Inside Crockett And Jones With Managing Director Jonathan Jones
A master of shoemaking since 1879, Crockett & Jones has built a reputation for crafting the finest shoes from their headquarters in Northampton. Still family-run, the brand continues to grow its loyal customer base, who all appreciate handcrafted Goodyear-welted footwear that are made with the same care as they were over a century ago.
It's no surprise then, that the brand appeals to well-dressed men. Worn by some of the most quintessentially British names, cue Daniel Craig (as James Bond), Prince William, Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hardy, Crockett & Jones has been their go-to for everything from red carpets to royal engagements.
Managing Director Jonathan Jones, great-grandson of co-founder Charles Jones
Managing Director Jonathan Jones, great-grandson of co-founder Charles Jones, discusses the heritage of his family's brand, the art of British shoemaking, and the future of Crockett & Jones.
Jonathan Jones: At Crockett & Jones, we strive to maintain the same standards set by our predecessors. Whilst our machinery has been updated over the years, we fundamentally follow the same processes with an emphasis on quality. We have operated in the same buildings since the 1890s, and take inspiration from our classic styles produced a hundred years ago.
The words of one of our founders, below, form part of our DNA; 'Apply the best that is in you to the subject of technical education. Whether it be in the making of lasts, or the patterns, or the manipulation of materials, do not be satisfied until you have done your very best. Do not say 'This will do' or 'That is near enough.' If it is not right it ought not to do. Whether it is in the boot making or in the selling your aim should be to get the best fit possible. You will thereby cement the loyal support of your customers. Cultivate a sense of personal responsibility. Keep your own counsel and with perseverance and proficiency, such as you can attain by close technical study, you are bound to succeed.'- Sir James Crockett
Crockett & Jones heritage shot
JJ: We take this to mean aiming to be the best in our standards of workmanship and use of materials. The high standards of earlier shoemakers act as an inspiration for us. This knowledge and expertise is passed down from generation to generation.
Crockett & Jones heritage shot
JJ: The manufacture of high-quality Goodyear-welted shoes remains very labour intensive, requiring a highly-skilled workforce to carry out more than 200 separate operations during an eight-week period. This method, originated by hand-makers centuries ago, gives the shoes an exceptional degree of strength, durability and comfort in wear.
The Goodyear welting process spans several production departments, each necessitating a multitude of different skills and experiences to ensure the shoes are completed to our exacting standards. Many of the operations, relying on excellent hand-eye coordination, take years to learn, and a lifetime to master.
Crockett & Jones campaign
JJ: High-quality materials, skilled labour, consistency through our management and continuity through thoughtful product development.
JJ: There are many, the most important fundamentals of shoemaking, that have the biggest, and maybe lesser-known impacts on customers are leather quality — the quality of the leather we are using is second to none. We source our calf leather from the best tanneries in Europe, some of whom we have been dealing with for more than 50 years.Also our fit, the shoes and boots fit extremely well and are often regarded as comfortable from the first wear. These are the tried and tested reasons why many of our customers continue to return to Crockett & Jones time and again, and repeat business remains the foundation of our company's strength. There are, of course, other design details that one could highlight but the true value of our shoes lies in the materials and the fit.
Crockett & Jones campaign
JJ: Sustainability is a broad subject that companies can approach from many different perspectives. We believe the Crockett & Jones ethos is inherently sustainable. There are a few reasons why we consider our shoes to be more sustainable than much of the footwear around today.
Materials: In our opinion, you can only produce high quality shoes by utilising and fully understanding high quality materials. All of the leathers used in the production of Crockett & Jones shoes are a by-product of the meat industry which, if not used, would be waste. By utilising high quality, natural materials in the production of our shoes we ensure they age well, in accordance with their owners!
Crockett & Jones heritage shot
Repairable: One of the benefits of owning a pair of Goodyear welted shoes is that you can have them re-soled without damaging the uppers, thereby prolonging their lifespan for many years. Think of it as giving your footwear a second lease of life!
Timeless Product Development: As a family run business, Crockett & Jones is not at the mercy of shareholder pressure or growth driven strategies, and we do not overproduce our products or flood the market with seasonal changes. Sustaining our production to meet the demand from sales is a balancing act that requires great skill and even greater knowledge. Continually studying sales data to understand customer demand in turn minimises seasonal wastage, and reduces product discounting.
