John Lobb Bootmaker at London Collections: Men

That Dapper Chap shows us the Autumn|Winter 2015 collection of shoes and boots by bootmaker John Lobb

During my time at London Collections Men I was lucky enough to be invited to the showing of the John Lobb Autumn | Winter 2015 colection.

So at 6pm after stopping at a Pret A Manger for a bite to eat and a hot drink to ward off the January chills, we walked to Old Sessions House in London's Clerkenwell Green to a stunning old building which housed the new collection. As we entered the building, smoke rose up the wrought iron staircase and lead us to the upper floor where the beautifully displayed collection await our perusal.

About John Lobb

In 1851 a farmer's Son by the name of John Lobb set foot on what was to become an exceptional journey of accomplishment. Aged 22, Lobb left his home in rural Cornwall, UK and walked to London, carried only by his handmade boots and, as they say, the rest is history.

The Collection

The John Lobb Autumn | Winter 2015 collection, the first under the artistic direction of Paula Gerbase, celebrates the legacy of Lobbs heroic walk as the label strides towards the future.

Honouring the rituals of bootmaking, John Lobbs renowned seamless whole-cut patterns are key, with wraparound lines evoking the horizon of cornish moorland. There is a focus on contrasting texture and tone, seen in a wraparound seamless back boot as well as a single buckle shoe with a lightly curved strap.

For Autumn | Winter, the functional Combe single buckle, lace up boot with storm welt and double sole is constructed in heavyweight misty calf in tones inspired by the ruby moss found thriving on the edges of dartmoor

A further series of two storm welt styles affirms the label's heritage of movement, function and strength; the solid foundations for a new beginning. The iconic John Lobb double buckle shoe is reimagined with a plain vamp and offered on the October rubber sole. Grove, a new two-eyelet suede boot is presented with tonal French binding around the quarters.

For evening, Gerbase has developed a new, elegant last with an almond shaped toe; the wells is a whole-cut unlined slip on shoe with contrasting suede saddle, whilst Ash comes in the form of a lightweight Ghillie in black and deep navy

Craftsmanship and modernity are at the core of John Lobb. As the label looks ahead, a featherweight, non-welted plimsole had been developed for the new season, offered in contrasting reverse suede and velveteen calf in colours of chalk, moss, russet, slate and dusk' colours drawn from Lobb's original, solitary trek from farmland to founder of the world's finest men's shoe and bootmakers

Autumn | Winter 2015 presentation aimed to both recreate and deconstruct the natural journey experienced by John Lobb, focussing on motion and the experience of a singular solitary walk.