In terms of Masculine elegance, J. M. Weston is definitely a reference. You can ask any man around the world to quote 2 or 3 Shoes brand and you can be sure Weston will be one of them. The great work of this manufacture over the years has proved that doing things in the right way always pays. Here is what JM Weston has been up to and you will see, the revival of the dandy is stronger than never.
J. M. Weston, a matter of excellence at work.
The story of this amazing luxury brand would start in 1891 when Edouard Blanchard founds a workshop in Limoges that specializes in manufacturing shoes. Then, the beginning of the new century opened the doors of traveling and his son, Eugène Blanchard decides to travel to the USA to learn the goodyear welting. It was in the city of Weston, close to Boston that he learned all the secrets of good shoe-making. In 1922 the brand J. M. Weston is created and the first store in Paris is opened.
The success of J.M. Weston is also due to the fact they master the entire process, from the leather to the shoe making. All Made in France at the state of the art. Here is a film that explains the entire process at the Manufacture and the Tannerie. It is amazing to see how many steps exist to create a pair of shoes. In the film, everything starts with a creative idea from the Artistic Director of the House, Michel Perry. And each step is simply perfect.
Michel Perry, the creative mind behind the elegance of J. M. Weston.
Since 2001, Michel Perry has been designing the collection for J.M.Weston and thanks to his strong taste for elegance he was able to remain faithful to the Luxury house style and heritage. He successfully improved the different collections and brought a new wind of creativity to the Brand. The Brand’s name might sound anglo-saxon but the style is 100% pure Parisian chic. From casual mocassins to Business dandy and Derby Golfers, you can find the perfect shoes for you.
Michel Perry has a sharp pencil. Every new draw reflects an unlimited taste for an elegant allure. The lines are precise and there is always something to say about every shoe he designed during the past 13 years. Style is a pure matter of talent.
J.M. Weston, the Mocassin went from a simple Shoe to a fashion icon.
According to the Brand, the Mocassin is a cultural reference, symbol of the “Drugstore Gang” generation, and firmly established in the French heritage. A true icon, the moccasin is an integral part of J.M. Weston’s history. Made in Limoges, available in seven widths per half size, its crafting has remained unchanged since 1946. It is a model that can be reinterpreted indefinitely, to meet the needs and desires of each new generation.
The definition of a Mocassin, as Wikipedia explains, is a shoe, made of deerskin or other soft leather, consisting of a sole and sides made of one piece of leather, stitched together at the top, and sometimes with a vamp (additional panel of leather). The sole is soft and flexible and the upper part often is adorned with embroidery or beading. Historically, it is the footwear of many indigenous peoples of North America; moreover, hunters, traders, and European settlers wore them. The oldest moccasin was dated 5’500 years old.
From the famous black Mocassin from Michael Jackson, Presidents, Business men and other dandies, the Mocassin became part of the basics in terms of masculine elegance. It is one of the classics that any gentleman needs to have in their garde-robe. Of course J.M. Weston has different variations from the Mocassin or Loafer. Here some examples so that you can appreciate the amazing pure lines.
J.M. Weston, a luxury house that is a true inspiration for Artists.
J.M.Weston has an amazing richness in terms of shoes creation. Several new models have populated the Brand Catalog and some of them are truly jewels of the masculine elegance. From the iconic Loafers, to Ankle boots, Oxfords, Derbys and Trainers.
J.M.Weston often opens its doors to outstanding collaborations with other artists, friends of the House. Here are some examples of such collaborations. One of the first collaborations was with Jean Charles Castelbajac who revisited the iconic Loafer with the French designer iconic colors.
A more recent collaboration was with Maison Kitsuné in 2011. When Kitsuné got its hands on J.M. Weston’s classics to create a new interpretation of them, the narrative drew on an imaginary American straight out of the Hamptons. Here is the video talking about the collaboration.
2014, J.M. Weston invites Charlie Casey Hayford.
Truthful to its habit of inviting great artists to collaborate in a special collection, J.M. Weston invites this year Charlie Casey Hayford. You can be sure that the result can only be outstanding.
Charlie Casey Hayford is a fashion child. During his studies in the prestigious Saint Martin School, he is approached by the popular Japanese menswear title Men’s Non-No to document his personal style in a street-style feature, which appeared on a monthly basis over a three-year period. He began working with other Japanese publications and went on to contribute to a number of styling projects. He now styles and consults on a number of projects internationally. He founded international menswear brand Casely-Hayford at the age of 22 with his father, the acclaimed British fashion designer Joe Casely-Hayford.
But how Charlie Casey Hayford met J.M. Weston? According to Cédric Dauch, Communication Director of J.M. Weston: “this collaboration is the result of a natural process in J.M. Weston: Giving a voice to young artists and support when the values of two houses seem common. Charlie Casely Hayford is the son of a tailor and this link between generations is a strong element of DNA at J.M. Weston“.
It was during a dinner when Michel Perry met Charlie Casey Hayford. The stream between the 2 creators flew naturally. They decided to collaborate together. The first result was during the very first fashion show by Caseley-Hayford at London’s fashion week. J.M. Weston accessorized all the models with Shoes. The 2 brand universes have a natural fit, so the next step was the invitation by J.M. Weston to collaborate in a sort of Capsule Shoes collection.
Influenced by common references, Michel Perry and Charlie Casely-Hayford chose to rethink the iconic references of J.M. Weston. Created in the 30s, they were already echoes of a british trend blowing on Paris at that time: a bridge between France and England was born. J.M. Weston therefore draw its inspiration in this sporty chic style, echoing a lifestyle conveyed by the English aristocracy, fond of hunting parties and other outdoor activities.
According to J.M. Weston, the result of this collaboration could be described as France meets England. Indeed, the French elegance is through this collaboration, pigmented with the British humor and eccentricity. Charlie Casely-Hayford reinterprets in his own way, the famous Prince of Wales pattern, traditionally used in the manufacture of English dandies suits. He affixes here on dual and triple sole derbies, by offering two color tones of black and white. It also grows originality by offering a version where a metal calf strip underscores the shape of the shoe, with reference to the shoes worn by Ska followers, omnipresent in England in the 60s.
The series of portraits photos were done by Rory Van Millingen. Rory Van Millingen is a fashion photographer. Rory photography was already seen in Wallpaper, GQ, L’Officiel, Re-Bel, Arena Homme+ or T Mag. Rory Van Millingen is also used to work with Charlie Casey Hayford for his own Brand Caseley-Hayford.
The collection resulting f this amazing collaboration will be sold in London, Paris and Tokyo. To learn more about J.M. Weston and its amazing collection of shoes but also accessories, please visit the Brand official website here: http://www.jmweston.com . Or connect with the Brand online Facebook fan community at the official page here: https://www.facebook.com/jmwestonofficiel
J.M. Weston is probably one of the most interesting true Luxury French houses. The richness of its history and heritage is a true force to propose future creations, always marked by the iconic W.
Info sourced at J.M. Weston official communication release, wikipedia, Caseley-Hayford website, Rory Van Millingen website. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available.
