Gurkha sandals are the perfect summer wear for leather shoe lovers. This time, we focus on the Gurkha sandal “Fisherman” made by “Church’s,” a long-established British shoe brand with a history of nearly 150 years, and introduce its charm!
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Church’s” is a long-established British shoe brand that is said to have created the prototype for modern leather shoes
Church’s was founded in 1873. In the 1870s, bespoke shoes were the norm when it came to shoes, and ready-made shoes and military shoes were cheaper versions of bespoke shoes. At that time, people did not pay attention to the direction of the foot, differences in left and right foot shapes, or the skeletal structure, and the same lasts were used for both left and right shoes. At that time, Church, which was involved in the production of military shoes for the British army, attracted attention by proposing the “adaptable” design technique, which for the first time utilized a shoe with a different left and right shoe last. It is said that Church was also the first to create half-size shoes, which did not exist until then.
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Church is also famous as the first British shoe brand to adopt the Goodyear-welted manufacturing method using a welt machine, which was invented in the U.S. and realized machine sewing of shoe soles. Although the Goodyear-welted method is now familiar as a synonym for high-quality leather shoes, many craftsmen inside and outside the brand were reluctant to adopt it because of the increasing productivity and efficiency of the method at the time. However, Church’s unchanged craftsmanship, even with the introduction of new technology, had a great impact on other shoe makers, and many of them followed suit, adopting the machine-made Goodyear-welted method. Church’s craftsmanship has been a cornerstone in the spread of Goodyear-welted footwear in the United Kingdom, and is often referred to as the “father of English ready-to-wear footwear.
Fisherman” Gurkha sandals are born from the duality of classic and trendy.
Church has been actively introducing new manufacturing methods and techniques since its establishment. Church has continued to make traditional leather shoes, but when it became a part of Prada in 1999, it began to focus on trendy designs that incorporate classic shoes, and on the challenge of using a variety of materials that had never been used before. The modern designs created by traditional shoe brands quickly gained popularity. One of the models that emerged from the development of such modern leather shoe designs was the “Fisherman,” a design source for the Gurkha soldier sandal, which originated in England.
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Gurkha sandals of British origin. Church’s Fisherman has a classy finish that is typical of the long-established British shoe brand.
Gurkha sandals originated around the 19th century, when India was a British territory. They are said to have originated from the military shoes provided to the “Gurkha Army,” a unit made up of hill tribesmen from neighboring Nepal, who were assigned to protect the interests of the British East India Company. Since the Gurkha Army was active in tropical regions, conventional military shoes had poor ventilation and often caused health problems. In order to solve such problems, the United Kingdom, a major leather-shoe producing country, came up with the idea of leather sandal-type military shoes. By crawling a number of tape-like patterns across the instep, they succeeded in greatly improving breathability while adjusting the foot for ease of movement. Although they are sandals, the instep and heel are held as firmly as leather shoes, making them difficult to remove even when setting up in the open or in environments with poor footing, and they are said to be very useful for Gurkha soldiers. Nowadays, leather shoes designed based on the leather sandals for Gurkha soldiers are called “Gurkha sandals. The Gurkha sandals developed by Church’s have an elegant finish that is typical of a long-established British shoe brand that is skilled at making leather shoes.
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Church’s Fisherman has the look and feel of a leather shoe
Since these sandals are based on military shoes that were originally designed to feel like leather shoes, the Gurkha sandals have the comfort, foot feel, and hold of leather shoes. Another great advantage of these sandals is that they feel as if they are absorbing into the feet, making it difficult for the wearer’s feet to tire easily. If Church’s long-cultivated “how-to” on leather shoe making is incorporated into such “like-a-shoe” sandals, it goes without saying that the sandals are finished with a sense of luxury. The leather used is the same material used for other classic leather shoes, such as “polished binder calf,” which is synonymous with Church, and “Nevada calf,” which has an antique leather finish popular for the leather’s transparency and deep coloring.
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These sandals are classy, even though they’re sandals, so they’ll easily elevate even the most casual summer men’s outfit!
Summer sandals are an item that gives a strong casual impression at once, but Church’s Fisherman is a leather sandal with a sense of luxury, handcrafted by skilled craftsmen with 150 years of design experience in the selection of materials with the same sense of luxury as other leather shoe models, as mentioned above. They have an elegant impression with relatively little skin exposure, and can be worn without discomfort on the feet of elegant coordinated outfits that would normally choose leather shoes. Church’s Fisherman sandals are an excellent choice for adding a touch of class to your summer look while creating an appropriate sense of coolness.
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Church’s Fisherman comes in a wide variety of colors!
Church’s Fisherman is available in a variety of bright colors for the summer collection. The collection is offered in a variety of materials each year, even if it is just the standard black and brown.
Fisherman’s color variation 1: “Basic Black
The best-selling color of leather shoes in all countries is black. Even in Japanese department stores, black accounts for nearly 80% of men’s shoe sales. Of course, black is the most popular color for Church’s Fisherman as well, as an example. The highly versatile Fisherman in black can be worn not only with rough coordinates, but also easily on the feet of elegant outfits such as jackets.
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Fisherman’s color variation 2: “Brown” which is easy to match with denim style
Brown is available in a wide variety of colors and materials in each collection. Nevada calf with an antique finish is Church’s most famous brown leather, but other calf and suede leathers are also used in some models. Brown goes extremely well with casual styles, and is a recommended color for coordinating denim pants, chinos, and beautiful casual wear, as well as for dressing up rough styles. Many fashionable people enjoy coordinating with thick socks at the beginning of fall.
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Fisherman’s color lineup (3) “Summery and fresh white
Since becoming a part of Prada, Church has come to offer a wider variety of designs, materials, and colors. In particular, the fresh white color, which is rare among leather shoes, is popular among both men and women. The monotone color scheme is both refreshing and soothing, making it perfect for styling with a glimpse of washed denim or full-length linen pants. It is unique, yet moderately assertive, allowing for the enjoyment of an adult, masculine fashion style.
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Fisherman’s color lineup (4): “Navy blue,” which gives a gentle impression and is easy to match with a wide range of styles.
Navy shoes, which once caused a big boom, are now well established as a standard color. With a gentle impression that does not have as much color contrast as black, navy shoes go well with other colors and can be easily coordinated with a variety of outfits. The chic dark tone of navy shoes can be worn like black shoes, making them a casual color that can be easily enjoyed by those who do not usually wear colored items.
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