Church's Appreciation Thread

[shoefan57]

This looks like the beginning of the end for one of the greatest. £23m loss last year. Trickers lost £

Are Church's still made in England? Many of the shoes on their website list the origin as "imported". Imported from where is the question?

I can’t see where the website says the shoe is “imported”. Please would you tell me where to look. I have assumed for a while that where the website does not say “Made in Northampton “ then the shoe has made “off shore”

 

[vegancrabcakes]

I can’t see where the website says the shoe is “imported”. Please would you tell me where to look. I have assumed for a while that where the website does not say “Made in Northampton “ then the shoe has made “off shore”

Basically every single shoe on their website, under "product description", simply says "imported".

See this one for example.

https://www.church-footwear.com/us/en/men/style/oxfords/products.Calf_Leather_Oxford.EEC383_9WF_F0AAB_F_000000.html

 

[shoefan57]

Basically every single shoe on their website, under "product description", simply says "imported".

See this one for example.

https://www.church-footwear.com/us/en/men/style/oxfords/products.Calf_Leather_Oxford.EEC383_9WF_F0AAB_F_000000.html

I see what you mean. However on the US website even the traditional shoes say "imported`' whereas on the UK website these say "Made in Northampton". So, I think that it simply means imported from the UK into the US.

 

[pasadena man]

Iconic British shoemaker embarks on ‘heartbreaking’ cost-cutting spree​

Church’s slashes jobs and closes shops following drop in demand from Asian tourists​

By Daniel Woolfson20 October 2023 • 12:09pm
Church’s, the 150 year-old Northampton shoemaker, has been forced to cut jobs and close shops after a drop off in Asian tourists visiting its shops.
The company, which made Tony Blair’s “lucky” shoes that he wore for PMQs while Prime Minister, has been forced into a major restructure of its business after losing almost £50m over the last two years.
Church’s has closed 24 shops around the world and slashed jobs “across all areas of the business”, directors wrote in newly published accounts.
The company lost £23.6m last year, saying fewer tourists from Asia visiting its shops were partly to blame.
Church’s made around 50 redundancies at its Northamptonshire factory earlier this year, including some employees who had worked there for decades.
Gary Clarke, 60, told the Northampton Chronicle and Echo in April: “I gave 44 years of my working life to the company and it is such a shame. All other boot and shoe companies seem to be prospering, but not Church’s.
“It’s heartbreaking and I know others are in the exact same situation as me.”
Church’s has been struggling to turn around performance after sales crashed to a 40-year low in 2021 during the pandemic. Industry watchers have claimed a decision to raise prices contributed to the slump. A pair of the company’s handmade shoes can cost upwards of £900.
Sales more than doubled in 2022, rising from £6m to £13.3m as the effect of the pandemic eased.
However, pre-tax losses narrowed only slightly, shrinking from £24.7m to £23.6m.
Church’s was set-up by shoemaker Thomas Church in 1873. The formerly family-owned business has been owned by Prada since 1999, when the Italian luxury goods giant bought the company in a $170m deal.

Tony Blair wore the same pair of Church's shoes to every Prime Minister's Questions between 1997 and 2007Credit: PA Wire
Mr Blair credited his repeated success at the despatch box to a pair of lucky Church’s Chetwynd brogues that he wore religiously to every Prime Minister’s Questions between 1997 and 2007.
The former Prime Minister told The Times in 2007: “I know it’s ridiculous, but I’ve worn them for every PMQ’s. I’ve actually had them for 18 years.”
The pair are believed to have cost Mr Blair around £150 but today sell for £940.
Church’s shoes have also been worn by two James Bonds: Pierce Brosnan wore them in Goldeneye and The World is Not Enough, while Daniel Craig wore a pair in Quantum of Solace.
A spokesman for the company told The Telegraph: “In light of the challenging environment in which we are operating, we have had to make a number of difficult decisions but are confident that these changes will set Church’s up for success.
“Over the past two years, we have been focused on a significant reorganisation of Church’s to put the business on a strong footing and ensure sustainable, long-term growth.
“We remain committed to strengthening Church’s industrial heritage in Northampton and ensure that this distinctly British brand can grow long into the future.”

More detail on the Church’s lay off from the Northampton newspaper; a reduction of about 50 at the Northampton factory, after a prior, earlier, 2023 reduction of 15-20. Current staff is about 120, down 33%, from 175-180 at the start of the year. Ex-employee said the factory once employed 400, so current workforce is down 70% from that peak.

Redundancies made by Northampton shoe factory left long-standing employee hurt by decision

“I gave 44 years of my working life to this company, only to be made redundant”

www.northamptonchron.co.uk

Prada sales overall are up strongly. Their annual report stresses their companywide strategy of vertical integration, which includes an emphasis on sales through company owned stores. With the covid/casualization drops in sales of dress shoes, Church’s traditional strength, this left a high fixed cost overhang resulting in disproportionate losses when volume fell.

So they desperately needed to quickly increase revenue and then took the 2021 pricing increase that brought their flagship model prices to about $1000, well above comparable quality English offerings such as C & J. They had previously been priced at a premium, but close level, to competitors such as Cheaney and C & J.

The pricing increase has not stemmed the losses and has eroded the brand’s competitive position.

I am sure there are other factors. SF in general, and the Church’s thread in particular, tends to blame Prada. That may be rightfully so, per the above, from a business strategy POV.

My sense on their traditional dress shoe segment (my personal interest in the brand) is that quality has remained good. And there is no reason it shouldn’t have. They were/are still manufactured in England, by an experienced work force, in their long-time factory, presumably with the traditional capital equipment.

