- UK-tanned black Scottish Deer Suede upper
- Derby construction with French binding
- Traditional oak bark counter & stiffener
- Footbed cork filled by hand
- Sustainable Lactae Hevea sole
- Handmade in Northampton, England
- Shoe trees not included
The Harlestone sneaker is the original Hand Stitch style. Made with derby construction and open-faced lacing, the upper mirrors the look, feel and finish of high-quality dress shoes. Minimal and understated with no unnecessary detail or branding, the Harlestone sets the benchmark for handmade ‘Dress Sneakers’ that are often copied but never matched. A classic silhouette and design that sits effortlessly between smart and casual and is equally at home paired with everyday trousers or a tailored suit. Finished with signature double stitch detail to the front and rear that provide added strength at pressure points, hand stitching is a traditional process that has been used throughout Northampton shoemaking history. Only the very best materials are used to make the Harlestone - Inside and out.
THE HAND STITCH COLLECTION
Our Hand Stitch Collection is the pinnacle of luxury, handmade sneakers. A low profile silhouette, hand-finished construction, and world-class materials have been specifically tailored and tweaked, further elevating the Crown Northampton Sneaker range to the highest levels possible. This top-tier collection draws inspiration from bespoke, hand-welted dress shoes with more than a few nods of respect to time-honored traditional processes. Externally, all styles in the collection are made with the finest materials from some of the best tanneries in the world. The inner workings of the Hand Stitch Sneaker Collection are equally impressive. Following the standards set with bespoke, hand-welted shoes, all sneakers are cork filled by hand. This age-old process requires skill and patience and is held dear to Crown Northampton's traditional roots. The cork forms a solid filler down the full spine of the sneaker that provides just enough movement to mould to the wearers' feet, with the additional benefits of comfort, stability, and breathable properties throughout the sneaker. Traditional oak bark leather is used for the counter and stiffener with a natural veg-tan crust shoulder used to form the foundations of the insole. Topped with a soft, full natural veg tan leather lining throughout and french bound stitching around the outer edges. The end result of these combined classic techniques is a solid, reliable structure that offers superior strength and longevity. Hand Stitch sign-off detail is applied to the upper only where necessary to offer strength. The hand stitch finishing is always functional as opposed to decorative and the thick, natural waxed cotton double stitch adds construction security and design character. These intricate, centuries-old construction details further close the gap between high-end casual sneakers and traditional, Goodyear Welted Northampton dress shoes. Continually pushing the boundaries of high-quality, casual-led footwear; Crown Northampton confidently produces what is now the ultimate handmade in England ‘Dress Sneaker’ collection.
SUSTAINABLE SOLES
The Hand Stitch Collection is finished with Lactae Hevea soles. Made from virgin hevea milk harvested directly from the Cao Su or ‘Crying Wood’ tree; these soft, durable sole units are fully sustainable and offer a comfortable ride that only gets better with each wear. All styles from the Hand Stitch Collection are available with a choice of natural gum, white or black soles, and inline with sustainability characteristics, they are fully resoleable at a later date if required.
*Please note. Due to the natural finishing processes used to create Lactae Hevea soles, there may sometimes be slight imperfections and colour differences from sole to sole. However, this is all part of the unique finish when using natural materials and the overall precision and performance of Lactae Hevea sole units will never be compromised.
