Yoshie Nakamura, the men's shoe buyer at Mitsukoshi Isetan, doesn't hesitate to call EDWARD GREEN a brand she trusts. And rightly so. Lasts and models that have set milestones in shoe history, such as the 202 and Dover, still play a leading role today. The new models they released in 2014 were all astonishing.


When it comes to quintessentially British men's shoes, anyone with even a slight knowledge of footwear will almost certainly mention EDWARD GREEN . Founded in 1890 in Northampton, the heartland of men's shoemaking, this small workshop by the shoemaker of the same name quickly gained renown for its exceptional craftsmanship.

Looking back, it was truly a case of "turning misfortune into fortune," but the overly earnest workshop became out of sync with the times, and its business gradually began to decline. When it was at its lowest point, John Hlustick, regretting the loss of the name, acquired it for the amount of debt plus 1 pound. Hlustick was a designer who had been active in Italy, and at a time when British shoes were only available in black, he released hand-dyed brown shoes, which thrilled gentlemen everywhere. Once the business was on track, he further refined the small-batch production that prioritized quality, which had been the priority of the prestigious brand. It was also this man who embodied the 202 last, which features an inside straight and an outside curve, perfectly shaped to the foot.


"You've spent plenty of time with John. You should know what you need to do."

March 2000. Upon hearing the news of Fullstick's death, his right-hand man, Hilary Freeman, declared this at the factory the next morning, calming the turmoil among the craftsmen.

"I originally worked as a supermarket staff member in charge of purchasing. Having always been in contact with the outside world, I was interested in many things. I was thinking about taking the next step when I met John. That's how I ended up working at EDWARD GREEN . It didn't take long for me to become captivated by this long-established company. When my beloved John passed away, I was heartbroken, but at that time, all I could think about was keeping the flame of EDWARD GREEN burning."

The reason why it is a long-established business

In 2014, EDWARD GREEN renovated its flagship store on Jermyn Street, changed its logo, and completed a series of new lasts. Hillary had been steadily increasing the value of the brand, as if cautiously testing the waters before crossing a bridge. Seeing this, we had come to believe that established brands were unchanging, but it seems we were mistaken.

"What I want to make clear is that what we're aiming for is evolution, not revolution. The latest last, 915, is based on the 202, with the toe of the 82 extended by millimeters, and the edge silhouette follows that of the 888. We couldn't have created this without everything we've built up."

While it certainly has a modern appearance, anyone with a discerning eye will immediately recognize that it inherits Green's DNA. John Hrustick once said he wanted to create shoes like Porsche, maintaining an instantly recognizable face while continuously improving the inside, and this design remains in the slightest deviation from his vision.


"This is a move I've carefully explored by traveling the world, and it's by no means abrupt. I've been developing it for several years and it took me a year to bring it to fruition."

The spirit of this long-established company is also evident in its stance of adhering to time-honored production methods. Perforations are still done by hand, and lasting is done using a combination of machine and hand techniques. The iconic skin stitching has always been done using needles made from boar whiskers. Reviving a craftsmanship that had once disappeared is an extremely difficult task, and the work of these artisans, both then and now, elevates the appeal of the products.

For example, consider the stitching technique used in the Last 915 collection. The stitching that should be present on the edge of a Goodyear welt construction is absent; instead, there's a slit that looks as if it's been cut. The stitching is actually inside the slit. This technique, known as fudged welt stitching, further enhances the beauty of the shoe's elegant silhouette.
This system is maintained because the family business remains unshaken. While the craftsmen are beginning to change generations, many are sons and daughters of craftsmen who have lived and breathed EDWARD GREEN .


"We have no intention of making the Last 202 or Dover a thing of the past."

But what was truly remarkable was that Hillary didn't get rid of her previous models. In romantic relationships, overwriting is a clean and straightforward approach, but that's not how it works with established businesses. Or rather, some established businesses do choose to overwrite. EDWARD GREEN , which didn't take that path, is best described as unwavering and straightforward.

What becomes clear when comparing old and new models side-by-side is that the older models still retain their freshness. This is particularly evident with digital gadgets; usually, when a new product is introduced to the shelves, the previously used model becomes outdated. And the new model, which looks perfectly at home alongside the old one, also holds the potential to be loved across generations.

Text: Takegawa Keiji
Photo: Ozawa Tatsuya