In 1844, the English painter Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775 - 1851) presented to the Royal Academy his painting Rain, Steam and Speed which became the anthem of modernity. It was this painting that first depicted the results of the Industrial Revolution, namely the fog and smog left by the locomotive passing over the Maidenhead Railway Bridge built by the famous architect Isambard Kingdom Brunel. This architectural marvel consequently split the Thames by connecting London to Bristol. History is made of firsts. At that time, the railway boom allowed economic development and facilitated trade between cities and countries. So much so that in 1851 the World's Fair took place in London for the first time. On the other hand, craftmanship was still vibrant and continued to develop and improve.

In 1881, five shoemakers living in the village of Wollaston, England, got together to form a cooperative - a company owned by those who worked there - called the Northamptonshire Productive Society (NPS). It was during this period that the leather belt region of the United Kingdom developed. We are particularly fond of this part of England for its centuries-old shoe-making expertise. We are therefore honored to introduce to you a brand too little known to the general public that has won our hearts, Solovair.

Let's have a closer look.

An English story

Until the end of the 19th century, shoes and boots were made at home by individual shoemakers who were paid by the pair, as was the case for knitwear. Remuneration was low and job security non-existent. It was in this context that NPS was created as a cooperative.

In 1881, the company won a contract with the British government to produce boots for the army. At the end of the 19th century, in 1899, the brand grew from 5 to 80 employees, which forced it to move to larger premises, near South Street, which it still occupies today!

But it was in the 1950's that NPS took off. The brand produced shoes that were riveted and sewn, glued or Goodyear welted, which is their main assembly method today.

For 35 years, NPS manufactured rubber-soled shoes with clean lines and a formidable comfort. It is in 1959 that the first pair of Doc Martens left the NPS workshops. Indeed, Doc Martens does not have its own factory and therefore uses several English manufacturers. NPS, will thus manufacture under license Doc Martens by Solovair for "Sole-Of-Air" known for their lightness.

However, the story does not last and in the 1980s, with the galloping globalization, the brand is on the verge of bankruptcy. Indeed, Doc Martens relocates all its production. However, NPS decided to continue and to use the brand name Solovair for its own brand.

The brand continued to suffer but in 2006, an angel fell from the sky in the person of Ivor Tilley, a resident of the village of Wollaston who loved shoes and had worked in the sector for over 45 years. With the agreement of the employees, he bought NPS and brought it back from the ashes. Today, Solovair is doing well and offers iconic models such as the 4 Eye Gibson Shoe that we are pleased to present.

The " 4 Eye Gibson Shoe”

Here is a summery and easy-to-wear pair. Its round toe shape is on the last 2488. We like many features on this model. First of all, the subtle sand-colored suede that goes perfectly with an earth-toned outfit - or that softens more pronounced colors. Then the Solovair rubber sole which is surprisingly light and robust. We particularly like its shape, more discreet than a commando sole and less visually massive.

Note that the brand recommends to choose your usual size, but for this review and usually wearing 6.5 UK, I opted for a 6 UK. This is purely personal, I prefer to be well maintained in my shoes. Be careful, never wear shoes in which your toes touch the front! They will never widen in length, unlike the width.

The manufacture of the pair is classic. It enjoys a "stitchdown" construction, a very common assembly found on most shoes with crepe soles, the Desert Boot by Clark’s is probably the best-known one. For the record, NPS actually produced Clark’s Originals Desert Boot in the 1960s and even more recently in 2015 when Clark’s Originals celebrated the 65th anniversary of the Desert Boot.

The benefits of this fit can be summed up in two words: ultra-flexibility and comfort. The pair is also easy to care for and holds up well over time. The only drawback is that it is not easy to find a shoemaker who will change the sole. Solovair does not offer this service for this type of assembly. You can nevertheless buy a brand new sole and go to Galoche et Patin for example, which we wrote about in a previous article.

I particularly like this rounded toe...but you probably already know that from my previous articles! This pair is quite disconcertingly comfortable. It is not rare that this type of shoe would hurt your feet the first time you wear them, but it was not the case here. The overall fit and look reinforces the idea that this pair is iconic, it fits everyone and can be worn - at least - 6 months during the year.

How to wear this pair of derbies? I choose a subtle olive cotton chino from Parisian brand Swann (upcoming review), a Uniqlo U t-shirt and a seersucker shirt from Shirtonomy. Keep it simple.

Walking on air

For 179 €, you can walk on air! We couldn't find a cheaper alternative in terms of shoes...made in England! Of course, at this price the interior is not fully lined in leather, but you can always turn to the NPS range, which is the top of the range of their workshop. The pairs are then fully lined in leather.

Even rapper Tyler The Creator wears Solovairs. In a recent interview, he said he wears the model "Black Hi-Shine Tassel Loafer".

Solovair is an authentic English shoe brand that not only deserves to be known, but that we proclaim as an essential.