Northern Cobbler is a unique, independent British shoe brand with their own concept store in the Clarendon Park area of Leicester. The store, which opened in 2015, not only acts to showcase their latest collections, it is also a way to share their passion for great coffee and cake. They even have their own Northern Cobbler speciality coffee blend!
The store is located on Queens Road, about a 20 minute walk from the city centre. It is tastefully designed, both inside and out. It is bright and airy, thanks to its corner plot and the decor is very much something you'd see on Instagram or Pinterest. There is so much attention to detail, and it's these little touches that cement Northern Cobbler as very much a lifestyle brand. From the greenery, ladder shelves (my personal weakness) and the copper price tags on the products, everything is so aesthetically pleasing.
The owners had put on a spread of bite-sized cakes for us, including salted caramel macarons, lemon and lavender shortbread, mini lemon meringue pies, and they were all delightful. I washed those down with a cup of tea because I'm a basic bitch, but I wish I'd sampled their signature coffee blend, or one of the hot chocolates.
Image c/o Northern Cobbler
The idea for Northern Cobbler actually started 7 years prior to the launch by two Leicester locals, Steffan Safhill and Feroza Bham. Their aim was to create quality shoes with coveted design features, and so went away to develop the necessary experience and knowledge, and returned well-equipped to bring Northern Cobbler to life. They have worked with expert craftsmen and the finest cobblers in the UK and Portugal, to create hand-crafted footwear of the finest quality.
The SS16 collection focuses on modern, fashion forward designs, whilst still being comfortable and completely wearable with quality fabrics and finishes. There were a good few pairs that I fell in love with, and they would all make great investment pieces.
We all had our eyes on the Mooneye Shoe (£230), available in both oxblood and black. I really liked the vintage-style burnished hardware and androgynous monk style. Although I didn't see them in store, I've been seriously eyeing up these amazing Eeelpout Black Boots (now £125) ever since. They are so different to anything I've seen previously. The Eeelpouts have such a high fashion look with the shape of the heel and buckled detailing. I have a feeling these pairs are both from the AW15 collection, so won't be around for long. Do I, don't I...?
Some of the other designs that caught my eye were the sleek lines of the black and white Cavefish loafers (now £105). There is just so much attention to detail here, from the stitching on the lightly pointed toe, to the gold accents on the lacing. I'd slip these on with a pair of ankle grazer tailored trousers or jeans and a relaxed fitting shirt to add a unique twist to the daily uniform.
I also fell in love with the newer, more summery designs, and longed for the weather to wear them (it was raining at the time!). The black loafer-style sandals, with tassel detailing would be perfect to wear on long summer days, especially when you still need to look really put together. Comfortable, yet smart enough to wear for meetings, these would be perfect to wear with culottes or city shorts for a stylish look. These sandals are also available in white (equally as lust-worthy btw) and have yet to hit the website, but are sure to be a sell-out.
I'm all for supporting local brands, and Northern Cobbler are so passionate and unique. You would never think that a shoe boutique/coffee shop hybrid would work, but they come together so beautifully. So much thought has gone into the brand, and both elements are strong enough to work independently of each other. Yet bring them together and the result is a concept store that depicts a lifestyle I sure as hell want to buy into. You can find the store at 104 Queen's Road, Leicester.
Which pair of Northern Cobbler shoes is your favourite?
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