Am I the only one who finds it rather cool to talk about shoes using model names, the names of different parts, and technical terms?

If you’re a man with a young at heart, you’re bound to relate to this!

This is a major topic that extends beyond just shoes to include clothing, cars, watches and more, but,

This time,‘Swan Neck’I would like to focus on the area known as [...], and introduce it in more detail.

‘Swan Neck’Some of you may be thinking, ‘?’, but,

First of all, please take a look at the photograph below.

John Lobb ‘City II’ Last 7000

Crockett & Jones ‘Kent’ Last 341

Edward Green ‘Chelsea’ Last 202

Church, ‘Consultant’, Final, 173

Four styles of plain-toe shoes from a British footwear brand

As it’s not often I get the chance to see them all lined up like this, I took a photo.

As the sizes aren’t standardised, it’s difficult to compare them, but some have longer toes, whilst others differ in the ratio between the cap and the vamp.

On closer inspection, I could see that even the stitch pitch (the width of the stitches) varied, and I realised that the impression created can change depending on the stitching technique alone.

I think these shoes each have their own distinctive brand characteristics and possess a beautiful yet varied range of styles.

Right, let’s get down to business!

Actually, amongst the six photos I showed you earlier,‘Swan Neck’There is a part of the body known as...

Can you tell which part it is?

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Here’s the correct answer!

Edward Green ‘Chelsea’ Last 202

The stitching along the side of the race stay turns once towards the back, tracing a large S-shaped curve before dropping down to the vamp.

The stitching in this section is called‘Swan Neck’It is called...

It really does look like a ‘swan’s neck’, doesn’t it?

At present, many brands have adopted this approach,‘Swan Neck’However.

It all began with a detail inspired by a certain incident at Edward Green…

It was the late 1990s when production of Hermès products began.

As a result of Edward Green manufacturing shoes for John Lobb,
Hermès, the parent company of John Lobb, was so impressed by the quality of the leather shoes that it invited the company to join its group.

Although they joined forces at one point, the business gradually went from bad to worse, and eventually they were forced to part with everything, including the factory, wooden moulds and patterns they had owned since the company was founded.

Although the brand itself managed to survive, as we had lost all our previous moulds and data, we set about developing new wooden moulds and designs.

And that’s how it all began…

Symbolising Edward Green’s Chelsea range‘Swan Neck’That was the case.

This stitching, which was not present in earlier designs, was adopted for Chelsea boots and other Oxford (in-wing) styles; it gradually became recognised as a hallmark of the brand and has been carried forward to the models available today.

Born out of a management crisis‘Swan Neck’。

Although this design has now come to be regarded as a symbol of the brand,
When I trace the history of Edward Green, I believe that each stitch is not merely a stitch, but a precious part of the shoe that embodies the joys and sorrows, the triumphs and tribulations, and the indescribable emotions of the craftsmen and the company’s management.

Wouldn’t a pair of shoes brimming with such romance become a cherished pair for you?

The ‘Chelsea’ is a plain-toe shoe and is a model that works very well in a business setting.

Imagine if, during an important meeting or presentation, your eventful history gave you the push you needed to take that step forward…

I think it’s fair to say that this pays tribute to the people who have supported the Edward Green brand.

It’s not just Edward Green shoes—this applies to every brand—and it struck me once again what a joy it is to be able to wear shoes that feel like a trusted companion!

This time we’ve been introducing ‘Swan Neck’, but there are still plenty more brands whose stories we’d like to share, so please do keep an eye out for future posts.

Thank you very much!

Ginza Branch · Aoyama Branch Takiguchi