Stitchdown - Wear Better Shoes

Shoes ‘n’ Boots of the Week: Alden Wholecut Oxfords At Nepenthes, Yuketen Arrives In Chicago, and More

An eclectic mix can be found in our roundup this week—including summer-ready sandals from FEIT, bison boots from Nicks, seasonal releases from Yuketen, and much more. Our SNBOTW archives can be found here. Nicks Boots Shrunken Bison MTO: $640+ ... Read More...

Digging Deep into Japanese Sleeper Bootmaker SKOOB with Founder Koji Sasano

Japan's reputation as a society backboned by remarkable craftspeople is well earned. But the picture of a devoted artisan creating unmatched footwear by hand—whether a bespoke dress shoe master such as Hiro Yanagimachi or Yohei Fukuda, or custom boot... Read More...

grant stone traveler penny loafer coral suede

Grant Stone’s Summer-Ready Loafers Add Two New Suedes, Plus More Jungle Kangaroo

Yes we consistently and strongly recommend handsewn moccasin construction shoes for spring and summer. Beyond boat shoes, boot-shoes are a warm-weather way of life around here. But it's 2023 man, and it's time to just admit that everything this summe... Read More...

Shoes ‘n’ Boots of the Week: Yuketen Loafers X-Stitched To Infinity, The Real McCoys Boondockers, and More

As we leave the 2022-23 Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome in the rearview mirror, it’s already time for next year’s contestants to start thinking about what they’re going to be competing in. This week’s release roundup has some possible contenders to con... Read More...

Dayton Boots Seeks To Exit a Turbulent Period With a New Name: Wohlford & Company

Dayton Boots, one of Canada’s oldest boot manufacturers, whose fading prominence was amplified by an employment scandal, is getting new ownership plus a fresh name that harkens back to its founder: Wohlford & Company. Dayton Boots was started by... Read More...

Every Single Winner From the 2022-23 Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome

Well, we've officially reconfirmed that six months of really wearing a pair of boots (or shoes!) is a good solid way to make some footwear magic happen. The 2022-23 Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome presented by Grant Stone, Nicks Boots, and Standard ... Read More...

DEEP Behind the Patina Thunderdome Scenes With All the 2022-23 Judges

The six months of beautiful boot-aging mayhem known as the 2022-23 Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome is OVER! The esteemed judges have selected their 50 winners in both the Work and Open categories (all of whom you can see right here). Fabulous prizes f... Read More...

Unsung U 22-1 Slog Boot Horween English Tan Dublin Roughout

Standout Pairs From Patina Thunderdome Two, Revisited

Just after the second Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome began this past October, I checked in with a group of contestants who entered the contest with a wide array of unique and intriguing pairs of boots and shoes. With the Thunderdome now brought to a ... Read More...

Shoes ‘n’ Boots of the Week: Nicks Boots’ Munson-Inspired Thurman Last, Ready-To-Wear Sagara Boondockers, and More

This week’s roundup highlights loafers from Alden, Rancourt, and (for the first time ever) Caswell; plus, we check out the latest from Frank’s Boots, the return of a classic favorite at Nepenthes, and much more. All of our roundup archives can be fo... Read More...

Nicks’ CEO Shuyler Mowe on Explosive Growth, Developing New Leathers, and Spokane’s Uniquely Competitive Bootmaking Scene

For the past three years, CEO Shuyler Mowe has lacing up his now decade-old Builder Pros to helm Nicks Handmade Boots, shepherding the Spokane maker from a pure focus on work boots and into a new era of lifestyle relevancy—and dramatic growth that's ... Read More...