I think it is fair to say that their attempts to expand outside that segment have not been successful, or they would not be in these difficulties.

What is the sense in England? It’s hard to get a good feel from 6000 miles away in California.

 

[rakuskus]

First time saw prada shoes made by church’s. Seen on Ebay

 

[BearStearns]

First time saw prada shoes made by church’s. Seen on Ebay

View attachment 2068323 View attachment 2068325 View attachment 2068327 View attachment 2068329

They were fine until I saw the tongue. That is high fashion for you, everything needs to be just a tad bit insufferable. But honestly, the logo tag on the tongue makes these look a terrible fake from Chinatown.

In any case, it's interesting to see so thanks for sharing.

 

[jellyroller]

First time saw prada shoes made by church’s. Seen on Ebay

View attachment 2068323 View attachment 2068325 View attachment 2068327 View attachment 2068329

Yikes

 

[shoefan57]

More detail on the Church’s lay off from the Northampton newspaper; a reduction of about 50 at the Northampton factory, after a prior, earlier, 2023 reduction of 15-20. Current staff is about 120, down 33%, from 175-180 at the start of the year. Ex-employee said the factory once employed 400, so current workforce is down 70% from that peak.

Redundancies made by Northampton shoe factory left long-standing employee hurt by decision

“I gave 44 years of my working life to this company, only to be made redundant”

www.northamptonchron.co.uk

Prada sales overall are up strongly. Their annual report stresses their companywide strategy of vertical integration, which includes an emphasis on sales through company owned stores. With the covid/casualization drops in sales of dress shoes, Church’s traditional strength, this left a high fixed cost overhang resulting in disproportionate losses when volume fell.

So they desperately needed to quickly increase revenue and then took the 2021 pricing increase that brought their flagship model prices to about $1000, well above comparable quality English offerings such as C & J. They had previously been priced at a premium, but close level, to competitors such as Cheaney and C & J.

The pricing increase has not stemmed the losses and has eroded the brand’s competitive position.

I am sure there are other factors. SF in general, and the Church’s thread in particular, tends to blame Prada. That may be rightfully so, per the above, from a business strategy POV.

My sense on their traditional dress shoe segment (my personal interest in the brand) is that quality has remained good. And there is no reason it shouldn’t have. They were/are still manufactured in England, by an experienced work force, in their long-time factory, presumably with the traditional capital equipment.

I think it is fair to say that their attempts to expand outside that segment have not been successful, or they would not be in these difficulties.

What is the sense in England? It’s hard to get a good feel from 6000 miles away in California.

I live in England but can’t answer your question exactly, save to say that a retailer of the brand told me that they’re not making the reliable quality shoes any more. Things are hit and miss also in terms of QC and delivery times. All in all, from that conversation I got a picture of a company struggling to right itself after the twin blows of Brexit and the pandemic.
My own view is that Prada don’t understand the quality traditional shoe market nor how to evolve that product like C&J have. They went for revolution instead and, it seems crashed the car!

 

[rakuskus]

Anyone has experience with the 136 last? church’s official website says they recommend to take half size down. Is this true?

 

[William Kazak]

Anyone has experience with the 136 last? church’s official website says they recommend to take half size down. Is this true?

I don't know the exact shoe that you are referring to but I measure 9.5 and I wear a 9 in all of my Church's shoes. I was fitted In Chicago on Wabash back when the had a storefront. I have their captoes and wingtips.

 

[rakuskus]

Church's is my first proper shoes that I bought around 8-9 years ago. I just want to share what I buy until today.

From top to bottom
1. Farmcote 168 last in tabac bookbinder
2. Chetwynd 173 last in nevada brown
3. Lancaster 100 last in black calf
4. Consul 173 last in black calf
5. Consul 100 last in brown calf
6. Granby 173 last in black calf
7. Toronto 136 last in black calf, took a size down as Church's suggested.

 

[BurgundyOxfords]

I love my Church's McFarland 133 G 7UK boots but unfortunately half a size too small for me (it fitted just fine in the store at the time) should have stayed with 7,5 UK G like my 1st pair. Compared to Cheaney boots these look way more refined.
Last year while trying a pair of Dinkelacker boots the sales person couldn't stop talking about how the british understand how to make a boot while looking at my Mcfarlands.

PM if interested.

 

[BurgundyOxfords]

View attachment 2090557

Church's is my first proper shoes that I bought around 8-9 years ago. I just want to share what I buy until today.

From top to bottom
1. Farmcote 168 last in tabac bookbinder
2. Chetwynd 173 last in nevada brown
3. Lancaster 100 last in black calf
4. Consul 173 last in black calf
5. Consul 100 last in brown calf
6. Granby 173 last in black calf
7. Toronto 136 last in black calf, took a size down as Church's suggested.

One thing that always hit me is, whenever I tried churches in store they never tend to crease much. My mcFarlanes 133 boots have no creasing after 3 years

 

[othertravel]

I love my Church's McFarland 133 G 7UK boots but unfortunately half a size too small for me (it fitted just fine in the store at the time) should have stayed with 7,5 UK G like my 1st pair. Compared to Cheaney boots these look way more refined.
Last year while trying a pair of Dinkelacker boots the sales person couldn't stop talking about how the british understand how to make a boot while looking at my Mcfarlands.

PM if interested.
View attachment 2104649

I have these in black in 7.5UK G. Excellent boots!

Have you thought of stretching them?

 

[BurgundyOxfords]

No

I have these in black in 7.5UK G. Excellent boots!

Have you thought of stretching them?

I have not. How do u stretch these? Or do you let the cobbler do it?