TEN COUNTRIES…

ONE SOLE PURPOSE

Travelling through Asia, Marco Vaghetti learnt the art of shoe-making and on his return to the Ribble Valley has launched his own unique men’s shoe brand

Travelling to 10 different countries visiting as many shoemakers as he could, Marco Vaghetti has learnt how to make first class shoes from some of the best craftsmen in the world.

He visited factories large and small, seeking design and creative inspiration from the countries he visited. From India to Indonesia, Marco was on a mission.

He travelled to far flung places to get to know and understand the people and the culture. In Bali he was blown away by the east-meets-west creative community, the entrepreneurs and ‘digital nomads’. In Cambodia he ate deep fried tarantula and chatted to monks dressed in their orange robes – it was a colour that he later adopted as part of his LANX shoe brand.

In Thailand he made traditional moccasin boots while in India he visited no less than seven shoe factories and when his plane touched down in Manchester six months later – another adventure began – the creation of his first collection of unique men’s shoes, made to last with unique styling reflecting his Lancashire roots and influenced by his travels in Asia.

“I knew the hard work had to start, designing, creating, testing – building a solid brand that represented me and my experiences.”

“I have been around manufacturing most of my life so I am comfortable in that environment,” explains Marco.

“Whilst I was travelling I just turned up at the doors of some of the best shoemakers – some were reluctant to let me inside but most were very welcoming!”

“In the UK the shoe industry is very protective of the way they do things, while other countries are refreshingly open about what they do,” says Marco, whose first A/W 2018 collection is influenced by his trip to Tokyo, where he visited several shoe factories and by chance discovered a bespoke shoemaker called Nagura, whose designs he found inspirational.

“Despite the fact we struggled communicating Nagura offered some great constructive advice on my first collection. I love his business-casual shoe designs and he really helped from an aesthetic point of view.”

The LANX A/W 2018 collection, to be launched on 26th May, features eight classic styles many in limited editions with as few as 30 pairs being produced. What they have in common is brogue detailing, the finest South American leathers, the softest suede, British-made tweed, bespoke shoe lining and the LANX brand bull on the sole – details that makes them truly unique. The collection also has the Lancashire rose incorporated in the brogue styling and a Tokyo-inspired Japanese cherry blossom embossed on the heel. These shoes have a story to tell – and that’s what makes them ultimately special.

The LANX bull logo is a British White, a rare breed which, fittingly originates from Whalley Abbey and the same breed which King James I is said to have knighted at Hoghton Tower in 1617, resulting in the ‘sirloin’ steak.

Each style of shoe is designed and tested in Whalley in the Ribble Valley to meticulously high standards: “The overall design, sampling and testing process for each shoe style takes around 15 months. At least 20 different people are involved along the way. It is a long drawn out process and there have been a lot of sleepless nights.”

“We do not mass produce. We only make a limited number of pairs of each style. This means each LANX shoe is given the attention needed to maintain the high standards we set ourselves,” says Marco, who makes the LANX shoes himself alongside shoemakers he met on his adventures.

“Learning all about shoe making while I was travelling did have its challenges – I did it the hard way. It’s not something you can pick up in half an hour. The truth is when it comes to shoes you never stop learning.”

Marco is offering a free shoe delivery service within the Ribble Valley on his vintage tricycle, the Ribble Valley Rocket. A charity donation is encouraged!

LANX launch event and pop-up shop 26th and 27th May at Nushu, 29 King Street, Whalley

www.lanxshoes.com

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