John Lobb Review: The Hermes-Owned Bootmaker

Let's address the elephant in the room: The Price.

A pair of John Lobb "City II" Oxfords costs £1,290. A pair of Crockett & Jones "Hallam" Oxfords costs £470.

They are both made in Northampton. They are both Goodyear welted. They both use calf leather. So, is the John Lobb 3x better? Or are you paying for the little yellow box and the fact it is owned by Hermès?

The answer is complex.

The Two Lobbs (A Recap)

There are two companies.

John Lobb Ltd (London): Family roots, bespoke only, St James's Street.
John Lobb SAS (Paris/Northampton): Owned by Hermès since 1976. They make the Ready-to-Wear (RTW) shoes we are reviewing here.

When you buy a Lobb off the shelf, you are buying from the Hermès entity. They are made in Northampton, in a factory that used to belong to Edward Green (a drama for another day).

The Leather: Unfair Advantage

This is where the money goes. Hermès has first refusal on the world's best hides. In the leather industry, hides are graded. Grade 1 is perfect. Grade 2 has scars. John Lobb gets Grade 1. The leather on a Lobb shoe is preternatural. It is poreless. It glows. It breaks in with a buttery softness that makes other shoes feel like cardboard. Because Hermès owns the tanneries (like Tanneries du Puy), Lobb gets the "cream" of the crop.

The Construction: Bevels and Fiddles

Lobb RTW shoes feature details usually reserved for bespoke.

The Waist: The middle part of the sole is often "beveled" (curved in) to hug the arch.
The Heels: Seamless backs. Most shoes have a vertical seam at the heel. Lobb often uses a single piece of leather blocked to shape. This uses more leather and is harder to do.
The Stitching: The stitch density (SPI - stitches per inch) is higher. It looks finer.

The "Prestige" Line

Lobb has a standard line and a "Prestige" line. The Prestige line features "Fiddleback Waists" (sculpted soles that look like a violin back). This entails significant hand-work.

The Controversy: Fashion Creep

Since Hermès took over, there have been complaints. They launch seasonal collections. They make sneakers. They make cemented loafers. Purists hate this. They argue it dilutes the brand. However, the "Classics" (City II, Philip II, William Double Monk) remain untouched.

The Verdict

Is it worth £1,300? Diminishing returns kick in hard after £600. A Crockett & Jones handgrade (£600) is 90% of a Lobb. The Lobb gives you that final 10%—the perfect leather, the prestige, the finishing.

If you are wealthy, it is the best Ready-to-Wear shoe in the world. If you are stretching your budget, buy a Crockett & Jones and keep the change.

Pros:

The best leather in the world. Period.
Exquisite finishing (Prestige line).
The ultimate status symbol in banking/law.

Cons:

Astronomical price.
Fashion-forward models can be ugly.
Cost of refurbishment is also very high.