Rare Skills & Authenticity | Penelope Chilvers

Our collections are lovingly made by Spanish artisans who care passionately about their craft and whose knowledge has been passed down from generation to generation. As a brand, we believe in preserving these rare manufacturing techniques and incorporate them into our collections. Our factories are family-owned - many of them experts in the footwear construction known as the Goodyear welt. This Victorian method is generally used to make men’s formal shoes but is also synonymous with our brand and its reputation for high quality and comfort.

Vegetable-dye leathers ready for cutting

Boot lasts & leather uppers

Trimming the leather uppers

Long Tassel boots ready for polishing and packaging

Classic With A Twist

It’s all in the detail. Our collections draw on the history of equestrian design bridging traditional techniques with contemporary design and style. We add authentic detail such as ‘Caramelo’ stitching and punched leather brogue design to natural and treated leathers to create modern interpretations of the classics.

The 'Caramelo'

Orange deerskin linings

References to classical shoemaking

Hand drawn stencils

Metallic twists

Signature details

The Process I

Cutting the patterns is a skill itself. Although we sew on machines and use heavy machinery, we consider our products to be made by

hand - many skilled hands.

Checking pattern pieces

Specialist boot making tools

Trocel die cutters for leather insoles

Cut linings

Suede scalloped edges

Glue to hold the cut pieces in place before stitching

The Process II

Sewing & reinforcing the boot uppers.

Leather components ready for sewing

Natural coloured threads add topstitch detail

Stitching the pattern pieces together

Scalloped edged zip keeps and tassels

Signature branded ribbon pulls are inserted into the back seams

Handcrafting the boots

The Process III

Here below, follow the Goodyear welt process - a footwear construction originating in the Victorian era and most commonly associated with traditional men’s shoes. The majority of our collection is produced using this construction, ensuring that our styles have flexibility, comfort and longevity.

Adding the counter to the heel as reinforcement

The upper, once sewn, is blocked

The leather settles into its form on the last

Adding the welt

The gap between the sole and the insole is filled with a cushion of cork for added comfort

The Process IV

Soles and heels are added.

Our brand dye

Our logo is a symbol of the creative process; everything starts up in the air

Handcrafted leather heels

Protected leather soles

The edges are painted by hand

Hey presto!

The Process V

Our products are finished by hand with love and care. We choose to manufacture close to home, in Spain, to keep our carbon footprint low. Only biodegradable materials are used in our packaging and we never pack with plastic. Leather and fabric offcuts are never thrown away but used instead to create new products for our seasonal Waste Not Want Not collections.

Boots wrapped in tissue

Our cardboard boxes

Minimal wastage

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