(left to right- Rose Rankin Nicky White/Red, Grenson Lotus Suede Pink, Rose Rankin Nicky Silver, Veja Esplar Bastille Talapia Mustard £130, Veja Esplar Leather Ambre £85, Veja V10 Leather White £125, Grenson Lotus Suede Yam £150, Veja SDU Snow Flannel Natural £85.)
Here at 32 The Guild, based in the heart of Northampton (which was once the shoe capital of the world!) I think its fair to say we have a slight shoe obsession and we have very high standards when it comes to which shoes make it to the shop floor. We do our research and only stock our favourite designers, valuing hand craftsmanship, quality materials and sustainability. With our AW17 Collection transitioning in we cant help but feel its all about sneakers this season. So we have put together a line up of our favourite designers, styles and why we love them.
Veja
This Parisian based brand designs in Paris then sources and makes in Brazil. That may not sound environmentally friendly, but actually they source wild sustainable amazonian rubber, organic cotton, pay the local employees and factories a decent wage and have a zero carbon footprint. Their stance of refusing to advertise in our opinion only makes them cooler, the money they save goes into the cost of the sneakers which actually cost 2-3 times more to make than the average sneaker. They ship the final product by boat across the sea and when it arrives in France transport the goods via canal. We could sing all day about how amazing this brand is, sustainably, environmentally, ethically and just plain cool! But come in and try on the latest AW17 collection and see for yourself.
Grenson
Northampton's finest Grenson have recently launched a sneaker shoe! Now this is kind of big deal for the traditional hand made in Northampton Shoe company. We are huge fans of Grenson and have stocked them from the word go because they focus on craftsmanship and quality. So being the sneaker addicts we are, we're super excited to have these in store.
Rose Rankin
London based founder Rose, designs and has these luxurious sneakers hand made in Portugal. She noticed a gap in the market when she realised she always wore sneakers to work but wanted something a bit more glam with a sense of humour. So she started her own footwear brand and we've been fans ever since. This season we're loving the metallic, white, clean, sharp and fresh look.