Craftsmanship cannot be claimed. It is built, stitch by stitch, hide by hide, generation after generation. Since 1986, this has been Finsbury’s only promise — and it still stands today.
Excellence Above All
Everything begins in Northampton, the world capital of handmade welted shoes. This is where Finsbury draws its artisanal DNA: the selection of the finest leathers, the craftsmanship of full-grain calfskin from the Tanneries du Puy and Annonay, and more than two hundred manual operations required to craft each pair. No shortcuts. No compromises. Every Finsbury shoe is the result of 100% European manufacturing, inheriting the techniques of English master bootmakers passed down through centuries.
It was on this foundation that Jean-Pierre Dahan and David Cohen founded the house in Paris in 1986: to give high-quality footwear — Goodyear-welted Oxfords, Derbies, Loafers — the place it deserves, without making it inaccessible.
Craftsmanship Passed Down Through Generations
In 1994, Arnaud Bruillon joined the house as a sales advisor. What he discovered was a vision of the craft that reflected his own values: respect for materials, the importance of expert guidance, and the belief that the quality of a shoe is felt before it is seen. He became the owner in 2010, and the guardian of an uncompromising standard.
Under his leadership, Finsbury’s expertise expanded without ever losing its essence. The Atelier Finsbury, opened in 2012, extended the artisanal commitment beyond the point of sale: precision shoe repair, care, restoration — because a well-made shoe deserves to be preserved. The Club Finsbury, a patina bar inaugurated in 2015, pushed this philosophy even further: patina as an expression of craftsmanship, color as a personal signature on a full-grain leather Oxford shoe. This same attention to detail can be found throughout the Finsbury universe — socks, leather belts, and shoe care products complete the collection, caring for both the shoe and elegance as a whole.
Three Oxfords, One Heritage
To celebrate 40 years of craftsmanship, Finsbury highlights three shoes that embody this heritage in its purest form. Three handmade men’s Oxfords, crafted from the finest leathers — exceptional shoes in the truest sense of the term.
40 Years, Guided by the Same Hand
In 2023, the house opened its doors to women for the very first time — pumps, loafers, leather bags — with the very same artisanal standards, the same demanding specifications, and the same European craftsmanship. A new territory, written with the same hand.
87 boutiques today, from Paris to Casablanca, from Brussels to Abidjan. One hundred and fifty styles in the collection. And still, behind every pair of shoes, the same gesture — precise, patient, irreplaceable.
40 years of artisanal craftsmanship. Not a single line has changed.
