Old John Lobb & Co Last

[SirKrumm]

I have been given a last with 'John Lobb & co' engraved without any further explanation about the history of this last. It is obvious a last for RTW production which John Lobb Bootmakers never did. Moreover, does the last not suggest any connections to John Lobb Paris. I asked John Lobb Bootmakers and received an answer from Jonathan Hunter Lobb that he has a recollection of a company that traded in the past under the John Lobb name as 'John Lobb & co.' I was wondering if any of the experts of British shoemaking on this forum might have some more insights to share.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

It’s a cool decorative piece for someone who is a shoe fan.

 

[xonelsiwel]

"John Lobb & Co. Ltd" aka "JL & Co. Ltd" is the Northampton, UK factory of RTW for John Lobb, under the Hermes umbrella.

 

[rwtc]

"John Lobb & Co. Ltd" aka "JL & Co. Ltd" is the Northampton, UK factory of RTW for John Lobb, under the Hermes umbrella.

That's incorrect.

John Lobb Paris is owned by Hermes - they are the producers for the RTW JL in retail stores.

John Lobb Ltd, based in England, is a separate entity. In fact, John Lobb Ltd. is suing Hermes for the right of the John Lobb name.

News - John Lobb Ltd. to sue John Lobb Paris / Hermès - Shoegazing.com

Yesterday this quite dramatic news was spread around the world, that the British bespoke shoemaker John Lobb Ltd. were threatening to take legal action

shoegazing.com

 

[xonelsiwel]

That's incorrect.

John Lobb Paris is owned by Hermes - they are the producers for the RTW JL in retail stores.

John Lobb Ltd, based in England, is a separate entity. In fact, John Lobb Ltd. is suing Hermes for the right of the John Lobb name.

News - John Lobb Ltd. to sue John Lobb Paris / Hermès - Shoegazing.com

Yesterday this quite dramatic news was spread around the world, that the British bespoke shoemaker John Lobb Ltd. were threatening to take legal action

shoegazing.com

Thank you, however JL & Co. Ltd is different than John Lobb Limited (St James St London UK). JL & Co. Ltd is the RTW Northampton factory for John Lobb, under the Hermes Umbrella.

John Lobb, under the Hermes umbrella also operates a bespoke workshop in Paris. RTW shoes are not made in France, but in the UK. Northampton JL & Co. Ltd factory pictured in the attachment photo.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

This has always been somewhat confusing to me but I’m also not a huge fan of John Lobb.

when one googles “John Lobb”, the first link that comes up is this:

https://www.johnlobb.com/en_gb/

If one digs in, this is the company which is a subsidiary of Hermès. If you look at the recruiting link, it will prove as such. This company has a bespoke line as well as an RTW line.

Farther down, one finds this:

John Lobb

Now under its fifth and present generation of hand-made boot and shoemakers, the Lobb family firm stands, as it has always done, for supremely high standards in the exacting craft of bespoke shoemaking.

www.johnlobbltd.co.uk

Note the royal warrants. I believe they are strictly bespoke though it’s hard to tell from the website.

At some time in the past, they must have been one entity and then broken up. It would be an interesting story if it were told.

 

[rwtc]

Thank you, however JL & Co. Ltd is different than John Lobb Limited (St James St London UK). JL & Co. Ltd is the RTW Northampton factory for John Lobb, under the Hermes Umbrella.

John Lobb, under the Hermes umbrella also operates a bespoke workshop in Paris. RTW shoes are not made in France, but in the UK. Northampton JL & Co. Ltd factory pictured in the attachment photo.

My apologies, you are correct.

 

[Chowkin]

Deleted

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Deleted

So were they at one point a single entity which then spun off it's RTW line to Hermes?

whoa! What happened?

 

[florent]

JL ltd had 2 workshops, one in London, one in Paris, both making bespoke only I believe. They sold the Paris workshop to Hermès in 1976 with the right to use the name John Lobb Paris.
JL Paris keep making bespoke in Paris and started a RTW line (made in Northampton) and JL ltd (aka JL London / JL St James) keep making bespoke in London.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

JL ltd had 2 workshops, one in London, one in Paris, both making bespoke only I believe. They sold the Paris workshop to Hermès in 1976 with the right to use the name John Lobb Paris.
JL Paris keep making bespoke in Paris and started a RTW line (made in Northampton) and JL ltd (aka JL London / JL St James) keep making bespoke in London.

That sounds reasonable. I didn't realize the divestiture was made so long ago. I'm guessing that shoes sold under the Hermes label are made by the same workshop as those that produce the John Lobb RTW line?

 

[xonelsiwel]

That sounds reasonable. I didn't realize the divestiture was made so long ago. I'm guessing that shoes sold under the Hermes label are made by the same workshop as those that produce the John Lobb RTW line?

Hermes now owns their own shoe manufacturing factories, mostly in Italy. However, in the past, (10 years or more) John Lobb did manufacture some styles for Hermes' collections for a couple seasons. You'll see them pop up as second-hand here or there.

Today, I believe Hermes would demand too much quantity for JL's output capacity.

 

[Texasmade]

JL ltd had 2 workshops, one in London, one in Paris, both making bespoke only I believe. They sold the Paris workshop to Hermès in 1976 with the right to use the name John Lobb Paris.
JL Paris keep making bespoke in Paris and started a RTW line (made in Northampton) and JL ltd (aka JL London / JL St James) keep making bespoke in London.

One small correction. I don’t think John Lobb Paris was ever used as an official name. It’s always been used as a short hand to distinguish between John Lobb (or as everyone calls it JL Paris) and John Lobb Ltd (JL SJ).

Also, JLP won’t do bespoke trunk shows in the UK. They’re prohibited by JLSJ while JLSJ won’t develop a RTW line since JLP prohibits them from that.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

I’m not sure why the disagreement. It sounds like both are perfectly well suited to thrive within their core competency.

It sort of reminds me of when Apple Records sued Apple Computers over the name. I think Apple Computers said something like “we promise not to make music if they promise not to make computers.”.

 

[xonelsiwel]

unsure how financially healthy JLSJ and the family are. started to see discounted deals for bespoke pre-covid (buy one, get 2nd pair £750 off.) A 40-year agreement would have expired in 2016, potentially ending royalties from Hermes, and reducing a cash flow into JLSJ. that may have most to do with the recent lawsuit.