I get approached by many men’s shoe brands offering to send me shoes to review. Majority of them tend to look rather cheap and they do not seem to offer anything different from what you would see in pretty much majority of menswear shops. It becomes tiresome and I am always on the look out for high quality, well made shoes that I would be proud to walk out in. Unfortunately men are not spoilt for choice like women are – particularly on the High Street where there is a huge selection of beautiful looking women’s shoes available to purchase for £40-£50. Men have to dig deeper and invest a small fortune to pick up a decent pair. There are perhaps two to three high street brands that produce some decent pair of shoes for the gentlemen but unfortunately they are not consistent.
Recently a gentleman named Henry got in touch to tell me about his new footwear company called Henry’s, and I instantly fell in love the moment I saw the collections on his website. Brogues, loafers, boots – all in suede and great colours, and they are all Made in England! He wanted to send me a pair to examine up closely, so I picked out the suede brogues in navy. They arrived very quickly in a bright yellow beautiful box branded with the company name, accompanied by dust bags. The brogues looked very bit as good in person as they did in digital on the website and I was dying to wear them. The quality did not disappoint in the slightest and look right at home next to pairs of Church and Crockett & Jones shoes.
I wanted to find out more about Henry’s Shoes, so I fired off some questions for Henry to answer.
1. Why did you decide to start your own shoe brand? What was the idea behind it?
The one bit of advice that I continually received having left university was to make sure you enjoyed your profession. Not to get sucked in by handsome salaries or prestigious companies if the job didn’t feel right. Starting Henry’s became the only real option, as I knew that I wanted to create something from nothing, be my own boss and most importantly create shoes that I would be proud to put my name on. Being in my early twenties I realized that young professionals still appreciated the quality and heritage of English made footwear but couldn’t afford the exorbitant prices of some of the most established brands. Therefore I wanted to create a brand that offered the same construction and craftsmanship but at a more affordable rate for the aspiring professional. On top of this I thought that the major brands weren’t really offering a more youthful range and seemed stuck on black and browns. Gone are the days where a man has two or three similar pairs of the same shoe in his wardrobe, so I wanted Henry’s to be about providing options.
2. Your shoes are made in England. Tell us a bit about it.
Provenance was absolutely essential to the brand. I think Anya Hindmarch recently stated, “Made in Britain has cachet again. It’s shorthand for a certain kind of luxury.” This has been true of English made footwear since the middle of the 19th century but somewhere amidst the explosion of cheap foreign imports and the rise of fashionable trainers, people forgot how skilled and revered our manufacturing sectors actually are. I think the modern day consumer wants more for their money, they want to know that if they spend a decent amount on a pair of shoes, they’re aren’t just paying for a label but a guarantee of longevity and quality. That is exactly what England offers and why I’m so proud to work with a family run, Northamptonshire based manufacturer with over 130 years experience within the industry. On top of this, with mounting concerns over how to improve the economy, this is it; this is how to keep the money within the UK, business to business, with new start-ups calling on the experience and skill of other UK companies and working together.
3. What inspires and gets you going?
It might sound a little clichéd but I think the thought of both success and failure has to be cause for inspiration for any entrepreneur. You hear the stories of new brand’s successes daily but you don’t hear about hundreds that fall by the way side. I think knowing the amount of work that I’ve put in to this point is a major boost when I’m having a slow sales week. I have enough faith in my shoes to remain confident and the thought of Henry’s becoming a brand synonymous with the ideals that I started it with, will always keep me going.
4. Who is the man you picture wearing Henry’s shoes?
I try not to pinpoint a specific demographic because I honestly think classic shoes can be worn with any number of styles. But I’d say overall he would be a discerning gentleman with a keen eye for quality, who adopts a confident approach to his fashion and doesn’t take himself too seriously.
5. Have you always been into shoes? What are your memorable pairs?
Without a doubt, I didn’t for a moment up until about 18 months ago think I’d be working in the industry but I’ve certainly always cared. Whether it be new football boots at the beginning of term or that new pair of Kickers my Mum bought be aged 9, I’ve always taken a lot of pride in new shoes. Some very memorable wheels along the way, some terrific and some very questionable (back to Kickers.) I’d say the most memorable have to be my first sample I received for Henry’s, my navy suede double buckle monks. I hadn’t had a pair of monks before and having my logo imprinted on the heel just made them that much sweeter. They continue to be my favourite pair and I’ve been charging around in them for a year.
6. Where do you work — do you have a studio, workshop, or do you prefer to work out of your home?
It’s all from home. The Henry’s head offices are located in my sister’s spare bedroom in London. I honestly have everything I need. Decent Internet access, phone and with my shoes in stock close by, I really have no need for more space. If I need to have a meeting then I prefer to get out and do it anyway so at this stage it’s a no brainer.
7. What is your advice for looking after a good pair of shoes?
Be sensible. If you know you’re likely to be charging around on a wet and muddy afternoon don’t be surprised if your pride and joys take a bit of a battering. That being said, people can be overly worried about suede at times. In my experience it’s a phenomenally durable and manageable material that can withstand a hell of a usage. Just make sure you spray the uppers with a decent protector before you wear them out and if they get a bit muddy, then let it dry and just brush it off with a suede brush. My newest little find has been a suede rubber that has taken the most remarkable stains out of a few pairs. Just rub with the nap and the suede comes up good as new.
8. What is next in the pipeline – what are your ambitions for the brand?
Having only been trading for a couple of months I’m honestly just concentrating on getting the brand out there. I’ve been a slave to social media over the past 8 weeks and I can honestly say it does pay dividends and the reaction has been tremendous. I’m also having talks about a potential pop up shop in Carnaby St for September, which I’d be sharing with a friend and his womenswear brand. They’ve just been rudimentary discussions but I’m really keen to have a space where I can have some customer interaction face to face and take onboard any comments. I aim to extend the range quite a lot over the next couple of seasons and I’m particularly excited about some loafers I’ve got coming in using a mix of grained leather and suede but that’s for the autumn. Ultimately I would like to open a shop and be known for high quality and current trends, but just for now I’m happy with the spare bedroom!
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I have noticed Henry is also producing boots in premium suede for women as well, complete with neon pull-loops! If his new collections are any indication of what we can expect to see in the future then things are looking exciting for fans of his luxury shoes!
