Doucal's Competitors

Sebago® was established in Westbrook, Maine (Usa), in 1946. Daniel J. Wellehan, owner of five shoe shops in the area, decided to open his own factory. He became partners with two local shoe manufacturers - William Beaudoin and Joseph Cordeau - and Sebago-Moc was born. The name was inspired by nearby lake Sebago, that in the native Abenaki language means “long-shaped water basin”. Its first mocassin, the renowned “penny loafer”, was created in the same year, handsewn as by native tradition, still one of the brand’s best-sellers. The first yachting shoes came out in 1948, but their patent was sold to Uniroyal. In 1950 Sebago-Moc’s turnover reached 1 million dollars and in 1952 daily production reached 2000 pairs of shoes: a new plant was built. In 1965 the company started selling in Europe thanks to a partnership with entrepreneur Francisco Gaudier.In 1963 it started to manufacture women’s shoes; in 1970 it launched the Docksides® design, another of the brand’s best sellers. For the occasion the company name was simplified into Sebago®. In 1978, passionate sailor and CNN founder Ted Turner agrees in lending his own image to Docksides® products. In 1981 the Campsides® outdoor line was launched.In 1984 Sebago® was the first American company to sponsor a boat in the O-Star Race. In the late 90s the company went through a time of crisis that peaked in 2003 when Sebago® was acquired by US company Wolverine World Wide, Inc. On July 31st, 2017 the brand became part of the BasicNet Group’s portfolio.

John Lobb equips its wearer for life in movement. The British bootmaker’s durable designs commemorate the markings of distinct routes travelled in life, spanning city commutes and adventures in nature. Lobb boasts a bespoke atelier in Paris, a By Request service and a ready-to-wear collection, produced in its Northampton workshop. Since its inception over 150 years ago, Lobb has trodden an innovative path. Its founder, who travelled on foot from the Cornish coast to London in 1851 as a young apprentice bootmaker, also journeyed to Australia during the gold rush, creating hollow heeled boots, in which miners could stow contraband gold nuggets. On returning to London in 1863, Lobb was named as the bootmaker to the Prince of Wales, before opening the brand’s first bespoke boutique on Regent Street in 1866. Three years later. John Lobb evolved its international presence, opening its first Paris boutique. In 1976, the brand was acquired by Hermès, and in 1982 it first launched a ready-to-wear collection. Today, the label has a retail network spanning 19 global stores, from New York to Beijing, Dubai to Tokyo. John Lobb Ltd, remains family-run, catering to its local bespoke clientele and operates from their James’s Street location in London. Celebrating the expert craftsmanship of its artisans, John Lobb designs still incorporate artisanal techniques and silhouettes discovered in the house’s extensive archive. The label’s ready-to-wear designs are made using a complex 190-step manufacturing process in Northampton. Today, this includes the use of technical fabrics and the incorporation of ultra-light soles, which ensure comfort and durability in movement. True value lies in footwear that lasts a lifetime and John Lobb’s versatile and timeless offering ranges from boots to loafers, sandals to sneakers. They act as timeless companions to life’s journey, absorbing its markings along the way.

The embodiment of all that is quintessentially English, 135 years in the making. Barker have been making fine English shoes in the Northamptonshire village of Earls Barton since 1880. We use the finest calfskins sourced from the Alpine regions of northern Europe and still employ the same time honoured methods of shoemaking including slow natural drying and polishing. This is why Barker shoes have a unique quality that no machine can ever match.