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Our founder, namesake, and generally regarded around the world as one of the greatest ever shoemakers. The original John Lobb was a lame Cornish farm boy whose mastery of the Gentle Craft of last and awl brought him golden awards in the Great International Exhibitions of Victorian times. He became the proud holder of a Royal Warrant as Bootmaker to Edward, Prince of Wales. The Prince, as King Edward VII, was to give his name to the whirling Edwardian era of opulence and splendour; an era in which Lobb shoes became a synonym for quality and elegance.
Many a Lobb could claim to have been born into the craft but William Hunter Lobb was, in fact, born in the John Lobb Regent Street premises. Perhaps being born into the hush and subdued splendour of the shop played some role in shaping the man; for William carried about him a notable aura of quiet refinement. Joining the firm as a young man, he became a master bootmaker in his own right. His skill and persona soon attracted the attention of the glitterati of the day; he was in particularly high demand with the stars of stage and screen. As pioneering as his father, William's crowning achievement within the firm, however, was opening the Parisian shop in 1901.
The son of William Hunter Lobb, William learned the craft of shoemaking at his father’s side in the London workshop. This practical education was further bolstered by a theoretical education at a college in East London. Young, ambitious, and keen to leave his own mark on the world of shoemaking, William moved to John Lobb’s Parisian outpost where, inspired by the frisson of the roaring ’20s, he created one of our most iconic styles: The Double Monk. Such was the skill of William Lobb as a craftsman that much of his work is still used as a reference by our craftsmen today.
Eric Lobb, of the third generation to go into the family business, left a lasting impression of the firm. Despite not being a craftsman, at the age of just 18, he was nominated for an international craft award by the leading British fashion designer Hardy Amies and, in 1987, was awarded Craft Personality of the World. Eric is largely credited with steering the firm through the trying period during and after the war. His approach; to double down on quality and courtesy, helped secure the Royal Warrants of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh and HRH the Prince of Wales - warrants we proudly hold to this day. Eric was also a great innovator, and evidence of his large-scale modernisation of the firm can still be seen in the business today.
Throughout his time at John Lobb, John White – Eric Lobb’s godson and to all intents and purposes a member of the family - has covered almost every job the firm has to offer, making him an excellent craftsman as well as a brilliant host for John Lobb’s customers. In 1957, following two years of National Service, John joined the firm’s finishing department, learning the finer details of how to polish and care for all types of different leather. He quickly moved on to learn about closing and worked closely with master craftsman William Hunter Lobb; learning how to take measures and make lasts.
It was in 1963 that John began to make his real mark at John Lobb. This was the year that he became the manager of 9 St James’s Street. During the same year, he inherited the American trip, which he managed for 3 years, and then the European trip, which he managed for a further 20 years. John remained working full time with the firm up until 2002, when he transitioned to a semi-retirement, where he still shares his vast experience with the directors and crafts team one day a week.
As the great-grandson of the founding John Lobb, John Hunter Lobb grew up with the craft of shoemaking. Initially introduced to the firm to ensure that it stayed within the Lobb family, he soon proved himself more than capable of living up to his family’s name. Having undertaken the rigorous training required to become a master craftsman, by 1966 he was responsible for the American trip which was critical to the firm's international footprint and prestige. Today, John Hunter Lobb is chairman and managing director of the firm, acting - as he has for so many years - as the custodian of the craft and traditions of bespoke shoemaking. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential last makers to ever grace the firm.
In 1989, at the age of 23, William Lobb became part of the 5th generation of the Lobb family to join the family business. He started, as all craftsmen must, as an apprentice; working alongside a master shoemaker Mr Arthur Hansen. Soon after, William spent two months at the John Lobb Paris workshop, and here he started to learn the craft of closing. Over the years, William has studied many of the crafts required to create John Lobb shoes; having spent time as a clicker before finally moving into last making – a craft he learned under the tutelage of his father and Mr John White. In 2002, alongside his brother Jonathan, he became a director of the company, however, he still continues to make lasts; travelling the world to ensure all of our customers, wherever they may be, receive the ultimate John Lobb experience.
In 1992, a young Jonathan Hunter Lobb joined the family firm. Keen to learn the craft, he headed to Cornwall to undertake study in the art of making. This was followed by further study in closing. Returning to St James’s Street almost a year later, Jonathan became an apprentice last maker and fitter, and it is in this area that he particularly excelled. Today he still takes great pleasure in creating high quality lasts and looking after our customers. Recently Jonathan became the firm’s Director of Production.
