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My trip to Tricker's

unbelragazzo

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From the dawn of modern menswear, dandies have been adapting their country clothing to city living. Perhaps no other piece of clothing recalls the countryside as much as the English brogue boot for which Tricker's is famous. They have stood the test of years of hard wear many times over. A pair of Tricker's, a rifle, and a crisp fall day in the countryside might be enough to catch yourself a grouse for dinner.

Tricker's continues to make the classic models with that sturdy English construction. There is nothing dainty about these shoes. All the details are magnified – double leather sole, high storm welt, plenty of outsole left untrimmed, broguing so large it usually doesn't even fit on the toe cap, as befits a classic heavy brogue. It's a shoe that reminds you of a tractor.

The shoe's visible readiness for rough play has lured today's urban woodsman. Unlike other heritage brands that resist change, Tricker's also now produces the same designs using colors and materials that wouldn't exactly blend into a Scottish highland. After all, if you're going to drive a tractor in the city, you might as well decorate it like a parade float. Red, green, blue suedes even, combine with a rainbow of commando, vibram and dainite soles.

The vibram and crepe soles can't really be stitched through with the machines used for stitching traditional soles. Instead the insole and upper are welted and stitched to what's called a “stitched-thru” - kind of like a thinner outsole – which is then bonded to the outsole. Commando and dainite soles are bonded then stitched, just like a leather sole. That and a storm welt will get you through a rainy walk in town or country.


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Outside the Tricker's factory.

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Wooden bespoke lasts.

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A pair of bespoke shoes on the last.

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A sort of shoe sauna where uppers go to be softened up before being lasted.

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Boot uppers on the last.

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As they make their way around the factory, many shoes have their upper shrink-wrapped so that they won't be damaged while the soles are attended to.


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Crepe soles.

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Orange dainites.

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Boots.

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More boots.

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Red derby.

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Green derby.

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Chukka chukka chukka chukka...

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Vintage boots in the Tricker's showroom.
 
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Balfour

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I've been following your series closely, so thank you for posting a photo travelogue!

I've never really understood the attraction of country / town crossovers, though: Trickers are great for what they were originally designed for (your grouse moor example), but I wouldn't wear their clodhoppers with a worsted lounge suit in London.
 

LA Guy

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I've been following your series closely, so thank you for posting a photo travelogue!

I've never really understood the attraction of country / town crossovers, though:  Trickers are great for what they were originally designed for (your grouse moor example), but I wouldn't wear their clodhoppers with a worsted lounge suit in London.


A lot of the places that sell Trickers would not sell worsted lounge suits! A cursory glance of the more prolific Tricker's stockists that are not traditional stores show them being worn strictly with casual wear - in the way sneakers would be worn, for example, and with modifications like wedge crepe soles or Vibram soles. It's an example of appropriation of traditional styles into modern dress.
 

unbelragazzo

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I've been following your series closely, so thank you for posting a photo travelogue!

I've never really understood the attraction of country / town crossovers, though:  Trickers are great for what they were originally designed for (your grouse moor example), but I wouldn't wear their clodhoppers with a worsted lounge suit in London.


Cheers, Balfour, thanks for following. I agree with you on the suit, but I think they'd look great with some dark jeans at a bar in London.
 

Balfour

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facepalm.gif


Many apologies. I see this is now posted in SW&D (I followed the link from CM). Here it makes a lot more sense (if not my personal cup of tea).
 
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Hifilover

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I own a pair of stow and love it very much. While Tricker's has been excellent in making country shoes, I would very much like to see they would produce more dress shoes like that of C&J and even Edward Green.
 

LA Guy

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I own a pair of stow and love it very much. While Tricker's has been excellent in making country shoes, I would very much like to see they would produce more dress shoes like that of C&J and even Edward Green.


They do have dress shoes, but I don't really think that those are their specialties, and I'm not sure why they would make a run for that market when there are so much established players there, at every price level. I suppose that they would be banking on their customers carrying over, but I have a feeling that many of those who wear Tricker's have little or no need for shoes like those made by Edward Green.
 

kmdsimpson

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I own a pair of stow and love it very much. While Tricker's has been excellent in making country shoes, I would very much like to see they would produce more dress shoes like that of C&J and even Edward Green.



They do have dress shoes, but I don't really think that those are their specialties, and I'm not sure why they would make a run for that market when there are so much established players there, at every price level. I suppose that they would be banking on their customers carrying over, but I have a feeling that many of those who wear Tricker's have little or no need for shoes like those made by Edward Green.


They have a nice, though limited, range of mid-tier dress shoes. Take a look at these collections on their website:
http://www.trickers.com/collections/mens/1829_collection/1829_collection.htm
http://www.trickers.com/collections/mens/jermyn_st_collection/jermyn_street_collection.htm

There are also quite a few posts from people who have their dress shoes in this thread:
http://www.styleforum.net/t/118908/in-praise-of-trickers/15

They're not competing with C&J and EG, though.
 

Sashu

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Fantastic shots! I always love being taken on a brief tour of how something is made, especially when it's as iconic as a Tricker's boot.

Those green derbies are just gorgeous.
 

Hifilover

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They do have dress shoes, but I don't really think that those are their specialties, and I'm not sure why they would make a run for that market when there are so much established players there, at every price level. I suppose that they would be banking on their customers carrying over, but I have a feeling that many of those who wear Tricker's have little or no need for shoes like those made by Edward Green.


I actually wear Tricker's after work and have to wear dress shoes for most of the time during the week. What I mean is that with their great workmanship, it would be great if they can create dress shoes of high standard so that we can have additional choice in that category. Their double monk as appeared in another thread is really comparable to those offered by C&J! Really look forward to more quality dress shoes from Tricker's.
 

Angeland

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I hate this thread because the originator failed to nab a pair of those stubby Stows (in gold, unless I am wrong?) in size 12 and ship them to me!

Please, sir, for what retailer are those being made? Did you learn?
 

princealbert

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Yes I couldn't help noticing those 5 eyelet Stows.

I probably own too many Trickers already but I'd love a pair of those.
 

Tom Violence

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Those burgundy boot uppers are gorgeous
Very glad you like them. Richard from Shoehealer sent me a link to this thread as they happen to be a MTO pair that I ordered through him - so I thought I'd join the forums to share a picture of the finished product. They're a pair of Low Leg Loggers in Lollipop Red (although they do have a burgundy colour in certain lighting), and I have to say I'm very happy with them.

I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here, but I cannot recommend Richard and his team highly enough. Friendly, professional and extremely knowledgeable. I don't think I've had a better online purchasing experience anywhere.
 
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