Tricker's Shoes Collection
In the pantheon of national shoemaking traditions, there are few (if any) that rival England’s. Of all the shoemaking regions in England, there is nowhere that even approaches the reputation of Northampton. Within Northampton, there is one shoemaker that rises above the rest: Tricker’s.
Tricker’s not only upholds the highest standards of craftsmanship and quality, they also hold the enviable title of oldest shoemaker in Britain. Since being founded by Joseph Tricker in 1829, the company has survived innumerable ups and downs in the footwear industry, two world wars, and all the while maintained their status as a shoemaker of the highest order. You can imagine why we’re excited to introduce them to the shop.
In 1642, the first year of the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell passed through Northampton with his army and needed to equip his troops with some durable footwear for the battles ahead. He met with local leather workers and requested 2000 pairs of boots for his soldiers. This was the first step into large scale shoemaking in Northampton, reshaping what had previously been a local craft into something resembling a modern manufacturing industry. This also helped establish the reputation of Northampton shoes across the British Isles. Demand steadily increased over the next two centuries and Northampton’s shoemaking industry boomed.
In 1642, the first year of the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell passed through Northampton with his army and needed to equip his troops with some durable footwear for the battles ahead. He met with local leather workers and requested 2000 pairs of boots for his soldiers. This was the first step into large scale shoemaking in Northampton, reshaping what had previously been a local craft into something resembling a modern manufacturing industry. This also helped establish the reputation of Northampton shoes across the British Isles. Demand steadily increased over the next two centuries and Northampton’s shoemaking industry boomed.
When Joseph Tricker founded his company in 1829, he was a small fish in a very big pond. The Northampton shoemaking industry was at its peak in the early to mid-19th century, swelling to over 1,800 shoemakers by 1840. Tricker’s was presumably a respectable yet unremarkable operation during these early years. In 1848, Joseph Tricker’s seven-year-old son-in-law made a model boot. The simple silhouette of this boot gestured towards the future of men’s footwear, becoming an inspiration for the country boots and shoes that Tricker’s would become famous for in the coming decades.
The onset of the 20th century saw two pivotal changes for Tricker’s. Firstly, they moved into a new factory in 1904, the same one they work out of today. Secondly, and most importantly, was the introduction of the Goodyear welting machine into the Tricker’s production line. This revolutionary technology signaled a shift away from the entirely handmade shoes of the 19th century and offered an improvement in both production efficiency and shoe performance. Goodyear welting allows the upper of a shoe to be attached to the insole without having to attach the outsole at the same time. This means the outsole can be attached with a different set of stitches on the outside of the upper, which avoids creating seams for water to easily penetrate. The result is a supremely durable and water-resistant shoe. Today, Tricker’s still uses the Goodyear welting technique in combination with traditional processes done by hand. If it ain’t broke for 100+ years, don’t fix it!
The onset of the 20th century saw two pivotal changes for Tricker’s. Firstly, they moved into a new factory in 1904, the same one they work out of today. Secondly, and most importantly, was the introduction of the Goodyear welting machine into the Tricker’s production line. This revolutionary technology signaled a shift away from the entirely handmade shoes of the 19th century and offered an improvement in both production efficiency and shoe performance. Goodyear welting allows the upper of a shoe to be attached to the insole without having to attach the outsole at the same time. This means the outsole can be attached with a different set of stitches on the outside of the upper, which avoids creating seams for water to easily penetrate. The result is a supremely durable and water-resistant shoe. Today, Tricker’s still uses the Goodyear welting technique in combination with traditional processes done by hand. If it ain’t broke for 100+ years, don’t fix it!
As the 20th century moved along, Tricker’s waterproof country boots steadily grew in popularity with anyone who set foot in the country. Everyone from farmers to landed gentry hopped on the Tricker’s bandwagon. In 1937, Tricker’s solidified their place as a premier country shoemaker when they introduced the Stow Boot and Bourton Brogue to celebrate the coronation of King George VI. These models have never been discontinued and are bestsellers to this day. Interestingly, the Stow Country Boot bears a striking resemblance to the model that Tricker’s son-in-law made in 1848.
Today, Tricker’s stands as one of the few remaining traditional Northampton shoemakers. They survived the decline of the English shoemaking industry in the late 20th century as manufacturing moved overseas, and they’ve come out the other side with all their old-school methods intact. Tricker’s fortunes were certainly buoyed in 1989 when Prince Charles awarded them with a Royal Warrant for shoe manufacturing—hard to ignore a compliment like that! Against all odds, Tricker’s has remained faithful to the tradition of English shoemaking and it’s that craftsmanship that drew us to the brand in the first place. For FW21 we’re thrilled to introduce Tricker’s to the shop with two versions of their gorgeous Daniel Tramping Shoe. This robust derby comes in a stain resistant Repello suede and a black Olivvia leather. Olivvia leather is vegetable tanned using olive leaves, which avoids all the harmful compounds used in chrome tanning and guarantees that the waste is completely non-toxic. Tricker’s also happens to be the only shoemaker in the world using Olivvia leather. Despite being nearly two centuries old, Tricker’s is still adopting new techniques and materials in the name of improvement, and you can bet the quality speaks for itself.
Today, Tricker’s stands as one of the few remaining traditional Northampton shoemakers. They survived the decline of the English shoemaking industry in the late 20th century as manufacturing moved overseas, and they’ve come out the other side with all their old-school methods intact. Tricker’s fortunes were certainly buoyed in 1989 when Prince Charles awarded them with a Royal Warrant for shoe manufacturing—hard to ignore a compliment like that! Against all odds, Tricker’s has remained faithful to the tradition of English shoemaking and it’s that craftsmanship that drew us to the brand in the first place. For FW21 we’re thrilled to introduce Tricker’s to the shop with two versions of their gorgeous Daniel Tramping Shoe. This robust derby comes in a stain resistant Repello suede and a black Olivvia leather. Olivvia leather is vegetable tanned using olive leaves, which avoids all the harmful compounds used in chrome tanning and guarantees that the waste is completely non-toxic. Tricker’s also happens to be the only shoemaker in the world using Olivvia leather. Despite being nearly two centuries old, Tricker’s is still adopting new techniques and materials in the name of improvement, and you can bet the quality speaks for itself.
