1 | William & Son X Grenson
Mayfair jeweller and gentlemen's outfitter William & Son has recently enlisted the help of British footwear brand Grenson to create a special two-shoe (one's for girls, sadly) collection. A reimagining of the Northamptonshire company's famous Fred brogue boot crafted from deep brown Horween leather, it represents a modest alteration, but one that's yielded seriously handsome results. Goodyear-welted and handmade from 'skin to box' in the Grenson factory, this pair of boots are unlikely to be bettered for seeing out the last vestiges of winter.
£495, williamandson.com
2 | Hugo Boss Made in Italy collection
It's a well-known fact that if you want the best leather goods, you go to Italy. For its new collection of men's accessories, German megabrand Hugo Boss has done just that. Business bags are made in Florence from cowhide leather, and have been constructed in such a way that they are both lightweight and waterproof, while the more casual holdalls are cut from soft calf leather. There are seven footwear styles – including this elegant loafer – all of which are made at the Hugo Boss factory in Morrovalle on the east coast of Italy, and created via the Bologna construction method, allowing for exceptional comfort.
£300, hugoboss.com
3 | Jones Bootmaker
As you will have seen in last month's shoot of the High Street's best pieces, there are countless gems to be found at the affordable end of the retail scale. Established in 1857, Jones Bootmaker has quietly been making very good, inexpensive footwear for a long, long time, and we highly recommend dropping into one its stores this spring. The new season collection features a few standout designs, such as the Layham tassel loafer (£90), the Keeble brogue derby (£90) and the Prestworld double monk (above), which, at £150, is astonishingly good value.
4 | Whistles x Buddy
High Street stalwart Whistles has continued to impress since it started producing menswear towards the end of 2014. In yet another smart move, the brand has just joined forces with Japanese cult label Buddy to create a seven-piece capsule collection of footwear and accessories. As you might expect from such a collaboration, the resulting products are sleek, simple and designed with function in mind. These slick grey suede 'Ronnie' sneakers are a standout.
£150, whistles.com
