The traditional English brogue can be found in most men’s and women’s wardrobes if only for its status as one of the most quintessential styles of footwear. From its origins in the Highlands and Ireland, the punched hole shoe design was not for decoration but functional to allow water to drain from the shoe after braving boggy stretches. It is the Edwardians who popularised the modern brogue with a winged toe cap and the shoe became a favourite of the Royal family at Balmoral.
Today, the brogue’s spiritual home remains in Northamptonshire where shoemakers offers a fine selection of brogues including Church’s, Cheaney, Loake and Trickers, Northampton’s oldest shoemaker established in 1829 and renowned for their country brogues.
For Barker, a village shoemaker located in Earls Barton, the brogue is a staples across several collections including the Country, Professional, Creative and BarkerTech ranges. From the traditional brogue silhouettes such as the Charles, Kelmarsh and Westfield brogues to formal options in the Professional collection including Albert, made on the 69 last shape.
The Barker brogue offering is expansive and is far from only being in the classic brown, the Bailey, McClean and Valiant creative styles are made from unfinished leather and hand painted in the Earls Barton factory to offer playful colour combinations that will brighten any gentleman’s shoe rack. For women’s brogues there’s several brogue staples including Freya and Fearne in vibrant colour ways.
