John Lobb Bootmaker

John Lobb

Type	Ltd
Industry	Fashion
Founded	Sydney, Australia (1849)
Headquarters	9 St. James's Street, London, United Kingdom
Products	Clothing Boots
Website	johnlobb.com

John Lobb Bootmaker is a company that manufactures and retails a luxury brand of shoes and boots mainly for men, but also for women. Leather goods such as wallets and belts are also available. Founded by John Lobb (1829-95), John Lobb Bootmaker has been in business since 1866 in London and 1902 in Paris.^[1]

In 1976, John Lobb Paris shop was acquired by the Hermès Group, but the London bespoke workshop at 9 St James's Street, John Lobb Ltd, remains family-owned and continues to operate independently. Hermès have developed the John Lobb ready-to-wear shoes around the world. The two companies continue to maintain their bespoke shoe-making tradition with the Lobb family workshop in London and the Hermès owned workshop in Paris.^[2]

History

Royal warrants of John Lobb, bespoke shoe and bootmaker, London

John Lobb and opened a shop in London in 1866 and produced footwear for European royalty.^[2]

Following the success of the London base, John Lobb opened a shop in Paris in 1902.

In 1976, Hermès were allowed to use the John Lobb name. Only about 100 pairs of ready-to-wear shoes are finished per day. The original, family-owned Lobb still handmakes shoes one pair at a time. Until the 1980s, John Lobb operated only custom-made activity in London and in Paris. From 1982 onwards, the ready-to-wear activity has complemented the made to measure, and distribution has extended.

The London company was the subject of a 1945 British Pathé fillm, Shoes For The Famous,^[3] and an episode of the June 2016 BBC Four documentary series, Handmade: By Royal Appointment. ^[4]

Present operations

In 1976 John Lobb became part of the Hermès Group.

The London bespoke workshop, John Lobb Ltd, remains in the hands of the family and operates independently from its premises at 9 St James's Street.

The ready-to-wear collection debuted in 1982 and the first store showcasing the line opened in Paris in 1990.

In June 2014 the Hermès group announced the appointment of Paula Gerbase as John Lobb’s first ever Artistic Director.

Shoe lasts of Queen Victoria

Gallery

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  Store front and workplace of John Lobb, bespoke bootmaker in London
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  Boots from John Lobb, bespoke bootmaker in London
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  Shop interior of John Lobb, bespoke bootmaker in London
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  Work place of John Lobb, bespoke bootmaker in London
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  Display of shoes at John Lobb's, bespoke bootmaker in London
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  Shoemaker at work, John Lobb, bespoke bootmaker in London
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  Selection of leather swatches at John Lobb, bespoke bootmaker in London

References

External links

• John Lobb
• John Lobb Ltd

Coordinates: 51°30′21″N 0°8′18.3″W / 51.50583°N 0.138417°W / 51.50583; -0.138417