Discover the craftsmanship that defines our brand

From concept and design to manufacture, testing and packaging, there are many processes that go into creating every one of our products. It’s all part of our focus on craftsmanship, that we’re so proud of – and we want to share a little of the ‘behind the scenes’ detail that defines the Fairfax & Favor brand.

BOOTS

When it comes to our iconic Regina boots, they’re made using a construction method called Blake stitching. This process involves stitching the upper to the insole and the sole, with one stitched row. This typically means they are more flexible and lighter than other traditional welted methods. A process called ‘blocking’ is also important in boot manufacturing. The leather is pressed in a machine to make it more malleable, so it’s easier to work around the curve of the last, and creates the best possible shape. We also only use YKK zips, for trusted quality.

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OUTERWEAR

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BAGS & ACCESSORIES

The finish of our bags and accessories is of the utmost importance. For example, painting the raw edges is one of our stipulations. Edges are painted and sanded multiple times for an enhanced look that lasts. Our bags are all wear tested, too, to ensure they’re fit for purpose. This includes everything from the length of handles and cross body straps to pockets and fastenings. Different pieces use different construction methods, like framed bags and slouch bags; straps are made from webbing, chains and leather, hardware is tested for quality (including bag clips, dog lead clips and sam brown studs on belts). And we add gold foiling and debossing, use microfibre for practical linings, and finish our designs with embroidery, quilting and other touches for that unmistakable Fairfax & Favor attention to detail.

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SHOES

Our shoes are constructed using a range of methods, including cement lasting, strobel, moccasin and Blake stitching, depending on their style. Uppers may call on embroidery, broguing, laser cutting and quilting techniques, and sole materials range from rubber and TPR to leather. Again, only YKK zips are used.

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PERFORMANCE

We use water resistant full grain leathers to create our waterproof boots – a finish is applied during tannage, which repels water droplets. A bagged construction method is also used, with a SympaTex® membrane to stop external water entering the boot as well as helping water vapour inside the boot to escape. Our QC team work closely with a testing body to measure the performance under a range of other conditions, including ??????.

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Our Design process

The season begins with research into trends and the market, to help shape our concept for the new range. It’s at this point we also review the shapes and colours that proved popular last season - while the design team take to the road to seek inspiration from cities, like Milan and London, as well as country fairs and trade shows.

Once a new design concept takes shape – with mood boards to inspire the team - our designers review the Fairfax & Favor library. They hand-pick the shapes we want to use again, and decide what new soles and lasts we want to develop with our factories. This part is crucial as it's the last that defines the shape of a shoe or boot. Our designers will also look over our hardware to see what works with the new concept – this might mean adding a removable tassel or customising our iconic shield rivet. All these finishing touches are designed in-house by our team.

At the same time as prototypes are in development, we source the materials we plan to use. This means that everything’s ready together, in time for colour selection. Leather and suede is carefully selected, to ensure it meets the end-use of the footwear it's intended for - we consider the thickness, finish, grain, softness and, of course, the colour.

Once a design comes to life, our product development team carefully select the right factory based on its expertise - this includes the product type they specialise in, their tooling, capabilities and design handwriting. The factory is given a detailed specification, with all the ingredients that define a product - from materials and hardware to pattern dimensions, stitch length and artwork for new embroideries.

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Lasting & Fitting

Creating prototypes, fittings & samples

Next the factory creates a first prototype – usually half a pair – so we can see how the concept is shaping up. Our design and product development team often travel to the factory to see this in person. We’ll fit the prototype on a model to look at comfort and functionality, we’ll appraise the pattern on an aesthetic level and evaluate it as part of the wider collection. This process is repeated, with thorough feedback from our design team each time, until we’re completely happy.

Our samples are ‘engineered’ on a perfectly average size foot to appeal to the widest audience. However all feet are different. Even people who take the same size will have anatomically different feet and also have varying preferences to what they consider comfortable. We take all of this on board!

Once a product is approved for fit, aesthetics, cost and quality, our merchandising team send a purchase order and the ‘Confirmation Stage’ begins. A final sample is sent to Product Development team, showcasing the quality level which the factory can achieve in production. One product is sent to the factory with a final specification, and we keep one for inspection purposes at our Distribution Centre.

We’re meticulous in our attention to detail, so each season the Product Development team visit our tannery in Italy to approve the tannage (the process that creates the leather) before it’s sent to the factory. We prefer all our suede to be tanned in one batch, for colour consistency across the season. As suede is natural, there are often colour variances, but we’ll set a tolerance. Each of our factories are sent a master swatch of the seasonal suede colours, allowing them to check the bulk material when it arrives. And during production, our Quality Control team visit the factories to ensure our products meet our quality standards and the specification.

Lasting & Fitting

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Impeccable packaging

We carefully assess every new product in order to select appropriate packaging. This ensures safe transit from the factory but also enables our customers to store their items in the best possible ‘Blue Box’ environment. In addition, we’ll place light coloured items in in white dust bags to keep them free from dark fibres, and tassels or trims are wrapped in protective tissue to help them hold their shape. Our boxes are FSC certified and stuffing and sticks are all recyclable.

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Testing

Wear testing to meet the demands of different conditions

Every new design we create is wear tested for performance under conditions that mimic real life wear, as well as in a laboratory environment. Real life testing is an invaluable part of the development process as it helps reveal any issues with comfort or practicality, that a lab test wouldn’t show up.

We have 60 ‘wear triallers’, who help with our development. We measure the joint, instep, length and calf of both feet of everyone on our list. Taking note of any nuances, like a high instep or Greek toes (where the second toe is longer) because these can impact fit and comfort. Before wear trialling, the test pairs are fitted to ensure they’re suitable for the tester, and afterwards, the tester fills out a form. Our Product Development and Quality teams appraise the worn sample and the form together, to get the most detailed feedback.

Testing

Materials

Testing our materials for quality

We strive for all our tanneries to be Leather Working Group certified, and our lead suede supplier is Italian. But that’s not all. Through detailed testing, we ensure our materials are fit for purpose. Suede and leather is tested for colour fastness – under wet, dry and perspiration conditions. Under lab conditions, suede is rubbed thousands of times against a variety of materials, to assess colour transfer and ascertain if fixative and treatments are to be added, or if the material is unsuitable. We also test leathers for abrasion and water spotting, test soles for flex, slip, toe load and adhesion, and test waterproof boots for performance. Nothing is left to chance!

Materials

Factories

Ourhand-picked factories & production methods

Our boots and shoes are made in a range of factories – mostly in Portugal and Spain – each chosen for their specialism. From Spanish riding boots and espadrilles to moccasin loafers and bagged waterproof styles, we’ll select the right factory for each footwear type. Production methods differ, too. Some factories cut the uppers in a traditional way, with steel knives (known as ‘clicking’), while others use modern digital techniques, like laser cutting. But all the factories we use must be SEDEX approved, for sustainability assurance.

Factories

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