The Redemption Handwelted Oxford Cap-Toe Shoes in French Box Calf (Last R01)
In black French box calf, the Redemption Handwelted Oxford cap toe carries the deep, lustrous finish of Tanneries d'Annonay Vocalou box calf — a combination of centuries-old tanning expertise and over 300 steps of handwork in Montegranaro, Italy, giving each pair a quiet authority that only improves with wear.
Redemption
noun: redemption; plural noun: redemptions
1. the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
Archibald was rocked to its core in April 2021. Thanks to the vigilance of one of our customers, we discovered that a shoemaker we had trusted — and built multiple dress shoe and sneaker collections alongside — had been acting fraudulently. In April 2020, during the early days of Covid-19, this maker unilaterally changed the product being delivered without informing anyone, and did so during the first iteration of our Archibald, Naked campaign.
The maker admitted to his actions upon investigation. We informed the community immediately and, over the months that followed, implemented procedures to make every affected customer whole. The financial and reputational damage was severe — endangering not only Archibald's existence but the goodwill built over seven years by the many honest craftsmen we work with.
Growth followed — as a team, a business, and a brand. We turned inward, auditing processes with every craftsman and engaging third-party expertise for new lines. The incident exposed a pattern: we had entered a niche category with little experience, trusting partners without independent oversight. We then hyped the product based on strong early feedback without proper due diligence. It was naive, immature, and a disaster waiting to happen.
This time, we shall make no such mistake.
We have been fortunate to have a guardian angel — someone with extensive knowledge and genuine passion for the product — graciously help us develop this new line of hand-welted shoes. We rebuild purely with facts (bullet points below), offering no opinion, no elaborate copy, and leaving nothing open to interpretation.
Join us on our path to right the wrong we allowed — our approach to redemption. Ships to Hong Kong.
##Handmade in Italy
The first craftsman we have partnered with for our Redemption Handwelted collection operates a small shoemaking atelier in the Montegranaro region of Italy. Montegranaro is a fairly industrial part of Italy, known for shoemaking. The advantage of this placement meant smaller artisans who were not fully vertically integrated and preferred to focus on the highest end and most traditional forms of handmade shoes could work together in a guild like system that is very similar to the one that operates in Sabae, Japan and creates our Japanese eyewear. As with Japan, the selection of which artisans are chosen to take care of each process on a given product is made by the lead craftsmen, in this case, an individual we are very proud and fortunate to partner with. One could say this seems like deja vu, for it is once again a father and son team of craftsman leading the project, however this time something is different. Not only do they rarely engage in making footwear with alternative constructions, each detail is openly and widely discussed and are eager to add to their vast knowledge to improve the end product. It is that dedication to continuous improvement, over 80 years of combined experience spanning two generations, as well as the openness to discourse and opinions with the person who we were very fortunate to join us in the execution of this endeavour that grew our confidence that this was the right fit. They understand Archibald, understand what we are trying to do and our incredibly proud about each product they deliver and representing true artistry.
##French box calfskin, oak-bark tanned soles, all in the hands of a master to create a beautiful daily-use classic oxford cap-toe.
Created in 1838, Tannerie d'Annonay, renowned for its know-how, became a worldwide benchmark in the box calf tannage. This process gives the leather durability, wear resistance, transparency, and beauty highly prized by luxury shoe and leather goods designers the world over. The tannery also has a deep commitment to sustainable practices and guarantees supplies of skins that are safe, ethical, and respectful of animal welfare, ensuring for 2022, 100% traceability of each individual skin.
##Hand-welting is a process that the luxury stalwarts often reserve for bespoke shoe-making, and if done correctly with the right attention it leads to a different footwear experience.
To be able to hand-welt a shoe, only the highest quality materials must be used, and the process has to be handled by someone highly skilled, experienced, and, as we have learned in the past, honorable. It is extremely labor, and time-intensive, and only high-grade materials can withstand channels being cut into them for the holdfast, where the stitches are driven through by hand. Put simply, hand-welting is a return to old-world craftsmanship by true artisans.
• Handmade in Montegranaro, Italy
• Construction: Handwelted
• Handclicked
• Handlasted with Leather Toe Puff and Stiffeners (Solettificio Melan - Cuoio Morbido Olio)
• Sole stitched by hand in the waist and by machine in the forefront
• Upper - Tanneries D'Annonay - Voucalou Box Calf
• Lining Counter - Tanneries D'Annonay - Voucalou Box Calf
• Lining Front - Foder Italia - Veg Tanned Lining
• Insole - Dusini (Cuoio ingrassato 5.5 mm)
• Welt - Guardolificio Mancinelli - (Guardolo Piano Goodyear 2.5 mm)
• Leather filling - leftover suedes from various tanneries 1.4 mm
• Fiddleback filling - leftover leather
• Sole - J&FJ Baker - Oak Bark Tanned, made using shaved bends 8 iron
• Sole Edge - Black
• Sole Bottom - Black and Green (waist)
• Heel construction - Seamless heel
• Heel layers - Dusini (3 layers of 5mm)
• Final Heel Layer (Leather + Rubber) - Alcantara Sottotacchi 7mm
• Laces - Oval -Round waxed laces for 3mm holes
• Metal Toe Tap - Triumph Brass (Optional)
• Last R01
• Fit: E (EE available upon request via R02W Last)
• Dust-bag included
• Use a horsehair brush to remove any dust
• Polish in small circles with a cotton cloth to restore a soft shine
• Saphir Medaille D'Or shoehorn in real horn included