The Lobb family and the John Lobb firm has always allowed people the freedom to explore; to follow where their passions and skills take them, and to plough their own furrow. For Nicholas Lobb, this meant first seeking opportunity outside the family business. He studied art, philosophy and law, cycled across South America, and turned down the offer of a partnership at a law firm before deciding to join the family business. Today he is responsible for developing our strategy; and so helping us to share our love of the unique and the original with customers around the world.
A family business for over 170 years, today we are still driven by a singular purpose: the celebration of the unique and the original.
Our founder, namesake, and generally regarded around the world as one of the greatest ever shoemakers. The original John Lobb was a lame Cornish farm boy whose mastery of the Gentle Craft of last and awl brought him golden awards in the Great International Exhibitions of Victorian times. He became the proud holder of a Royal Warrant as Bootmaker to Edward, Prince of Wales. The Prince, as King Edward VII, was to give his name to the whirling Edwardian era of opulence and splendour; an era in which Lobb shoes became a synonym for quality and elegance.
Many a Lobb could claim to have been born into the craft but William Hunter Lobb was, in fact, born in the John Lobb Regent Street premises. Perhaps being born into the hush and subdued splendour of the shop played some role in shaping the man; for William carried about him a notable aura of quiet refinement. Joining the firm as a young man, he became a master bootmaker in his own right. His skill and persona soon attracted the attention of the glitterati of the day; he was in particularly high demand with the stars of stage and screen. As pioneering as his father, William's crowning achievement within the firm, however, was opening the Parisian shop in 1901.
The son of William Hunter Lobb, William learned the craft of shoemaking at his father’s side in the London workshop. This practical education was further bolstered by a theoretical education at a college in East London. Young, ambitious, and keen to leave his own mark on the world of shoemaking, William moved to John Lobb’s Parisian outpost where, inspired by the frisson of the roaring ’20s, he created one of our most iconic styles: The Double Monk. Such was the skill of William Lobb as a craftsman that much of his work is still used as a reference by our craftsmen today.
Eric Lobb, of the third generation to go into the family business, left a lasting impression of the firm. Despite not being a craftsman, at the age of just 18, he was nominated for an international craft award by the leading British fashion designer Hardy Amies and, in 1987, was awarded Craft Personality of the World. Eric is largely credited with steering the firm through the trying period during and after the war. His approach; to double down on quality and courtesy, helped secure the Royal Warrants of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh and HRH the Prince of Wales - warrants we proudly hold to this day. Eric was also a great innovator, and evidence of his large-scale modernisation of the firm can still be seen in the business today.
As the great-grandson of the founding John Lobb, John Hunter Lobb grew up with the craft of shoemaking. Initially introduced to the firm to ensure that it stayed within the Lobb family, he soon proved himself more than capable of living up to his family’s name. Having undertaken the rigorous training required to become a master craftsman, by 1966 he was responsible for the American trip which was critical to the firm's international footprint and prestige. Today, John Hunter Lobb is chairman and managing director of the firm, acting - as he has for so many years - as the custodian of the craft and traditions of bespoke shoemaking. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential last makers to ever grace the firm.
In 1992, a young Jonathan Hunter Lobb joined the family firm. Keen to learn the craft, he headed to Cornwall to undertake study in the art of making. This was followed by further study in closing. Returning to St James’s Street almost a year later, Jonathan became an apprentice last maker and fitter, and it is in this area that he particularly excelled. Today he still takes great pleasure in creating high quality lasts and looking after our customers. Recently Jonathan became the firm’s Director of Production.
In 1989, at the age of 23, William Lobb became part of the 5th generation of the Lobb family to join the family business. He started, as all craftsmen must, as an apprentice; working alongside Mr Arthur Hansen. Soon after, William spent two months at the John Lobb Paris workshop, and here he learned the craft of closing. Over the years, William has studied many of the crafts required to create John Lobb shoes; having spent time as a clicker before finally moving into last making – a craft he learned under the tutelage of his father and Mr John White. In 2002, alongside his brother Jonathan, he became a director of the company, however, he still continues to make lasts; travelling the world to ensure all of our customers, wherever they may be, receive the ultimate John Lobb experience.
The Lobb family and the John Lobb firm has always allowed people the freedom to explore; to follow where their passions and skills take them, to plough their own furrow. For Nicholas Lobb, this meant first seeking opportunity outside of the family business. He studied Art, cycled across South America, and eventually rose to the top of the legal profession before turning down a partnership at a law firm to see what he could bring to the family business. Today he is our Strategy Director; helping customers around the world understand the possibilities of bespoke.
To enquire about one of our in-shop, at home, or international consultations, please leave your name and address below and we will dispatch a response post-haste.
9 St. James’s Street
London
SW1A 1EF
NEWSLETTer
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