Grenson Men

The most iconic brands often have the craziest stories. This is unsurprisingly the case for Grenson , the British footwear juggernaut. Long owned by a family from the Midlands (England), la manufacture is now run by a former advertising executive and has never been in better shape. Founded in 1866 by William Green, a shoemaker in Rushden, Northampshire, the company quickly prospered. So much so that in 1874, the craftsman inaugurated his own factory. In 1901, William Green died. His son took over and renamed the brand Grenson , a contraction of “Green and son”. Thanks to its quality shoes, the house stood out and became famous by creating shoes for British soldiers during the First World War. More than twenty years later, the label was called upon again during the Second World War. This time, elle no longer contented itself with equipping English soldiers: elle produced shoes for the Allies. After the war, Hayden Green, the last heir of the family, brought a breath of fresh air to the brand's creations by offering more flexible shoes, inspired by the moccasins he discovered during a trip across the Atlantic. The house returned to success but its hopes fell in the 1960s and 1970s, when competition raged. It was not until 2010 and its purchase by Tim Little that the Grenson brand regained its former splendor. Because the new owner is not a beginner. After ten years working in advertising (for clients such as adidas ), he switched to design and founded his eponymous shoe brand. At Grenson , he acted quickly: just after his acquisition, he launched an e-commerce site in order to attract new customers. The following year, he developed a collection of women's shoes. In 2012, he set up an apprenticeship system in order to attract new talent. Today, the British brand has regained its reputation as a high-end brand, whose products combine style and quality.