Below are some very good shoes and boots. This November 6th and th in Chicago, the fourth annual Stitchdown Expo 2026 will too, in a very big way. Just thought you should know that.
In the meantime, check out a trio of new Frankin & Poe collaborations with White’s, Easymoc, and Alden, a bunch of new models from Grant Stone, a fresh Horween leather at Nicks, Division Road spanning the stylistic gap, all manner of Tricker’s, and lots more.
Division Road x Crockett & Jones Pembroke in Dark Brown Scotch Grain Calf: $930
Division Road’s lineup spans the full range of welted footwear, from avant-garde brands like ASP, to work boots and dressier offerings. Their most recent releases cover both, with three dressier models from Crockett & Jones including the brogued Pembroke derby with 360˚ split welts and Dainite soles on the 325 last…
Division Road x Crockett & Jones Coniston in Tan Scotch Grain Calf: $930
…a classic Coniston with the same welt, outsole, and last combo, this time in tan vegetable-tanned scotch grain calf, and a Chelsea boot in black scotch grain.
Division Road x Nicks Woodland Jump Boot in Brown CXL: $785
Meanwhile, on the rugged side, there’s a new collab with Nicks: the Woodland Jump Boot is has a 7″ shaft and 360˚ construction atop Vibram’s hybrid Sierra wedge, with uppers clicked from Horween Chromexcel and a notch in the quarters for extra flexibility.
Buckin’ Billy Ray x White’s Buckin’ Special in Seidel Black Oil: $785 (Made to Order)
These days nail-bottom boots are hard to find—White’s only offers the construction on one standard model, a 16″ lineman—but this week they’re partnerning with Buckin’ Billy Ray for an extremely traditional logger, built with a nailed bottom, oversized eyelets, and vintage lasts from the Buffalo Shoe Company, a longtime manufacturer of work boots that shut down several decades ago.
Instead of the uppers being secured with a welt, or being flanged out and sewn directly to the midsole like a stitchdown boot, the vamps are folded under the insole and secured with a row of clinch nails that run all the way around the outside of the boot. They also have the full fire-boot trappings (Technora thread and a screwed down Fire & Ice lug sole), a doubled celastic toe stiffener that sits in between a steel to and standard celastic, as well as mustache kilties.
Franklin & Poe x White’s Semi-Dress in Black Horsehide Chromexcel: $825
The Semi-Dress used to be a mainstay of White’s custom business, but it seems to have taken a bit of a backseat to their newer machine-sewn models. It has a narrow backstay, a short 5″ upper, and White’s handsewn stitchdown contstruction. Franklin & Poe have opted to have the model built out on the 55 last, with Vibram mini lug outsoles. And they’re hardly done…
Franklin & Poe x Easymoc Old Port in Stone Roughout: $450
…because in addition to the White’s collab, they have two other releases this week: a new version of Easymoc’s Old Port with suede uppers tanned by C.F. stead and chunky Vibram wedge…
Alden Penny Loafer in Dark Chocolate Suede: $708
…alongside an Alden loafer on the Van last, with a machine sewn apron, Chocolate Suede uppers (also from C.F. Stead), a 360˚ flat welt, and leather outsoles.
Grant Stone Field Boot in English Tan Bison: $435
Grant Stone has been steeping their next batch of releases (this is not accurate—but please imagine them stirring a cauldron of boots), and they’re finally here: four boots in three different leathers. The first is a Field Boot in English Tan Bison. We will humbly posit that heavily textured leathers like Bison tend to play really well with a detailed pattern and the combo—especially with the higher shaft and darker, contrasted collar and laces—makes for a really interesting boot. Underfoot, there’s a commando outsole attached with a 360˚ flat welt.
Grant Stone Brass Boot in Light Espresso Raleigh: $435
There’s also a Brass Boot on the same high-walled Floyd last as the Field Boot above. It’s clicked from Horween’s Raleigh, a Chromexcel variant that forgoes the vegtable retan—according to Grant Stone, the result is a bit stiffer than traditional CXL, with less pull-up. The boots themselves use a 360˚ split welt and Vibram wedge soles.
Grant Stone Cap Toe Boot in Tan Pioneer Reindeer: $435
Finally, there are two models in Pioneer Reindeer, which despite being listed as “tan” is suspiciously burgundy-looking: a plain toe blucher, and a cap-toe boot in the almond shaped Leo last with a 360˚ split welt and micro stud outsoles.
Viberg Service Boot Side Zip in Black Washed Waxed Flesh: $1,500
We’ve got three consecutive releases from Viberg in the last few weeks—the most recent four models in Washed Waxed Flesh, which is exactly what it sounds like: regular Horween Waxed flesh which has been washed to soften it up a little bit and kickstart the break in process. There’s an NYC-shop exclusive Side Zip, constructed with a 270˚ side zip and bottomed with Dr. Sole half sole…
Viberg 2040 Service Boot DCT in Black Washed Waxed Flesh: $1,345
…as well as a pair of 2040 boots with what Viberg is calling a “drilled cap-toe”, which has a single line of broguing with stitching on either side, in addition to more traditional 310 and 2030 BCT service boots.
