Guides & Info

From humble beginnings to award-winning British shoemakers, Cheaney is proud to produce high-quality, handcrafted shoes since 1886. Today, we combine years of expert craftsmanship with luxury and finesse, creating the finest shoes for modern men and women. You will find everything you need to know about British shoemakers Cheaney along with some handy guides; take a look below

Cheaney Shoes is steeped in history, from our initial factory days in which the brand was first born to receiving The Queens' Award for Enterprise for outstanding craftsmanship, performance, and service.

Discover more about our rich history in our Cheaney heritage guide, including our origin story and historical anecdotes from the early days in the factory. You'll also learn how we have developedover our 130+ years of history into a market-leading, award-winning British shoe company.

At Cheaney, we pride ourselves on creating the entire shoe 100% in the UK, from the heels and quarters to the welts and soles. We are one of Britain's few remaining shoe companies that do this, offering a unique, premium service that puts quality and luxury at the forefront of our shoes.

Since our inception in 1886, we have compiled all our shoe components under one roof in our factory in Northamptonshire, from the leather cutting to the closing process.

There is more to shoes than meets the eye. At first glance, you might see the sole, the leather, the insole and the laces; but to experienced shoemakers at Cheaney, many more shoe components go into making our premium handmade shoes.

Discover all the elements that go into making our shoes in our Anatomy of a Shoe guide.

We only source high-grade leather from the best tanneries in the UK and abroad to produce our long-lasting, high-quality footwear. Our collection includes various leathers and finishes, from suede to kudu leather, and we are constantly discerning new treatments and characteristics to expand our unique collection. We aim to source our leather as locally and sustainably as we can to reduce our environmental impact.

Learn more about the various types of leather we use in our leather guide, including leather for formal or casual occasions and country and city wear for all seasons.

We dedicate ourselves to crafting luxurious designs, combining tradition and quality with superior craftsmanship to produce stylish, long-lasting shoes and boots. In our shoe collection, you can find everything from classic designs to innovative styles with a modern update, all crafted with the same dedication and finesse.

Discover the styles we design and manufacture at Cheaney Shoes, from formal Oxford and Derby shoes to casual biker boots and trainers. Why not find out how to discern between different shoes and learn a bit of history and the origin of each shoe type in our Cheaney Shoe Style Guide?

The last is the 3-dimensional form on which our shoes are constructed. The shoe proportion, shape, fit, width and character start with the last. If you can identify the last that suits your foot, all the shoes or boots built on that last will fit well. Lasts can make a shoe look traditional or contemporary, casual or formal, country or city-styled or providea generous or narrow fit.

From lasts celebrating Cheaney anniversaries to historically inspired lasts, browse our last gallery in our Cheaney Last Guide to help you find the perfect fitting shoe or boot.

We use various soles on our footwear at Cheaney Shoes, from traditional leather to heavy-duty rubber, so there is a perfect sole for every occasion. Our traditional leather soles undergo extensive tanning and provide a lightweight and durable sole, perfect for formal occasions. However, if you prefer more water-resistant rubber, we offer a wide range of rubber-soled styles, from a formal diamond pattern to rugged tread soles with an excellent grip.

When you invest in a good quality pair of shoes,it's paramount that you invest time and effort into high-quality aftercare. Regular shoe polishing will keep your shoes looking first class and also elongate their life. Our Cheaney shoe care guide will take you through how to polish your leather shoes for the best results and tell you all the equipment you'll need to care for your shoes.

Learn how to properly care for your leather shoes in the Cheaney shoe care guide.

The common myth is that suede shoes are notoriously difficult to keep looking their best. However, don’t be put off as this really isn’t the case; whether it’s a new pair or you need to rejuvenate an exsiting pair, we’ve created a definitive guide on how to care for and protect suede shoes to ensure they remain in excellent condition for many more years of wear.

If you’re wondering which products and colours we recommend to look after your shoes, you can find a comprehensive list of our current leathers with the recommended products. Please use this as a guide, but feel free to use some creative licence within reason. For instance, if you’d like to switch to a darker brown creme to enrich the colour, or a neutral polish to antique the leather, don’t let us stop you – just exercise caution and be sure to test the product on a small part of the shoe first

At Cheaney Shoes, we have years of experience in helping our customers choose the right footwear for their special day. Taking into consideration your outfit, time of the year and preferred style of shoe, our collection of men’s wedding shoes encompasses a wide selection of smart shoes to suit all tastes.

The Imperial collection epitomises the absolute pinnacle of English shoemaking, with a stunning selection of shoes made using the finest leathers and featuring oak bark in-channel soles and hand-painted fiddle waists. Watch the journey of one of our Imperial shoes around the factory.

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