If being an expert comes from having an unparalleled knowledge of a specialist area developed over years of painstaking commitment and care, then that would fit the shoemaker John Lobb as comfortably as a pair of its handmade shoes.
The British brand has been producing traditionally-made shoes and boots since 1849, but this season has shown that it remains bang on-trend with the latest introduction of its new range of sandals to the region.
Known for its quality and meticulous attention to detail – a normal handmade pair of leather Derbies takes more than 190 steps to make – John Lobb’s introduction of three sandal designs does nothing but strengthen its appeal in the Gulf region.
Catering for regional taste, the three designs each offer a design flourish to the quality of the product with the Stratton (a modern single buckle sandal with a strap across the toes), the slider Cross (featuring crossover straps), and the Beacon – directly inspired by the house’s signature William double-buckle shoe.
The brand’s history tells of an aspirational young cobbler who in the 1840s walked 400km from Cornwall to London in order to make his way as a serious shoemaker. We’d wager that had he been wearing a pair of his own sandals (with lightly cushioned insoles and rubber-tipped soles), he probably would have enjoyed the walk a hell of a lot more.
