JOHN LOBB | Creative Director Interviewed On Location (Part 2)

JOHN LOBB

The Creative Director Leading John Lobb

Andrés Hernandez Speaks Extensively (Part 2)

“It’s important to dedicate love and passion to shoes.”he says passionately.John LobbCreative Director Andrés Hernandez. In the second part of our interview, we delved deeper into 'Why does John Lobb never stop evolving its designs?'

Text by KAJII Makoto (OPENERS)Photographs by ARAKI Ryuji

To Understand the Past is Crucial for the Future

When the conversation turned to design, Hernandez picked up a piece of paper and a pencil from his side and began to draw lines. “What I consider design is the ‘rough outline’ of an object. Design doesn’t start as something perfect. Design is the first step towards a product, a vague sketch. Some things are born from simple lines,” he explained, swiftly drawing the characteristic streamlined curves of John Lobb shoes in one go.

“I felt that drawing a line like this looked beautiful, and one of the shoes that came from that was the model ‘BECKETTS’. They are beautiful Oxfords with elegant curves, and the overlapping stitching points are the focal point. It’s a design worthy of being called John Lobb’s new classic,” he said. These Becketts feature a seamless heel cup, free of stitching, making them beautiful even from the back.

Inspiration is Drawn from Various Experiences

When asked about his favorite among the many John Lobb shoes, he replied, “That’s a difficult question, but if I had to pick another one, it would be the‘2009 Annual Model’. I like this one because it’s made from a single piece of leather with a spiral pattern, and the flowing lines continue seamlessly. The distinctive color, such as the reddish-black, is also a feature, and it uses advanced techniques.”

“Another pair is the 2004 Annual Model. The lines used in this shoe have been passed down to models like‘Lopez’, and‘Winner Sport’ with Aston Martin, among others. I also like these powerful lines,” said Hernandez.

When asked about the‘2013 Annual Model’, released on October 25th this year, he recommended it, saying, “About 20 years ago, I colored white leather with cream, and that was my inspiration. The color is a major feature of this year’s annual model. Inspiration can be drawn from various experiences.”

Regarding the Japan-exclusive models that garner attention with each arrival, he stated, “This autumn, we released models such as‘Lopez’and‘Moulton’. While each global market has its preferences, Japan’s customers are very discerning about quality, so we decide on limited models after listening to requests from John Lobb Japan. The fundamental concept is ‘THINK GLOBAL ACT LOCAL’.”

There Comes a Time in Life to “Fulfill Someone Else’s Dream”

Now, a new John Lobb shop is set to open on December 6th (Friday) on the first floor of Roppongi Midtown. The popular “BY REQUEST” fair is also scheduled to be held there next year.

“If you look at the factory production line, the BY REQUEST shoes have an orange instruction slip. Seeing that slip, all the staff know it’s a BY REQUEST shoe. A meticulously finished pair is then passed into the hands of a customer who dreams of owning such shoes.—It feels as if that instruction slip is whispering, ‘There comes a time in life to fulfill someone else’s dream.’”

John Lobb Japan
Tel. 03-6267-6010
http://www.johnlobb.com/jp