Founded in Northampton in 1866 by William Green, Grenson shoes have come a long way from their cottage industry origins to becoming the fashion statement they are today. Originally a menswear footwear brand, Grenson now offers premium quality leather footwear to women who need something ageless and comfortable that can be worn all year round. The UK based brand is favoured by many including celebrities including Jodie Comer and Holly Willoughby who famously wore them in the jungle. They are popular across the globe because of their lightweight sole and soft leather making them easier to break in than similar leather footwear brands. Using old shoe construction techniques, Grenson are made to last and can be easily paired with any outfit making them the perfect Autumn wardrobe staple.

Brand History

William Green opened his first Green & Son factory in 1874 when shoemaking machinery had been invented. This was one of the first factories to use the ‘Goodyear Welt’ method which is still used to make Grenson shoes today. The business was so successful that in 1895 Green eventually opened a state-of-the-art factory which Grenson used until 2013. In 1901 William died and left Green & Son to his son CAK who later registered the business and shortened it’s name to ‘Grenson’ to modernise the company. This powerful name still dominates the shoe industry today. By 1950 the only remaining member of the Green family was Hayden Green who visited America and India learning about new construction techniques and taking inspiration from America’s love of soft, comfortable shoes which he used to create new and innovative designs. In 2010 the brand was taken over by Tim Little who opened the first Grenson stores in the UK and began the first range of women’s footwear. Since then Grenson has continued to grow in popularity, appealing to people of all ages around the world.

‘Goodyear Welt’

The Goodyear Welt is one of 250 steps in an eight week long construction process which makes Grenson footwear so durable. This process was invented in the UK in the 1800s and involves sewing a strip of leather known as a ‘welt’ to the bottom of the shoe before the sole is attached and sewn together. This construction method is time consuming, expensive and requires a lot of skill but keeps footwear long lasting and easy to re-sole in the future, making Grenson an excellent wardrobe investment.

Seasonal Styling

This season Grenson brings us the knee-length ‘Nanette Hi’ which comes in a black Colorado leather with an inside zip so you can customize the lacing to fit just about every leg shape. For something a little shorter we have the calf-height Chelsea boot ‘Doris’ which is made from supple black pull-up leather. These longer boot styles can be paired with a dress and some chunky knits this Autumn (just add tights in the winter!). Another Chelsea boot style this season is ‘Nova’ which comes in a supple black leather and an Italian peat-coloured suede. We also carry the classic ‘Nanette’ styles in black Colorado leather and a richly toned hand painted tan. These shorter styles are more easily paired with trousers as well as dresses and skirts. Grenson boots are easy to pop on with any outfit and the soft subtle leather means that you will have minimal breaking-in so you can put them on straight from the box with a good pair of socks for added comfort.

Discover More

Shop the latest collection by Grenson exclusively on sale at Rio Brazil, Victoria Square Belfast for Northern Ireland, or visit us online at https://www.mrandmrsstitch.com