AVAILABLE FOR SALE
Crockett & Jones Lowndes Black Suede Double Monk Strap
Size: 9.5 UK / 10.5 US
Last: 348
This pair of double monk straps needed some serious TLC when they arrived at my doorstep. Aside from some minor creasing of stains, the uppers were in pretty good shape, but the soles and heels were completely shot. The ball of the outsole was completely worn through, exposing the cork inside and the heels were worn down through the top lift with massive chunks out of the stacked leather heel block. The inner leather lining along the heel was also in bad shape, completely worn through exposing the outer lining. Given the condition of the shoes overall, it was clear the previous owner did minimal to no maintenance over the short life of this pair. Fortunately, these are all standard fixes, and if done properly, can bring this new pair fully back to life. So, I brought them to the shoe shop.
If treated the right way, suede is the perfect material for a durable weatherproof pair to add to a collection. With that being said, I wanted to fully weatherize these from top to bottom so they maintained a sharp look from the top, but an impenetrable base at the bottom. This began by doing a half sole replacement; I wanted to keep the original outsole intact at the waist to keep the Crockett & Jones logo (not very legible at this point, but that was the goal).
The old cork was replaced with memory foam inserts, and a rubber overlay was added with an extra few stitches at the toes for extra durability. A new heel block and full rubber top lift was also added to replace the previous. The worn inner lining along the heel has also been replaced by a new piece of leather stitched all the way around the heel cup. Finally, since the uppers were creasing and a bit dingy, I decided to shampoo them, re-dye them black to richen the fading color, and waterproof them with Saphir Super Invulner. This pair is now ready to bear any storm, while maintaining the sophisticated C&J disposition.
The technical name for this pair is the Crockett & Jones Lowndes Black Suede Double Monk Strap built on the 348 last. Although no longer available in black, these works of art retail for $690 in espresso on the C&J website. They are a size 9.5 UK / 10.5 US and have not been worn since the rebuild. This was a fun project, and I love how they turned out. I think they would make a great addition to anyone's collection… so, if they tickle your fancy, feel free to reach out to inquire about price.
