The tools that’ll look after your leather shoes this winter
Arterton, known for its considered edit of unique menswear essentials, lines up four products that’ll inject new life into your footwear
Words: Josh Lee
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For a few years now, Arterton, a London-based menswear atelier, has been purveying all sorts of style essentials – what the company calls ‘desiderata’, the Latin word for ‘something to be desired’. ‘Our modus operandus is creating fine goods that sell on their own accord,’ states the venture. To this end, Arterton runs on two principles: keeping its selection small, so as to maintain a meaningful, refined offering built around proper craft; and to focus on products that build on classic designs.
As such, there are garment bags that’ll provide cover for your favourite two-piece; Japanese valet stands that wouldn’t look out of place in a five-star hotel; and a superlative selection of leather goods. Here, however, we take a closer look at Arterton’s shoe-care offerings, especially as we’re in the thick of the unforgiving winter months (and, therefore, your footwear is likely taking a beating).
So, if you want to put your best foot forward in the months (and years) to come, read on…
Wild Boar Hair Shoe Brush
First up is the workhorse of this small selection, all of which comes courtesy of premium shoe brand Paul Brunngård. This brush is made with wild-boar bristles, which are known for their rigidity and, therefore, are especially good at heavy-duty, efficient cleaning. As any style aficionado will know, removing dirt and debris from your footwear is the initial step to undertake before you even reach for the creams and polishes.
Reviving Cream
This indispensable bottle is an all-round cleansing and caring product whose expert mix of oils, waxes and creams restores suppleness and saturation. Once applied, the result is a well moisturised shoe or boot.
Yak Hair Shoe Brush
Finish off your shoe care routine with this solid-walnut shining brush that’s produced with yak hair bristles, all of which have been hand-bound to maximise density (goat hair, which is stiffer, has been added to the perimeters of the brush in order to provide support to the centre). After a few strokes, you’ll see a smooth, consistent finish on your uppers. Moreover, the handle features embedded magnets that allow for easy attachment to the item below.
Paul Brunngård Complete Set with Briefcase
Or you could go all out. This marquee piece is instantly recognisable thanks to its beautiful, sturdy silhouette, which is crafted from solid walnut – and, once opened, you’ll see that the underside of the lid has been lined with wool in order to protect all within. There are several compartments that house a selection of tools, creams and waxes, and a magnetic system has been used in order to ensure safe storage. Along with the Briefcase itself, the set comes with: six Artistic Creams; six Sublime Waxes; three Spitshine; a Horsehair Brush; a Goathair Brush; an Application Brush; and a Sole Edge Iron.
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