The result of the above is a collection of footwear that truly stands the test of time with 'longevity', a word seldom used in 'fashion', at its core. Consumers have a responsibility to 'buy less and buy better.' Thinking of the long-term and sending shoes back to be repaired and rejuvenated is the right approach for the future.
Crockett & Jones campaign
JJ: We have participated in three James Bond films; the first one being Skyfall in which we had four C&J shoes featured. The styles were chosen for the films in collaboration with the Eon Production team together with input from Daniel Craig who was familiar with our collection.
Crockett & Jones campaign
JJ: We are great believers in maintaining continuity. Whilst we are operating in times when newness and marketing image is considered important, our loyalty comes from the consistency of workmanship, design, collections and service that we provide.
Crockett & Jones remains committed to producing timeless, stylish and wearable classics. We consciously don't chop and change our product collections thereby ensuring that customers are able to re-purchase their trusty pair of Boston in Dark Brown Suede or Connaught in Black Calf (that they may have loved for two, three or even four decades!)
Choosing materials and colorways that stand the test of time means that styles like our Coniston Derby Boots in Tan Scotch Grain, perhaps purchased in the mid-90s, remain as up to date today as the date they left our factory. However, as an example of evolution, Coniston is now available in additional versions including Dark Brown Scotch Grain, the very popular Dark Brown Rough-Out Suede and Black Rough-Out Suede with a lightweight, chunky rubber sole - a very different aesthetic from the original but still Coniston.
Crockett & Jones campaign
JJ: With the global trend for casual dressing and sneakers becoming mainstream, the market for traditional craft made shoes is gradually reducing. However this will create opportunities for the remaining high-quality makers of traditional leather shoes when trends change and demand recovers. We think high quality shoes like ours, that last and look better over time, will be even more valued and appreciated in the future. There is potential for us to therefore attract more customers and increase our distribution around the world. It's always a challenge to maintain the high standards of our shoe making, but satisfying to know how much our customers appreciate the finished product!
Crockett & Jones campaign
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
26 minutes ago
Pakistan's top brewery is betting on soft drinks
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan -- A pungent fug of malt and yeastiness hangs over Murree Brewery, Pakistan 's biggest and oldest producer of alcoholic drinks. The company is an outlier in a country where alcohol is outlawed for everyone except non-Muslims, who make up some 9 million people out of 241 million. Pakistan, an Islamic republic, banned booze for Muslims in the 1970s. Murree Brewery has strong financials despite the prohibition, thanks to its history, scant competition and a small, thirsty and predominantly elite consumer base. But the government exerts significant control over the sale and marketing of alcoholic beverages through red tape and high taxes, pushing brewery chairman Isphanyar Bandhara to expand the company's footprint in Pakistan's non-alcoholic drinks industry, which, although bigger, is more crowded and less lucrative. 'Even I tell my staff of about 2,200 that we cannot sit on our laurels by selling alcohol,' said Bandhara, the third generation of his family to run the 165-year-old business that was founded by the British. 'It's a restricted market, so we have to rely and focus more on the non-alcoholic side. That's where I think I would like to flex my muscles and take credit, rather than being a liquor baron.' The brewery already manufactures energy drinks, juices and malted beverages, but they are not as well known as products from big international brands. However, this part of the business is registering double-digit growth, and Bandhara wants to cash in on the country's youth bulge. Around 64% of the population is under 30. Pakistan's government determines the brewery's alcohol prices, points of sale and customer base. Last year it took $35 million from the brewery's revenue in taxes. The company cannot advertise its alcoholic beverages or expand that part of the business inside Pakistan. Online shopping is unavailable. The brewery is permitted to export beer to countries outside the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a 57-member bloc, even though there is a 'big demand for liquor and beer' in Muslim-majority countries, Bandhara said. Meanwhile, more Pakistanis drink far more sodas and juices, with billions of dollars in sales every year. PepsiCo and Coca-Cola dominate, but there are also homegrown brands. 