Buy now, wear forever: Church's sandals and sneakers will only get better with age
Retro yet refined, Church's lust-worthy sandals and sneakers are top of our wish list
In partnership with Church's
Church's SS20 campaign, shot in St Ives, Cornwall
Summer in the city, with its rising temperatures and scattered showers, is not a time for laced-up leather shoes. And this summer, with few of us needing to travel to the office or wear business attire (or anything much, actually) below the waist thanks to the proliferation of Zoom meetings, the desire to wear formal shoes has waned even further. If ever there were a time for sneakers and sandals, it's right now.
But opting for casual footwear doesn’t mean compromising on quality, thanks to Church’s. That’s right, the storied British formal shoe brand with a global reputation for highly polished perfection has much more to offer.
Take the brand's sandals, for example: collections for men and women that have a ‘his and hers’ aesthetic, united as they are by design influences, colourways and, of course, quality craftsmanship.
Fashionable without being faddish, classic yet contemporary, Church’s sandals can be seen as a long-term investment in your summer wardrobe. Wide cross-strap designs and fisherman-inspired cage-toe styles are worked in soft pastels, shimmering metallics and python prints for women, while men can opt for leather and suede in more traditional shades of brown, black, white and blue.
Church's hasn't been immune to the sneaker fever that has swept over fashion in the last decade, either. Sports shoes are actually far from a modern addition to the brand's offering: William Church himself created a leather tennis shoe in 1887. But it was in 2015 that the brand renewed its interest in casual, sporty styling with the introduction of a new sneaker that drew on archive styles.
Men's sneakers, clockwise from top left: Zephyr gabardine lace-up sneaker, £370; CH873 suede and gabardine retro sneaker, £450; Boland suede classic sneaker, £370; Dalton suede and gabardine sneaker, £410
Since then classic styles for men and women have been refined and new additions to the collection made, encompassing retro-inspired versatile designs that can be worn with both formal and casual attire. From the unisex Southbank and Zephyr basketball shoes, to the clean lines of the Boland Plus and the track-soled Dalton inspired by the running styles of the 80s, all bases are covered in Church's inimitable style.
Women's sneakers, clockwise from top left: Southbank gabardine lace-up sneaker, £345; CH873 suede retro sneaker, £420; Zephyr gabardine lace-up sneaker, £370; Boland W calf-leather sneaker, £370
More than just looking the part, Church's formal shoes are built on British craftsmanship and technical innovation and the casual offering is no different. Sneakers and sandals are handmade to exacting and enduring standards, with each pair taking eight weeks to produce thanks to hundreds of individual processes carried out by skilled craftsmen to incorporate details such as extra cushioning for optimum comfort, lightweight soles and soft yet durable materials.
Men's sandals, clockwise from top left: Barney calf-leather open-back sandal, £350; Dainton calf-leather sandal, £450; Fisherman suede sandal, £430; Dover decò leather open sandal, £420
Casual and contemporary, these are shoes built to last far beyond one season and, like the rest of the Church’s offering, only get better with age.
Women's sandals, clockwise from top left: Rhonda python-print sandal, £450; Rainbow suede T-bar sandal, £370; Deb printed python gladiator sandal, £480; Kelsey prestige calf-leather sandal, £430
To learn more and browse the latest sandal, sneaker and shoe collections, visit the Church's website here.
But opting for casual footwear doesn’t mean compromising on quality, thanks to Church’s. That’s right, the storied British formal shoe brand with a global reputation for highly polished perfection has much more to offer.
Take the brand's sandals, for example: collections for men and women that have a ‘his and hers’ aesthetic, united as they are by design influences, colourways and, of course, quality craftsmanship.
Fashionable without being faddish, classic yet contemporary, Church’s sandals can be seen as a long-term investment in your summer wardrobe. Wide cross-strap designs and fisherman-inspired cage-toe styles are worked in soft pastels, shimmering metallics and python prints for women, while men can opt for leather and suede in more traditional shades of brown, black, white and blue.
Church's hasn't been immune to the sneaker fever that has swept over fashion in the last decade, either. Sports shoes are actually far from a modern addition to the brand's offering: William Church himself created a leather tennis shoe in 1887. But it was in 2015 that the brand renewed its interest in casual, sporty styling with the introduction of a new sneaker that drew on archive styles.
Men's sneakers, clockwise from top left: Zephyr gabardine lace-up sneaker, £370; CH873 suede and gabardine retro sneaker, £450; Boland suede classic sneaker, £370; Dalton suede and gabardine sneaker, £410
Since then classic styles for men and women have been refined and new additions to the collection made, encompassing retro-inspired versatile designs that can be worn with both formal and casual attire. From the unisex Southbank and Zephyr basketball shoes, to the clean lines of the Boland Plus and the track-soled Dalton inspired by the running styles of the 80s, all bases are covered in Church's inimitable style.
Women's sneakers, clockwise from top left: Southbank gabardine lace-up sneaker, £345; CH873 suede retro sneaker, £420; Zephyr gabardine lace-up sneaker, £370; Boland W calf-leather sneaker, £370
More than just looking the part, Church's formal shoes are built on British craftsmanship and technical innovation and the casual offering is no different. Sneakers and sandals are handmade to exacting and enduring standards, with each pair taking eight weeks to produce thanks to hundreds of individual processes carried out by skilled craftsmen to incorporate details such as extra cushioning for optimum comfort, lightweight soles and soft yet durable materials.
Men's sandals, clockwise from top left: Barney calf-leather open-back sandal, £350; Dainton calf-leather sandal, £450; Fisherman suede sandal, £430; Dover decò leather open sandal, £420
Casual and contemporary, these are shoes built to last far beyond one season and, like the rest of the Church’s offering, only get better with age.
Women's sandals, clockwise from top left: Rhonda python-print sandal, £450; Rainbow suede T-bar sandal, £370; Deb printed python gladiator sandal, £480; Kelsey prestige calf-leather sandal, £430
To learn more and browse the latest sandal, sneaker and shoe collections, visit the Church's website here.
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