I don’t know who coined the title, English Big Three, to include the top three most expensive brands making goodyear shoes, Edward Green, John Lobb, Gaziano & Girling. Someone once complained that this name is to boast Gaziano & Girling, as the other two are heritage brands, and Gaziano & Girling was only founded in 2006, how can it go hand in hand? But this statement is now almost universally recognized, and when it comes to market momentum, Gaziano & Girling is in the limelight and leading the way.
I’ve summed up all three brands, with John Lobb having most models. It can be said that if you accidentally meet a pair of John Lobb, it is a beauty.
But if we talk about these three brands, which one is plagiarized the most. Edward Green.
I know that current domestic brands are more willing to copy Gaziano & Girling, because they are more tumultuous and eye-catching. If you’re not more distinctive than the shoes on the market at first glance, can you count on the construction of Goodyear or Blake to persuade people to buy?
But when the shoes are for its usage rather than showiness, new brands choose Edward Green to imitate.
Among these many plagiarists, two impress me the most.
One is the Swedish brand, Lof & Tung.
Check its Instagram post, which directly alludes to Edward Green.
How is this plagiarist different from others? It’s not much but only its relationship with Edward Green is not ordinary. Lof & Tung is the private label of Swedish shoe store Skoaktiebolaget. For a long time, Edward Green was Skoaktiebolaget’s best-selling brand. So the owner did what many shoe stores do, and whether this behavior was lead by Skoaktiebolaget is uncertain. The step is using these best-selling styles, going to the supply chain, and launching products that look similar, but much cheaper. Unseasoned consumers see such similar shoes and the price difference is so huge, coupled with trust in this shoe store, there is really no reason not to choose. Then Edward Green became extremely angry and ended his collaboration with Skoaktiebolagt. Skoaktiebolaget’s calibre is that Edward Green has been raising prices, making their business difficult.
The price of Lof & Tung is indeed very competitive, although it is not cheaper than Meermin the price killer king, but under the same workmanship, it is indeed a price killer.
Since we mentioned Meermin, Meermin also copied a lot of Edward Green styles.
But because it copied various brands, no one would specifically say that it copied Edward Green.
The other who impresses me is the Belgian brand Sons of Henrey.
The funny thing is that two most hardcore plagiarists use the same Spanish factory, and I am worried that the factory will confuse the orders on both sides (just kidding). “You’re copying Edward Green?” , “Yes, you too, what a coincidence.”
Compared to the love-hate relationship between Lof & Tung and Edward Green, Sons of Henrey has no connection to Edward Green, but he copied it and killed it all. Edward Green’s peerless classic last, 202, was developed by Springline, a British professional last making company. Sons of Henrey just ran over and asked him to do it for me on 202, 82, 606, 184. I don’t dare to say the level of completion of the latter 3, but 202 is copied right, and we can see how beautiful Sons of Henrey’s Classic Round last is.
So are the shoes different between the two plagiarists?
I looked closely, and there is only one decisive thing, that is the last.
Last is a concept that most people don’t know, but it is actually the thing that can most affect people’s likes and dislikes deep side. Especially when everyone’s styles are exactly the same, even the swan neck element is the same, the impact of the last is infinitely amplified.
However, aesthetic preferences are always subjective, and the foot shape of people in different regions is also different, so which last is more favored in terms of aesthetics and comfort, there may not be a decisive point.
What do I think about plagiarists?
Commercially, it makes perfect sense. To put it bluntly, reduce costs. It is an affordable alternative for consumers. Both sides win.
But people will always appreciate people or companies those who do difficult and original things. No matter what industry they are in, they are respected and even taken care of. Even if there is a cheaper substitute, even the workmanship and leather are on the same level, the pioneer will still be supported, at least, I will support.