'The multinationals are thriving in Pakistan,' Bandhara said. 'It's a rewarding market. There might be less money (in non-alcoholic drinks), but it's more secure.' Murree Brewery's malted drinks line is packaged in a way that strongly resembles its beery counterparts. The taste, while not unpleasant, is distinctive, sweet and slightly yeasty. Alcohol is a niche item in Pakistan. Even cooking ingredients like red wine vinegar, and buying essentials like cough medicine, is hard because of their alcohol content, however minuscule. Five-star hotels slip a drinks list into the in-room dining menu or decant alcohol into a more discreet vessel, like a teapot. Some restaurants, usually upscale, allow diners to bring a bottle but seat them away from others or shield the pour from prying eyes. There is often a windowless, joyless bar in major Pakistani cities. Non-Muslims — nationals and foreigners — can get a liquor permit allowing them to buy limited amounts of alcohol. Diplomats and the elite are a rich source of booze, with well-stocked cabinets and sometimes entire rooms dedicated to drinks. There are also wine shops, but only in some provinces and run by non-Muslims. Some wine shops deliver to customers waiting in their cars, for discretion. Home delivery is also available. 'It's not expensive to buy beer,' said Faisal, a Pakistani Muslim drinker who is in his 30s and lives in the province of Sindh. He only gave his first name because he is breaking the law. 'A local beer will cost 500 rupees ($1.76), but you can save 50 rupees if you don't want it chilled." He added: 'Beer is cheaper than coffee in Pakistan, but you only need one coffee whereas you need a lot of beer." Non-sanctioned alcohol drinking in Pakistan is punishable by 80 lashes of a whip, although the Federal Shariat Court deemed the penalty un-Islamic in a 2009 ruling. Alcohol is considered haram, or forbidden, in Islam. Although a sin and not a crime, scholars and religious authorities typically point to a verse in the Quran that calls intoxicants 'the work of Satan' and tells believers to avoid them. They also cite sayings of the Prophet Muhammad and the effects of alcohol. Nonetheless, stacked on pallets at Murree Brewery on a recent day were boxes of booze. The beer was heading to government-authorized retailer Pearl Continental Hotel in the eastern city of Lahore. The whiskey was going to Sindh, home to religious minorities including Hindus and Parsis. Bandhara, who is Parsi, is one of the brewery's leading tasters. Only non-Muslims can sample the company's alcoholic products. 'We can't just force someone to drink an inferior drink, so it has to be quality,' Bandhara said. 'If the German Embassy, the Chinese Embassy and a lot of European embassies are my customers for beer, I'm comfortable on my quality.' Hundreds of Pakistani distilleries produce the intoxicating agent ethanol, which is mostly exported. Home brewers are another source of alcoholic beverages. But homemade liquor containing poisonous methanol has proved fatal, and dozens of people have died over the years. Murree Brewery's closest competition for alcohol is the Chinese-run Hui Coastal Brewery and Distillery Limited, which began making beer in southwestern Balochistan in 2021, largely for the thousands of Chinese workers there. Nobody from Hui was available to comment. The granting of a licence to Hui in conservative Balochistan took Bandhara aback. He said he was unafraid of competition but wanted a level playing field. Decades ago, his family wanted to set up a brewery in Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province. Bandhara said authorities told the family to keep their heads down because they were in a Muslim country. 'If the Islamic lecture is for me, why was the license given to the Chinese brewery?" he asked. "We are a liquor company, and we are the easiest to throw stones at and to criticize.'
