Ebony is the darkest brown in the London range: dark enough to pass for black at a glance, and only obviously brown in daylight or where polish has built up on the toe, which is where a reddish depth comes through. That is precisely what makes it useful. It goes everywhere a black shoe goes, but against charcoal, navy and mid-grey it looks a good deal less severe, and it carries into tweed and flannel at the weekend in a way black never quite does.
Dark brown also shows the results of polishing more than black does. Layers of neutral or dark brown wax deepen the toe and the heel counter unevenly, so an ebony shoe ends up graded in colour rather than flat, which is not something black can do. If you are buying one pair of English brogues and want the widest coverage from it, ebony is the more useful of the two dark options.
The London is a full wingtip brogue Oxford. The toe cap is cut to a W, with wings running back down each side of the shoe, and the pattern is punched throughout — a medallion on the toe and perforations along every seam. The lacing is closed, the facings stitched under the vamp, which is what makes it an Oxford rather than a Gibson and what keeps the profile tight and formal despite all the decoration.
It is Goodyear welted with a leather sole and lined right through in leather, built on Sanders' KEN last in an F (standard) fitting, UK 6 to 12. The welt means it can be resoled for as long as the upper survives; the leather sole keeps the shoe close to the ground and formal in a way a rubber unit would not.
Sizing on this one is worth reading twice. Sanders describe the KEN last as generous and recommend going half a size down from your usual size. Their crepe-soled casual shoes go the other way, half a size up, so a size that fits you in a Sanders chukka is not the size to order here.
Care: Brush after each wear, and feed the leather every few wears with a dark brown or neutral cream polish; wax on the toe and heel does the rest. Clear polish out of the medallion and the seam perforations with a brush before it dries, or it will sit pale in the holes. Use shoe trees overnight and rest the shoes a day between wears.
You can ask any question about this product.
Our specialists will answer you shortly!
Ebony is the darkest brown in the London range: dark enough to pass for black at a glance, and only obviously brown in daylight or where polish has built up on the toe, which is where a reddish depth comes through. That is precisely what makes it useful. It goes everywhere a black shoe goes, but against charcoal, navy and mid-grey it looks a good deal less severe, and it carries into tweed and flannel at the weekend in a way black never quite does.
Dark brown also shows the results of polishing more than black does. Layers of neutral or dark brown wax deepen the toe and the heel counter unevenly, so an ebony shoe ends up graded in colour rather than flat, which is not something black can do. If you are buying one pair of English brogues and want the widest coverage from it, ebony is the more useful of the two dark options.
The London is a full wingtip brogue Oxford. The toe cap is cut to a W, with wings running back down each side of the shoe, and the pattern is punched throughout — a medallion on the toe and perforations along every seam. The lacing is closed, the facings stitched under the vamp, which is what makes it an Oxford rather than a Gibson and what keeps the profile tight and formal despite all the decoration.
It is Goodyear welted with a leather sole and lined right through in leather, built on Sanders' KEN last in an F (standard) fitting, UK 6 to 12. The welt means it can be resoled for as long as the upper survives; the leather sole keeps the shoe close to the ground and formal in a way a rubber unit would not.
Sizing on this one is worth reading twice. Sanders describe the KEN last as generous and recommend going half a size down from your usual size. Their crepe-soled casual shoes go the other way, half a size up, so a size that fits you in a Sanders chukka is not the size to order here.
Care: Brush after each wear, and feed the leather every few wears with a dark brown or neutral cream polish; wax on the toe and heel does the rest. Clear polish out of the medallion and the seam perforations with a brush before it dries, or it will sit pale in the holes. Use shoe trees overnight and rest the shoes a day between wears.
You can ask any question about this product.
Our specialists will answer you shortly!
