American Heritage shoemaker Allen Edmonds unveils a collaboration for the ages
Charlie Teasdale visits Daiki Suzuki's shoe factory
Engineered Garments founder Daiki Suzuki with the Adirondack Low Hiker, his first design for Allen Edmonds.
In his 2015 book, Americana: How Japan Saved American Style, writer W. David Marx illustrates how, in the middle of the 20th century, a modest group of style-conscious Japanese souls imported, appropriated and perfected classic American ‘Ivy League’ clothing and workwear.
As Ametora (which translates as ‘American traditional’) thrived, America’s own sartorial industry – denim mills, shoemakers, workwear brands, and so on – dwindled, and so now, if you want the best old-timey Americana, you should head for Tokyo over Tallahassee.
That said, there are some holdouts. Wisconsin’s Allen Edmonds is still one of the foremost names in fine men’s footwear – and a pillar of classic Ivy style – after more than a century in operation. The brand’s Port Washington factory still churns out thousands of pairs a year, including a Reserve collection – handmade, Goodyear welted, cut from the finest calfskins, etc. – but over the past few years, there has been a swing for modernity.
Last year, the brand brought menswear deity and influencer-in-chief Nick Wooster on board to consult on creative direction. And a culture of vibey collaboration has emerged via the Legend series, which has seen the brand partner with the likes of fashion designer Willy Chavarria and shoemaker Armando Cabral on special editions of its classic styles.
In a boon for Ametora-heads everywhere, the latest collaborator to join the fold is Daiki Suzuki, founder of cult Japanese brand Engineered Garments. For decades, Engineered Garments has sat at the intersection of workwear, classic American sportswear and Japanese streetwear, creating what it describes as ‘garments that become more personal through the experiences you have with them’. It is the kind of label that others want to work with for its zeitgeisty halo effect. But this team-up has a full-circle feeling to it.
Suzuki sketches in the Wisconsin factory
‘The decision to partner with Engineered Garments was driven by our mutual respect and passion for American craftsmanship,’ says David Law, general manager and senior vice president of Allen Edmonds. ‘Working with Daiki Suzuki has been a true collaboration – his vision and deep understanding of design brought a fresh perspective to our legacy, without compromising the integrity of our craftsmanship.’
David Law
The result is the Adirondack Low Hiker – a take on Allen Edmonds’ classic Sun Valley hiker boot, a shoe that Suzuki has in his own wardrobe. The new hiker – somewhere between a mountain shoe and a dress shoe – features a Goodyear welt, EVA midsole and matte black hardware, finished with bold blue laces.
True to Engineered Garments form, the shoe is a slightly spooky riff on a menswear staple, but if it seems a little too out there, hold tight, a more conservative monk strap shoe will be launched in the run-up to Christmas. A little more wearable perhaps, but no less Ametoran.
