What are Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld favorite shoes? “My dad’s crocodile John Lobbs,” he replies and assuredly Vlad's dad, Christian Restoin, has superb taste in footwear. The Parisian workshop of John Lobb is internationally renowned for its bespoke service, one of the finest remaining examples of the traditional art of shoemaking.
Founded in London in 1849, the firm is one of Britain's oldest shoemakers in existence and every one of the 190 steps in their meticulous production process is still finished by hand; only about 100 pairs of shoes are created each day. Hermès acquired the John Lobb ready-to-wear line in 1976.
Among the clientele that have preferred the timeless footwear crafted by John Lobb are members of the aristocracy as well as the elite in entertainment, business, and politics — even the classic icon of the debonair man, fictional character James Bond wore shoes by John Lobb. Of course this exceptional quality would appeal to a Roitfeld. To see the painstaking craftsmanship behind the scenes at John Lobb, take the guided tour with his great-grandson, John Hunter Lobb, current chairman of the company.
Image of John Lobb crocodile shoes courtesy of johnlobb.com.