10 years ago, while assisting stylist Wayne Lukas on a photo shoot, we fell in love with a pair of J.M. Weston saddle shoes that Kate Moss wore in a British Vogue editorial.
It’s been THAT long, and there have been innumerable trends in-between, but some fashion obsessions never die. As women’s Westons are not available in New York, we turned our focus to what’s new in the menswear line for this article.
Text, Vivian G. Kelly
Images, J. Ecochard
Images of patent leather boot, courtesy of Dente & Cristina
Point of differentiation:
At LYRA MAG, we pride ourselves on writing only about what we really love. A brand has to have a strong point of differentiation for us to cover it. J.M. Weston more than met our criteria.
A visit at the Madison Avenue boutique
Prior to our Madison Avenue visit, we’d mentally categorized this 116 year-old company as “ a classic” and were pleasantly surprised to find that the company has a new updated image.
We met with J.M. Weston’s Dennis Dwyer Sales Director of North America at the of 68th Street location, smack in the middle of Madison Ave. posh designer row.
It was only 10am, but there were already customers in the store, one staking out his Christmas present, the other, trying on a dozen or so pair to add to his collection.
Mr. Dwyer filled us in on J.M. Weston’s new updated image.
First, the obvious question, HOW DO Westons differ from John Lobbs?
Mr. Dwyer was the perfect person to ask as he has worked for both and has been to both factories.
J.M. Weston vs. John Lobb
At J.M.: the hides of the soles are dipped in tannin and buried for 6-9 months in a very remote part of France.
Production:= 90,000 pair per year.
At Lobb: Production= 25,000 pair per year.
The brand is more bespoke.
The J.M. Weston brand– FAST FACTS
Explained Mr. Dwyer, “A lot of the shoes have been in the collection for decades, In France, the J.M. Weston loafer is like the Gucci loafer here. But there’s still a core customer who wears the crocodile loafer in the warmer climates and South America.”
-boots: the Chelsea boot, is made on a wooden last, which accounts for the crease in the center that holds the shape of the shoe.
- Construction: 90% = Goodyear.
What that means: there’s a welt that is in between the top of the shoe and the sole.
-A nearly orthodic mid-sole: Over time, the cork mid-sole .functions much like an orthodic, but not right away. Like all fine leather shoes, you will have to wear them in. And like really fine shoes, they just get better and better over time.
-They’re built to last [just about forever].
- A premiere level of customer service bring your worn Westons back to the shop, they’ll resole and re-stitch the shoe in Limoges for $250. Voila – a new shoe!
What’s new at J.M. Weston?
Cutting edge talent, Michel Perry, started designing for the company in 2001 and has updated to “the new classics”. Specifically, the toe is elongated resulting in a sleeker silhouette thanks to a chiseled extended toe.
If you prefer the original silhouette that’s been on the market since the sixties, not to worry, it’s still available!
Also note, everything is available in fabrications ranging from calfskin, the exotics, lizard, ostrich, alligator, patent.
LYRA’s PICKS:
1. The classic Signature Loafer: aka “The 180” in calfskin for $625.
2. The sexy new patent leather boot in black for everyday or evening.
3. The ladies’ saddle shoe. The first thing we’ll do when we go to Paris this spring is to hit the J.M. Weston store and scratch our 10-year itch.
J.M. Weston, 812 Madison Avenue, NYC, tel. 212 535-2100
www.jmweston.com