J.M.Weston Golf Derby

For the Parisian in all of us

JM Weston doesn’t sound very French but it’s exquisitely so. In 1891, Edouard Blanchard founded a workshop in Limoges. His son Eugene joined him a little later, then promptly headed off to Weston in the USA to learn the skill of Goodyear Welting. On his return to France, he met the Parisian socialite Monsieur Viard, who enjoyed the cultural pleasures Paris had to offer in the 1920s. Together they created the brand JM Weston, and opened their first shop on Boulevard de Courcelles. 

It was these two personalities: one a dedicated craftsman, and the other a Dandy of his time, that provide JM Weston with the Parisian spirit that’s in all their shoes. The two famous English golfers Percy and Aubrey Boomer always ordered their shoes from JM Weston, which meant JM Weston’s shoes were seen at all the most fashionable Golf Clubs in Europe and the USA. The “Golf” Derby became an icon. The shoes are supremely comfortable, as JM Weston insist on fitting you when you buy a pair of their shoes. 

The shop on Jermyn St in London feels like you’ve just stepped off a Eurostar and arrived in Paris. The staff are knowledgeable and attentive. The young man who served me was from Le Mans, so we discussed the great race at length. These are shoes that encourage you to have a relationship both with them and the JM Weston brand. 

The “Golf” Derby is both smart and casual; it can be worn with almost anything. Only the discerning notice them too, which gives the wearer of these fine shoes immense pleasure. JM Weston make an iconic loafer too, but that’s for another Obsessive posting.  The Obsessive would like to thank Jeremy Hackett (a true obsessive), for mentioning the “Golf” shoe on his blog a few years ago.

Details

Category: Footwear

Country of Origin : France

Brand/Make/Model: LJ.M. Weston Derby

Designer: Eugene Blanchard

Type: “Golf” Derby 641

Year: 1932 to date

Why: Beautifully made, understated shoes that only the discerning will notice.

Website: www.jmweston.com