Exciting developments have been underfoot at our factory for some time now.
Our new brand E·Woodford & Sons launches this month, offering boots and shoes tailor-made to buyers’ individual specifications.
Taking inspiration from archived designs it focuses on more traditional footwear styles than its sister label Crown.
The initial collection includes loafers, Chelsea boots, Derby boots and a pair that recreate the appearance of those worn by soldiers in World War One.
Customers will select their preferred design, leather type and colour, welt variations and other customisations.
A comprehensive fitting process is involved, including ‘fit trials’ to ensure footwear is built for the buyer’s individual length, width and height of foot.
Since 2016, we’ve drawn global admiration and loyalty for the footwear we make at Crown Northampton.
The care, skill and precision put into each stage of the process has brought sales from around the world, along with attention from stylists, influencers and sneakerheads.
Tempting as it may have been to put our feet up and relax as the orders rolled in, we instead used any ‘spare time’ to push possibilities and potential further, and this is the result.
Regular readers will know current owner Chris Woodford’s great-great-grandfather Ernest opened the original E Woodford & Son in South London, in 1908.
And as we’re all about keeping traditional skills alive the idea of reviving a heritage brand from our own family tree was a challenge we couldn’t ignore.
It kind of brings us back full circle to where this now fifth-generation business all began.
More than a century later, we still handstitch at practically every stage of the process, relying on human skill rather than mass manufacturing.
Even when making super-sleek, modernist looking sneakers, we barely use any machines throughout the process, even where it would be quicker and easier to do so. We value the care and individuality that goes into each piece.
We work with the finest materials, tools and techniques to ensure boots and shoes meet the highest standards of style, quality and comfort.
The vegetable-tanned calf leather we use for the Crown Harlestone sneaker, for example, is the best of its kind in the world.
It costs us £120 per skin, and just one pair of sneakers uses a whole skin.
With E·Woodford & Sons we use that same material, but for the lining.
All our boots and shoes are designed, cut and handstitched in our own factory in the UK – we even make our own hemp and thread.
Naturally, this way of doing things takes time and expense.
For this reason, production is limited: the time and attention required means no more than 20 pairs can be made per month (owning a pair will be something of a rarity).
“E·Woodford & Sons feels like it’s been 116 years in the making,” says Chris.
“Everything my family did back then – and in all the years up until now – has led to our revival of this heritage shoemaking brand, here in Northampton – Britain’s shoemaking capital.”
