Loake

Founded by brothers John, Thomas and William Loake in 1880, Loake Shoemakers is still run by the fifth generation of the family. Its beautiful shoes and boots are still made in Wood Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire, in the heart of the English shoemaking region. Loake specialises in men's traditionally crafted, handmade, Goodyear-welted shoes. Construction of some styles involves the input of 130 skilled workers, up to 75 shoe parts and over 200 different operations. Making footwear as good as this can take eight weeks from start to finish.