shoes will be available on a limited run of twenty pairs and will be sold exclusively on FarFetch and Six London in November.

Sixby6bloggers: The Factory Tour

Now, I might be a little late when it comes to introducing ‘SIXby6bloggers’ because it has been mentioned across the blogosphere and beyond. However, if you've not heard about the project, it is an exclusive creative collaboration driven by global online marketplace Farfetch that showcases the production skills of cool shoe powerhouse Six London (creating and licensing shoes for Opening Ceremony, SWEAR and bStore) whilst helping satisfying the design whims of a selection of bloggers. Along with Susie, The Man Repeller, Stockholm Streetstyle, The Cherry Blossom Girl and The Facehunter, I've been able to create my dream pair of shoes - the Autumn leaves kicking boot (more on that later).

As you all know, I caught the shoe bug a long time ago and could not shirk the opportunity to create my ultimate footwear for Autumn and now that the project is close to fruition for a limited edition release I can say that I've enjoyed the process immensely. To think that ideas that have been bouncing around my brain unreleased for years are about to be realised is nothing short of remarkable. However, as exciting as the finished product is, one of the real highlights of the entire process came during a visit to Guimaraes in Portugal where I met the Six London team, had the opportunity to talk through my design with the craftsmen who were going to help realise my footwear fantasy and took a stroll through the factory where the majority of their men's shoes are made. Given my love of factory porn it makes sense to get the blogging ball rolling with a tour of the sights seen in Portugal. I've been fortunate enough to visit both Dr Marten's in Wollaston and Cheaney in Desborough and ultimately the stages of clicking, closing lasting, bevelling and polishing are very similar but with subtle differences and certainly no less interesting on each occasion. As I was led around the family run factory, I eagerly snapped away at each well honed process and got a little carried away with closeups of machinery... 

A selection of shots documenting the countless processes that come together for each pair of shoes.

Apologies for the sheer volume of images but I just can't help myself at times. I had a great time in Guimaraes.  Tomorrow I'm going to explain the thinking behind my shoe design and talk a bit about how I arrived at my choice of the Autumn Leaves Kicking Boot.

ASOS Made in England AW11

In recent seasons commentators and brands alike have taken a keen interest in how and where their clothes are made. There have been numerous labels launched on the 'Made in...' wave of public intrigue and enthusiasm and I for one, welcome it. However, one launch seemingly passed me by..until now. For AW11, ASOS' Made in England footwear range is in its third full season. It was unveiled back in August and I was able to see just how the offering has evolved, talk to the craftsmen behind the range and order my own pair.

The 'Made in England' collection sees the ASOS footwear designers team up with one of the country's oldest and more special shoe manufacturers, NPS Shoes Ltd. Founded in 1881, at the height of the industrial revolution, as one of the world's original footwear manufacturers, NPS was formed as a workers cooperative, Northamptonshire Productive Society, and was the oldest of its type in the UK up until 2006. Although no longer a cooperative the employees and craftsmen maintain the original skills and ethics dating back over one hundred and twenty five years. Based in Wellingborough, NPS shoes are known for their goodyear welt technology and use it in all their shoe production. This particular technique is needed to fix their famed Solovair sole onto soft sole suspension boots and shoes. The name might not feel that familiar on first reading but I'm quite sure that you've seen or indeed worn their work without even knowing it. As I was talked through the capsule range for ASOS I was informed about the relationship with Dr. Marten's. To cut a long and complicated story short, shoe manufacturer R. Griggs Group Ltd. had the patent to produce Dr. Marten boots but not the technology so in 1960 Griggs and NPS collaborated to create a boot using the Solovair sole and a Griggs boot, the result was the now iconic Dr. Marten boot. Today their range consists of a number of collections including heritage, country and solovair but it is great to see ASOS open them up to a new audience.

The range for ASOS consists of hiking boots, derby shoes, two tone leather brogues, eight hole lace up flat shoes, chukkas and ankle boots. All feel decidedly British and showcase fine great British craftsmanship in addition to covetable design. On the launch night, a number of invited guests (myself included) were able to create their own made to measure pair of either chukkas or derbys. In addition to having a hand in the design of the choice it afforded the opportunity to learn a little more about NPS shoes...

First things first... my feet were measured. Apparently I am a perfect 10.

The assortment of leathers, suedes, welting and micro soles I could choose from.

Having made my choice of the chukka boots these Autumnal hues were my spectrum of options.

My choice. Chukka boots in a combination of wonderfully named rust and snuff with a natural welt and micro brown sole.

It was a great experience and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire process. Extremely happy with my choice made on that late August evening, all I had to do was wait for NPS and ASOS to realise my order. Five weeks later and just as real Autumn weather sets in my chukkas arrived... 

A lovely addition to my ever growing shoe collection. These will certainly pound the pavements this season and beyond.

For me, when it comes to manufacturing today the real onus should be on quality. Of course the slogans of 'British is best' are catchy but it just isn't true for everything. For me, we should not be interested in making something in this country simply for the sake of it or for branding. Simply put certain places or countries excel at different things. However, when it comes to shoes few places are better than Northampton and it is great to see a brand like ASOS support this tradition. I'm so pleased to see and fortunate enough to wear the fruits of this collaboration. Long may it continue.