Foster & Son recently made some of the boldest changes in its long history. It brought all its ready- to-wear shoe and leather goods production in-house, creating two entirely new teams of craftsmen and women alongside its longstanding bespoke workshop on Jermyn Street.
By attracting the very finest craftspeople to this growing team and giving them the finest natural materials to work with – mostly sourced from Britain – Foster & Son has reached new standards of quality and design and is now able to create new products without compromise. Though a long established brand – and the oldest of its kind in London – Foster & Son always operates with a fresh perspective and continues to look towards the future.
It is now the sole London bespoke shoemaker to have its own ready-to-wear production and leather craft workshop. With all new products made in-house their challenge is ‘to create more awareness and communicate with our customers while staying true to our understated and discreet brand image’, according to Managing Director, Simon Bolzoni. ‘Our strategy is to use new techniques and innovate with traditional ones to interact with clients in an entirely personal way. This challenge is not only exciting but it is allowing us to use our creativity in new ways’.
This year sees Foster & Son celebrate its 180th year of making bespoke shoes in London’s St James’s, using the craft and skills passed down unchanged over the decades. ‘It is a great time to rejoice in being a British brand,’ says Bolzoni.
Foster & Son celebrates its 180th year of making bespoke shoes in London’s St James’s, using the craft and skills passed down unchanged over the decades
‘As we celebrate both our history and long-term future, we continue the traditions and crafts that make Britain great. Foster & Son could not exist anywhere else other than in London, in particular St James’s. West End style has a distinctive, understated elegance and we have a responsibility to keep that alive’.
Throughout the coming year Foster & Son is looking forward to releasing many new designs, including stunning classic shoes, cases, bags, wallets, belts and all manner of leather goods. Every item has been meticulously developed, respecting its rich history inspired by its archive. For the first time, customers will be able to purchase not just from the Jermyn Street store but also from the new Foster & Son website and carefully selected stockists around the world.
When customers enter the Jermyn Street store and workshop, with the distinctive smell of leather and wooden lasts that cover the walls, they will discover that there is no sales team. Instead they will be interacting with the people involved in developing, creating and making the products, or perhaps planning the restoration of a treasured item. ‘Direct engagement is one of the most important aspects of our identity,’ says Bolzoni, ‘and this comes naturally to us as bespoke makers.
Our customers enjoy engaging with our entire team and experiencing the whole process of our product development right from conception. Ultimately our customers are part of our identity and it is that which sets us apart’.
