A longstanding British company that’s still producing retro gems. Like these Sonnet retro trainers by Walsh.
Walsh is a Bolton footwear brand that has been making sports shoes for decades. Norman Walsh started his apprenticeship in the 1940s, rapidly making a name for himself and making shoes for Olympians from 1948 onwards. Not just track and field, he covered most sports – even creating Nat Lofthouse’s boots for the Bolton Wanderers legend in the 1958 FA Cup Final.
He set up his own Walsh label in 1961, creating specialist handmade sports shoes customised for each client. He even pioneered the application of EVA in the midsole of footwear in 1971, resulting in improved cushioning, flexibility, comfort, and weight reduction. Essentially, the start of modern trainers.
And the company still produces footwear today, mixing functional sports shoes with a leisure range, which is where you’ll find the Sonnet design.
Very much an old school design, with the look of a shoe from the 1960s or 1970s, the Sonnet is available in a variety of colours, but with a standard design.
Each one is crafted from supple full-grain leather and suede, with an upper that ‘develops a personalised fit over time’. There’s also a featherlight Cambrelle lining and latex-cork moulding footbeds for adaptive comfort, paired with a low-profile rubber sole for ‘grounded stability’. So comfortable, but also good looks in a vintage way, too.
Some styles are marked down while others remain at full price. Expect to pay from around £96.