Viberg Service Boot 310 in Rowdy Dachshund: $1,345
Yet another member of Horween’s extensive library of combination tanned leathers, Rowdy—the leather featured in last week’s release—has an even heavier oil and wax content than Chromexcel. Viberg is currently running it on a trio of service boots: a plain-toe 310 with Dainite half soles…
Viberg Service Boot 2030 BCT in Rowdy Dachshund: $1,345
…a 2030 boot with a brogued cap-toe and Ridgeway outsoles (above), and a a plain-toe 2040 boot with Dr. Sole half soles.
Viberg Navvy Boot in Mahogany Hatchgrain Shell Cordovan: $2,205
Finally, there’s one more NYC exclusive, a Navvy Boot on the 1940 last in Mahogany hatchgrain shell. They’re constructed with a 270˚ flat welt, leather outsoles, and speedhooks. In general, Viberg seems to be releasing a ton of shell through the New York store, especially on welted models, so it’s worth keeping an eye on the limited release page if that’s something you’re interested in.
Rose Anvil x Goral Monkey Boot in Lightening Core: $455
Rose Anvil is working his way through the color-wheel on the blood core concept. His latest collaboration (with Goral) uses a black-over-yellow version of the tea-core leather dubbed “lightening core” on very faithful take on the monkey boots sold by brands like Grafters. These use a Blake-stitched construction, a Vibram wedge, and veg-tan insoles. It might just be us, but something about these almost feels like an overgrown version of old climbing or approach shoes, but monkey-fied. There are other colors as well, namely original (red) blood core, natural Chromexcel, and dark brown Chromexcel.
Horween’s New Admiral Leather at Nicks
Horween’s Waxed Flesh and C.F. Stead’s Waxy Commander are really the two genre-defining finished flesh leathers—at least in the bootspace. The former is a tougher and takes more wear to give up its nap, while the latter is more supple and transforms faster. As of very recently, Horween is wading into no-man’s-land with its new Admiral leathers, a softer and more flexible full grain leather with with a waxed flesh side. It’s temporarily available on Nicks Custom Configuration boots in Black, Dark Brown, and Urban Brown.
Unmarked DB Hunter Boots in Black Bison: $607
A handful of ready-to-wear boots from Unmarked popped up at East West Apparel this week. Most of the models—including a pair of stitchdown DB Hunter boots with a Vibram half-sole…
Unmarked Diego Boots in Black Bison: $607
…and the Diego side-zip, with the same half-soles, a 270˚ flat welt, and a slight woodsman heel—have uppers in a teacore, veg-tan bison leather tanned for Unmarked by León’s Cisne Tannery. It’s a soft pull up leather with a light grain pattern, matched with monochrome edge-dye and hardware. Check out all the new models here.
Self Edge x Unmarked Roper Boots in Black Bison: $959
Their new Self-Edge collab—a roper pattern with embroidered shafts, Dr. Sole half-soles, and a 270˚ flat welt—uses the same Cisne bison.
Tricker’s Stow Country Boot in Champagne Waxy Commander: $800
Tricker’s just released more than 30 models as part of their Spring Summer 2026 collection—mostly, it’s a best-hits-list of models in interesting (and rugged leaning) leathers. There are several models in a light shades of Waxy Commander, like this Stow boot with a 360˚ storm welt and Vi-Lite lug soles…
Tricker’s Derby Toecap Brogue in Naster MC: $765
…a pair of brogues with 360˚ storm welts and Dainite outsoles in Naster MC, a heavy duty veg-tanned calf intended for use on motorcycle boots…
Tricker’s Bourton Country Shoe in Brown Rough Out Suede: $765
…and a handful of shoes and boots and boots in full grain roughout suede. You can check out the full men’s release here, and the women’s release here.
John Lobb Lopez 75 in Black Oxford Calf: $3,200
John Lobb’s loafer model is now 75 years old, and the anniversary celebration is exactly what you’d expect: an extremely nice, extremely expensive ready-to-wear loafer with some interesting technical details. A tribute to Saint Crépin, the patron saint of shoemakers, they’re constructed from a single pattern piece, with the hand-stitched apron extending around the inside of the vamp and ending at the heel with an embriodered “LXXV”. The heel is also 4mm higher than the original pattern, and they’re bottomed with a 270˚ flat welt and leather outsoles. There are also versions in red-brown and blue.
Bridlen Spectator Loafer in Tan & White Milled: $359 (Made to Order)
We have been spectating the development of Briden’s loafers for some time, and they now have a two-tone version of their welted loafer on the Armin last. They use a channeled insole construction you don’t usually see at this price point, and leather outsoles. There are brown and white.
Bridlen Spectator Loafer in White & Noir Milled: $359 (Made to Order)
…and black and white versions, as well as quite a few others.