Successful collaboration between Jaguar and Oliver Sweeney continues
Jaguar and Oliver Sweeney announce the latest range of co-developed shoes from the on-going collaboration between the British luxury brands today.
Named Weslake and Sayer, the two new styles of formal driving shoe are celebrations of the company’s design and engineering heritage. Malcolm Sayer was one of the company’s most famous designers, the man credited with the C-type, D-type, E-type, XJ-S and the unique XJ13. Whilst Harry Weslake was Jaguar’s legendary engine designer.
Jaguar’s Advanced Design Director, Julian Thomson, said: “This is a great relationship as both Jaguar and Oliver Sweeney have much in common: British craftsmanship, artistry and a love of the creative process. Above all we’re all very proud of this latest collection that we’ve created together.”
Designed and developed using similar processes to those adopted by Jaguar design, the shoe styles were sculpted and refined in clay first, before 3-D printing using composite plastics for pre-production sign off. The prototypes were then sent as an approved design to the Oliver Sweeney factory in Italy to be hand crafted and stitched in to finished shoes.
Unique construction features of the shoes include a super-flexible yet firm sole to maximise driving comfort and to maintain the flowing lines of the upper’s style. A special heel profile, chamfered to create a pivot point for better pedal control, and a waist-less finish ensure a fluid driving experience without the shoes catching on pedals.
The upper design echoes some of the design cues from Jaguar’s latest range of vehicles, with the curved sewn panel on the shoe taking a similar line to that of the distinctive D-pillar of the XJ, while the chisel toe profile recalls the signature squared-off grille, used on every current Jaguar, including the all-new F-Pace crossover and F-type sports car.
Oliver Sweeney Cobbler-in-Chief, Tim Cooper, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to build on our partnership with Jaguar. Collaborating with another great British brand has been really inspiring, and we’ve truly worked together on these shoes to create something that reflects what both of our brands represent: a luxurious, modern take on traditional craftsmanship. As a result, the shoes are not only beautiful objects, but ideal for driving in too.”
The new Jaguar by Oliver Sweeney range of formal driving shoes goes on sale from 1 October 2015, priced at £325 from Oliver Sweeney retail stores
