Best European Shoes: Notable ‘Made In Europe’ Shoe Brands

The earliest shoemakers can be traced back to the Egyptian friezes where labourers are depicted making sandals or during the Roman Empire where artisans working alone in small settlements progressed to congregating in streets in nearby town marketplaces which resulted in guilds becoming established. 

In Medieval Europe, Christian patron saints of shoemakers adorned the churches or guildhalls and by the fourteenth century its evident shoemakers were already making footwear for speculative sale. The art of shoemaking by hand remains a beloved technique in history but in the late sixteenth century, the welted shoe construction became standard the upper was sewn to a welt with a second row of stitches made through the welt into the outer sole. From welted construction until the introduction of machinery in the mid-nineteenth century there is little change in the methods used for shoemaking. 

By the early 1800s, the export of women's footwear from France and men's footwear from England dominated the fashionable marketplace with shoemaking locations such as Paris and Northampton firmly established. 

Today, European shoemaking is thriving with the traditionally known shoemaking capitals remaining and bespoke handmade shoemakers located in London, Mallorca and Venice producing limited made to order shoes for a discerning customer base. 

MADE IN ENGLAND 

The finest English men's and women's handmade shoes & footwear can be found in Northampton, still known as the shoemaking capital of the world, Northamptonshire's shoemaking history dates back to the middle of the 19th Century. 

The plentiful supply of oak bark and water for tanning, an abundant supply of leather from local cattle markets, and a central location for trading links quickly made Northamptonshire the ideal place for shoemaking to grow. By the end of the 19^th century there was approximately 2,000 individual manufacturers working in the country. 

Barker Shoes
Founded in 1880 by Arthur Barker, Barker shoes has been making mens and womens footwear in the Northamptonshire village of Earls Barton for 140 years. Using traditional manufacturing methods to make an extensive range of brogues, Oxford and Derby shoes and boots presented in their London flagship stores, Earls Barton factory shop and stockists around the world. 

Joseph Cheaney & Sons
Cheaney was established by Joseph Cheaney in 1886, and in 1896 in partnership with his brother Arthur, they moved to the site which the factory still occupies today. Originally Cheaney made white label shoes exclusively for the finest retailers until the founders grandson Joseph Humphrey Cheaney recognised the company needed to produce their own-brand shoes. 

In 1964 Cheaney was sold to Church’s English Shoes, which meant the brand then became available to retailers all over the world and in 2009 Jonathan and William Church bought the company and remain fully committed to producing the finest footwear entirely made in England. 

Loake
The Loake family have been making traditional English shoes since John Loake opened the first Loake factory with his brothers, Thomas and William, back in 1880. Five generations on Loake continue to offer premium  Goodyear-welted shoes made in the original factory located in Kettering, England. 

Trickers
The oldest shoemaker in England, Trickers was founded in 1829 by Joseph Tricker. The Trickers factory opened in 1904 on St. Michael’s Road where shoes were made by hand until the turn of the 20th Century when Joseph’s son-in-law discovered the Goodyear welted machine while on a buying trip in New York. 

In 1989 his Royal Highness,The Prince of Wales awarded Tricker's his Royal Warrant for shoe manufacturing. A prestigious accolade that has set Trickers apart from other Northampton shoemakers. The same factory is still the base for all Trickers manufacturing today, championing traditional techniques to make shoes and boots of outstanding quality.

MADE IN ITALY
Italian shoemakers have been refining their technique for many centuries  having started in humble village settings to grow into Italian luxury footwear companies. 

A key ingredient to Italty’s shoemaking success is its dedication to materials as Italians have been working with leather for thousands of years, and their treatment processes result in a stunning diversity of products, all of the highest quality and mainly crafted by hand. This national fixation on excellence coupled with a millennium or two of artistry is what led to Italy's shoe making expertise. Pioneers like Guccio Gucci and Salvatore Ferragamo raised the profile of Italy’s shoemaking prestige but today there’s several shoemakers to note. 

Salvatore Ferragamo
Known by some of the biggest names in Hollywood, Salvatore Ferragamo is an Italian icon of the twenties and his influence can be credited with popularising Italy’s reputation for craftsmanship. 

Today, the Salvatore Ferragamo brand continues to be operated by his extended family and works in partnership with a number of other factories throughout Italy. Its premium shoes continue to be produced in the Florentine workshop that first opened in 1927. 

Paolo Scarfora
Paolo Scarfora established his eponymous brand in Naples, Italy, in 1956, with the company currently being run by his grandson. Originally producing ready-to-wear footwear, Paolo Scafora has been offering bespoke shoes for the past decade. The handmade shoes utilise plastic lasts rather than wood, allowing them to be produced relatively quickly.

MADE IN FRANCE
The French history of shoemaking is heritage rich and has seen some of the most respected shoemakers of today develop their brands over a century.

 

John Lobb
The John Lobb family business began in 1849 in London and the early 1900’s in Paris. John Lobb manufactures and retails a luxury brand of shoes and boots mainly for men and women. 

John Lobb himself was born in 1829 in Cornwall, south-west England, but made his way to London as a young man as an apprentice bootmaker. Following a successful period in Australia making boots for the miners of the gold rush, he returned to London to set up his first shop on Regent Street in 1866. 

In 1976, John Lobb sold its Paris workshop to Hermes, which was allowed to use its name in France and later licensed to open John Lobb shops around the world. However, the London bespoke workshop, John Lobb Ltd, remained in the hands of the family, and continues to operate independently from its premises at 9 St James’s Street. 

Only the French John Lobb offers ready-to-wear shoes which are produced in a traditional English factory in Northampton. Meanwhile, all of their made-to-order and bespoke shoes are completely hand-crafted from their Parisian workshop. 

Paraboot
The Paraboot brand was originally founded in 1908 in Izeaux, a small village at the foot of the French Alps which was known for its leatherworking, by Remy Richard, an ambitious son of a farming family. Despite the rural setting of his hometown and its proximity to some of the greatest skiing and hiking in the world, most of the shoes Rémy worked on were designed for the city. 

In 1927, Paraboot finally came into being. “Para” for the port in Amazonia from whence their rubber was supplied and “boot” to memorialize the discovery Richard made in America. Richard continued to manufacture elegant, leather-soled shoes under the “Extra” line, but all Paraboots would have their signature chunky, grippy leather soles going forward. 

MADE IN SPAIN 

Carmina
Carmina is one of Spain’s most celebrated shoemakers, located in Mallorca, Carmina has been run by more than five generations of shoemakers. After enjoying success with a brand on mainland Spain, José Albaladejo Pujadas returned to the Balearic island to launch Carmina in 1997. Carmina produces ready-to-wear shoes as well as made-to-order products that can be customised . 

TAFT
Founded by the Utah-based husband-and-wife team, Kory and Mallory Stevens, Taft Clothing works in partnership with a family-operated factory in Spain. Taft has earned significant critical acclaim as well as a cult following for its radical designs in its short shoemaking history. 

Despite its eccentric styles, Taft faithfully incorporates traditional craftsmanship and their shoes feature either Goodyear welting or Blake stitching and are crafted from premium leather as well as carefully sourced fabrics. 

Other notable European shoemakers include Carlos Santos (Portugal), Saint Crispin’s (Romania) and Laszlo Vass (Hungry).