Loake craftsmanship has contemporary appeal

For autumn/winter 03/04, Loake have combined traditional craftsmanship with a strong awareness of contemporary trends to create new designs that have instant style credibility and appeal. Building on the success of the younger Design Loake range, Loake introduce a new Goodyear Welted collection with a slimmer chisel toe. Four styles - a Chelsea boot, zip boot, lace-up Derby and a lace-up shoe --- come in soft, semi-matt full grain leathers in either black or tan. In the Shoemakers range, strong sellers for the current season have been the heavier grained leather and rubber soled styles. Autumn/winter 03/04 sees the addition of two new designs on the same last - a plain Gibson and a Chelsea boot - both in brown waxy leather with a Dainite sole. The highly successful launch of Loake's premium Loake Since 1880 range prompts the addition of two new styles for the season in finest hand burnished calf leather and a new suede option. On offer to a select number of exclusive retailers, production of the 1880 range has been increased to meet demand. The typical Loake customer is increasingly difficult to define. Today, the company's fine, handcrafted Goodyear Welted shoes grace the feet of a diverse range of devotees, from City gents to style leaders, all of whom know the value of 'proper' men's footwear. Part of the reason for the widening appeal is the trend towards more tailored styling. But there is also a growing awareness among younger customers of the exceptional quality that only traditional skills and a family heritage can achieve. Loake's enduring commitment to a smarter world started in 1880 when brothers Thomas, John and William Loake opened a factory in Northamptonshire with the aim of producing the most handsome, comfortable and durable men's footwear possible. Loake continue to be family-owned and pride themselves on the addition to detail required to create outstanding quality footwear. Visit [http://www.loake.co.uk]