DEsign
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.