John White Shoes

J&B Menswear is an Independent stockist of John White Shoes, who we welcome to our brand portfolio. Here's a taster story about the brand...

The John White Story

In 1919, inside a little shack in Northamptonshire, a man called John White was stitching together a legacy. He was handcrafting the first pair of John White shoes, and the beginnings of a British boot-making empire.
From the very first pair, John White’s shoes were all labelled with KB. This mysterious emblem was only explained toward the end of his life. They stood for Keep Believing, and this had been John’s motto throughout.
Whatever adversity John White faced, the man and his shoes would find a way to persevere. The story of John White Shoes is still alive today in Northamptonshire, and we are still driven by the same founding values: Quality craftsmanship, timeless British styling, and most importantly: a belief in what we do.

At 22, John already had a decade of experience in the cord waning trade. His meticulous attention to detail had helped him rise to the top of some of the best boot-making factories. He was determined to go further though: he wanted his own.
So in 1918, John gave up his job. He found a small derelict paint shop and converted it into a workshop. He bought enough leather for a batch of 500 uppers, and then sold them to Jimmy Hyde for 5/9d a pair. Within a year, enough uppers had been sold that in 1919, he had bought his first sole press. John White Shoes was born.