Herring Shoes Journal

Welcome to a new feature for Herring in which we will quite literally shine the spotlight on new and classic shoes and boots we have to offer you, while also throwing in a sprinkling of other products too.

But why? It has come to our attention that we have such a large selection of hand selected styles that you may not have seen some new or classic options (they may well be the ones you have been searching for all year) and by highlighting them here, we are bringing them back to the forefront for you to see.

An excellent example of this is the Dunkeld semi-brogue. The semi-brogue is a true classic and a style of shoe we are known for. A gentleman needs a pair of semi-brogues or two in his wardrobe as they are so versatile. In the office, at a wedding, down the pub, at the rugby club and so on, a semi-brogue can be dressed up or dressed down to suit any occasion with the intricate detailing unique to the semi-brogue making a subtle statement about your style.

When we set about designing the Dunkeld, we wanted to create something that would celebrate classic elegance but would have a twist. Available in a classic black calf, we also requested a rosewood version. Our trained artisan friends at the Carlos Santos factory in Portugal have done us proud on the latter with the exquisite hand-burnished calf creating a stunning look.

The Dunkeld is also made on a Z160 last to give it a very slender shape with a chiselled toe box that is highlighted by the delicate fleur de lys-stlye broguing.

The modern twist for this very traditional shoe is in the elastication. It is a superbly hidden feature that is tucked under a fan of delicate leather panels. By incorporating elastication, we have been able to do away with laces that some people find fiddly or just prefer the convenience of a slip-on shoe. However, they still look like traditional lace-up shoes with the inclusion of clever faux leather laces.

So, we know they look good but what’s going inside? Like so many of our custom-made, exclusive shoes, these are welted.  A welt is key to maintaining the durability of a shoe. Invented by the Charles Goodyear Jr (from the American tyre family), it is a leather strip that is sewn around the edge of a shoe-upper to which the sole is attached. It is the buffer between the upper and the sole meaning that the sole can be cut off and then a new one attached without damaging the upper.

This means the Dunkeld can be repaired again and again, which means you hang onto your favourite shoes, that have moulded nicely to your feet, for so much longer. To help you choose a welted footwear, we clearly mark all our welted shoes with our “Sustainable: Designed to be repairable logo” on our website. The investment made in these shoes will pay you back as you will not need to replace them for many years but can simply repair them.

Back to how good they look! The black calf style is formal shoe and will look very elegant with a dark suit, while the rosewood could be dressed down a little but would be a standout feature with a navy or grey trousers. For sure, this is a classic.