CNBC
an hour ago
- CNBC
A year after its landslide win, Britain's Labour Party is navigating a tougher-than-expected path
It's been one year since Labour returned to power in a landslide victory that appeared to show the party had turned over a new leaf after 14 years in opposition. But the last 12 months have been nothing short of tumultuous for British Prime Minister Keir promises, especially on the economy, have failed to materialize and as a result, Starmer's popularity has plummeted in the polls. When he became prime minister a year ago, 44% of voters polled by YouGov had a favorable opinion of Starmer. By May this year, that figure had fallen to a record low of 23%, although his rating has improved since then, standing at 28% in government's main mission was to kick start growth and make people better off but a year on, business optimism, productivity and job creation remain muted – pressured in part, by a rise in the national living wage and employers' national insurance contributions. Meanwhile, high borrowing costs and inflation continue to weigh on household finances. Despite the U.K. growing more than expected in the first quarter, economists expect it to get worse from here, especially as the impact of tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump hang in the Chancellor Rachel Reeves vowed to fix public finances, but her pledge to rule out both tax rises on working people and any increase in borrowing has left her in a difficult Reeves' tenure has stood out for a series of U-turns on welfare, spending cuts in her "Spring Statement" and speculation about whether she will be in the job by year-end. With little room to maneuver, analysts now see a rising prospect of fresh tax hikes in this "Autumn Budget" — when the chancellor next sets out the government's taxation and spending plans — in a move unlikely to gain Labour favor with voters. "When it comes to the Autumn Budget, whoever the chancellor is, they'll have some really difficult decisions to make," said Simon Pittaway, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, told CNBC Wednesday. "Sticking to the existing fiscal rules is really crucial, that would signal credibility and confidence to the market. Some combination of higher taxes and lower spending towards the end of the forecast period might be the way forward," he added. Domestic issues aside, Labour has arguably found more success on the international stage with the government delivering a triple whammy of 'historic' trade deals with India, the U.S. and the many political commentators have hailed these developments as major breakthroughs, the overall economic impact remains to be seen. It hasn't been enough to get Labour's ratings back on track. Keir Starmer's popularity with the public fell to a record low in May, according to a YouGov survey. "I think the reset of relations with the European Union is important. [There's a] long way to go with that, but that sets us back on a sensible track, and I think he [Starmer] has managed this incredibly difficult task of working with President Trump, really quite adroitly," Philip Rycroft, former permanent secretary at the Department for Exiting the European Union, told CNBC Wednesday. "We have the trade deal, and it's been trumpeted as historic, and I wouldn't call it that. It's essentially limiting the damage that Trump would have done otherwise to our trade. And all of this has required the eating of quite a lot of humble pie," Rycroft noted. "You have to make these decisions conscious of what is in the national interest, and so trying to ride that tiger is the right thing to do, and he's done it so far pretty well", he added. At the same time as Starmer's popularity has taken a hit, rival party Reform UK is gaining favor. Recent YouGov polling shows that Nigel Farage's party is on the way to get the most seats, if an election took place this year. "The rise of Reform illustrates the level of disaffection with politics and political outcomes," said Rycroft, who noted that "this should be redressable by good policymaking, but it will take time.""I think there's always a risk that the reaction from the political classes to trim their policies in response to those sort of popular pressures, thereby not making the tough decisions that are required to deal with the problems that are driving that disaffection. So my guess is that policymaking as usual will not be sufficient to deal with the underlying discontent that is driving the rise of Reform."But as bad as the outlook may be for Labour, with another four years until another general election, Starmer may still have time to turn the ship around. "So it comes back to this question, will the Labour government, with that big majority, seize the moment and make some of the changes this country requires to give people a sense that we're on the right track again?," asked Rycroft.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
In a country where alcohol is banned, Pakistan's top brewery is betting on soft drinks
