Edward Green: Heritage Footwear Maker Continuing to Focus on Excellence
By
11 months ago
Made in Northampton
Edward Green is an entry in our Great British Brands 2024 book.
Edward Green: Great British Brand 2024
‘We make the very highest standard of English footwear, and if people are looking for shoes and boots made with meticulous attention to detail, they often end up coming to us. We have a very global customer base, selling in over 50 countries last year.
The human touch is very important, especially at our end of the market. While our digital presence continues to grow, our customer service is run by our Jermyn Street team who meet with customers face-to-face, understanding their needs and fit. They are not about to be replaced by AI chatbots – our customers want authenticity and genuine knowledge. People want to understand the provenance of what they’re buying; every shoe we make is the fruit of real care and attention. We have a film following a pair of Edward Greens being made.
This year we introduced a new style, the Zlin, which highlights the story of John Hlustik, someone akin to a second founder for the business. He fled communist persecution as a child, and went on to introduce the antiqued calfskins we’re known for today. The Zlin was an old sample of John’s and we released it to raise funds for today’s refugees from Ukraine.
Nothing is more sustainable than making beautiful, functional goods that last and can be repaired. Some pairs come back three or four times to be re-soled, virtually remade. Because leather gains character as it ages, these shoes can be particularly handsome, and they are replete with the owner’s memories and stories.
We’re an evolving company, but we’re not suddenly going to be doing something fundamentally different in 2025 or 2026. We’ll continue to bring out new models where we can see real customer interest, and we’ll continue to introduce new textures and leathers. But essentially we’re going to be focused on making beautiful Goodyear welted shoes, to the very best of our abilities, just as we have been for the last century.’
Euan Denholm, Head of Brand and Business Development
John Hlustik
Five Proudest Moments
1. Reaching the apex of Northampton shoemaking in the 1920s – making house shoes for George V and boots for Ernest Hemingway.
2. Continuing the tradition of making shoes for Royalty in 1979 when we made the boots for Lord Louis Mountbatten’s ceremonial burial dress.
3. Being bought by John Hlustik in 1982, which refocused the company’s commitment to making the best footwear. He introduced antiqued calfskins, which continue to be a signature to this day.
4. Opening a shop on Jermyn Street in 1992, selling directly to London’s most discerning shoe lovers.
5. Introducing the Zlin in 2023 – a special-edition model that honours John Hlustik’s own story of fleeing communism and raises funds for today’s refugees from Ukraine.
What I’ve Learnt
- People appreciate heritage shoemakers like Edward Green because in a time of flux we make beautiful things which last and are born of a tradition. But to stay ‘timeless’ you still need to evolve.
- People are always at the heart of an institution – one needs to constantly develop the team.
- Follow the data.
EDWARD GREEN & CO LTD
75 Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6NP
+44 (0)20 7839 0202