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — A pungent fug of malt and yeastiness hangs over Murree Brewery, Pakistan 's biggest and oldest producer of alcoholic drinks. The company is an outlier in a country where alcohol is outlawed for everyone except non-Muslims, who make up some 9 million people out of 241 million. Pakistan, an Islamic republic, banned booze for Muslims in the 1970s. Murree Brewery has strong financials despite the prohibition, thanks to its history, scant competition and a small, thirsty and predominantly elite consumer base. But the government exerts significant control over the sale and marketing of alcoholic beverages through red tape and high taxes, pushing brewery chairman Isphanyar Bandhara to expand the company's footprint in Pakistan's non-alcoholic drinks industry, which, although bigger, is more crowded and less lucrative. 'Even I tell my staff of about 2,200 that we cannot sit on our laurels by selling alcohol,' said Bandhara, the third generation of his family to run the 165-year-old business that was founded by the British. 'It's a restricted market, so we have to rely and focus more on the non-alcoholic side. That's where I think I would like to flex my muscles and take credit, rather than being a liquor baron.' The brewery already manufactures energy drinks, juices and malted beverages, but they are not as well known as products from big international brands. However, this part of the business is registering double-digit growth, and Bandhara wants to cash in on the country's youth bulge. Around 64% of the population is under 30. The state has a lot of say Pakistan's government determines the brewery's alcohol prices, points of sale and customer base. Last year it took $35 million from the brewery's revenue in taxes. The company cannot advertise its alcoholic beverages or expand that part of the business inside Pakistan. Online shopping is unavailable. The brewery is permitted to export beer to countries outside the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a 57-member bloc, even though there is a 'big demand for liquor and beer' in Muslim-majority countries, Bandhara said. Meanwhile, more Pakistanis drink far more sodas and juices, with billions of dollars in sales every year. PepsiCo and Coca-Cola dominate, but there are also homegrown brands. 'The multinationals are thriving in Pakistan,' Bandhara said. 'It's a rewarding market. There might be less money (in non-alcoholic drinks), but it's more secure.' Murree Brewery's malted drinks line is packaged in a way that strongly resembles its beery counterparts. The taste, while not unpleasant, is distinctive, sweet and slightly yeasty. How to drink in Pakistan Alcohol is a niche item in Pakistan. Even cooking ingredients like red wine vinegar, and buying essentials like cough medicine, is hard because of their alcohol content, however minuscule. Five-star hotels slip a drinks list into the in-room dining menu or decant alcohol into a more discreet vessel, like a teapot. Some restaurants, usually upscale, allow diners to bring a bottle but seat them away from others or shield the pour from prying eyes. There is often a windowless, joyless bar in major Pakistani cities. Non-Muslims — nationals and foreigners — can get a liquor permit allowing them to buy limited amounts of alcohol. Diplomats and the elite are a rich source of booze, with well-stocked cabinets and sometimes entire rooms dedicated to drinks. There are also wine shops, but only in some provinces and run by non-Muslims. Some wine shops deliver to customers waiting in their cars, for discretion. Home delivery is also available. 'It's not expensive to buy beer,' said Faisal, a Pakistani Muslim drinker who is in his 30s and lives in the province of Sindh. He only gave his first name because he is breaking the law. 'A local beer will cost 500 rupees ($1.76), but you can save 50 rupees if you don't want it chilled.' He added: 'Beer is cheaper than coffee in Pakistan, but you only need one coffee whereas you need a lot of beer.' Minorities and the booze market Non-sanctioned alcohol drinking in Pakistan is punishable by 80 lashes of a whip, although the Federal Shariat Court deemed the penalty un-Islamic in a 2009 ruling. Alcohol is considered haram, or forbidden, in Islam . Although a sin and not a crime, scholars and religious authorities typically point to a verse in the Quran that calls intoxicants 'the work of Satan' and tells believers to avoid them. They also cite sayings of the Prophet Muhammad and the effects of alcohol. Nonetheless, stacked on pallets at Murree Brewery on a recent day were boxes of booze. The beer was heading to government-authorized retailer Pearl Continental Hotel in the eastern city of Lahore. The whiskey was going to Sindh, home to religious minorities including Hindus and Parsis. Bandhara, who is Parsi, is one of the brewery's leading tasters. Only non-Muslims can sample the company's alcoholic products. 'We can't just force someone to drink an inferior drink, so it has to be quality,' Bandhara said. 'If the German Embassy, the Chinese Embassy and a lot of European embassies are my customers for beer, I'm comfortable on my quality.' Competition from the Chinese Hundreds of Pakistani distilleries produce the intoxicating agent ethanol, which is mostly exported. Home brewers are another source of alcoholic beverages. But homemade liquor containing poisonous methanol has proved fatal, and dozens of people have died over the years. Murree Brewery's closest competition for alcohol is the Chinese-run Hui Coastal Brewery and Distillery Limited, which began making beer in southwestern Balochistan in 2021, largely for the thousands of Chinese workers there. Nobody from Hui was available to comment. The granting of a licence to Hui in conservative Balochistan took Bandhara aback. He said he was unafraid of competition but wanted a level playing field. Decades ago, his family wanted to set up a brewery in Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province. Bandhara said authorities told the family to keep their heads down because they were in a Muslim country. 'If the Islamic lecture is for me, why was the license given to the Chinese brewery?' he asked. 'We are a liquor company, and we are the easiest to throw stones at and to criticize.'
