WHAT LEATHER REMEMBERS
ON FULL GRAIN LEATHER, PATINA, AND WHY THE FINEST SNEAKER LEATHER IMPROVES WITH AGE
LEATHER REMEMBERS EVERYTHING.
THE FOLD OF A HAND. THE PARTICULAR WAY A FOOT STRIKES THE GROUND. A SUMMER IN THE CITY, A WINTER WALKED THROUGH. THESE THINGS ARE NOT DAMAGE. THEY ARE RECORD. THE SURFACE OF FULL GRAIN LEATHER IS A DOCUMENT, ACCUMULATING EVIDENCE OF A LIFE BEING LIVED IN IT.
MOST PEOPLE HAVE NEVER OWNED A SHOE THAT WORKED THIS WAY. MOST SHOE LEATHER IS CORRECTED. THE TOP SURFACE GROUND AWAY, THE NATURAL GRAIN REPLACED WITH AN ARTIFICIAL ONE, A COATING APPLIED THAT PROTECTS THE MATERIAL FROM EXACTLY THE KIND OF INTERACTION THAT MAKES FULL GRAIN LEATHER VALUABLE. THE RESULT IS A SURFACE THAT DOES NOT AGE. IT SIMPLY DETERIORATES, UNIFORMLY, UNTIL IT IS REPLACED.
WHAT FULL GRAIN LEATHER ACTUALLY IS
THE HIDE OF AN ANIMAL HAS A SURFACE. THAT SURFACE IS UNIQUE, UNREPEATABLE, MARKED BY THE LIFE THE ANIMAL LIVED. FULL GRAIN LEATHER RETAINS THAT SURFACE ENTIRELY. NOTHING REMOVED. NOTHING CORRECTED. THE RESULT IS A MATERIAL THAT BREATHES, THAT ABSORBS, THAT RESPONDS TO THE CONDITIONS IT ENCOUNTERS OVER TIME.
THIS IS THE LEATHER THAT DEVELOPS PATINA. THE RICH, DEEPENING SURFACE QUALITY THAT COLLECTORS OF FINE OBJECTS RECOGNISE IMMEDIATELY. IT CANNOT BE MANUFACTURED. IT CANNOT BE APPLIED. IT CAN ONLY BE EARNED, THROUGH USE, OVER TIME, BY LEATHER WITH THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY TO RECEIVE IT.
WHAT PATINA MEANS FOR LEATHER SNEAKERS
A FULL GRAIN LEATHER SNEAKER WORN CONSISTENTLY FOR TWO YEARS IS MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THE SAME SHOE ON THE DAY IT ARRIVED. THE LEATHER HAS BEGUN TO ADAPT. THE SURFACE HAS TAKEN ON DEPTH AND WARMTH THAT NO FINISHING PROCESS CAN REPLICATE. THE CREASES AT THE TOE BOX, THE SUBTLE DARKENING AT THE POINTS OF CONTACT — THESE ARE NOT IMPERFECTIONS. THEY ARE THE PRODUCT BEGINNING TO FULFIL ITS POTENTIAL.
FINE LEATHER SNEAKERS MADE FROM FULL GRAIN LEATHER ARE NOT AT THEIR BEST WHEN NEW. THEY ARE AT THEIR BEST WHEN WORN. THIS IS THE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LUXURY LEATHER SNEAKER AND A PRODUCED ONE. ONE IS DESIGNED TO LOOK GOOD IN A PHOTOGRAPH. THE OTHER IS DESIGNED TO GET BETTER OVER YEARS.
HOW TO CARE FOR FULL GRAIN LEATHER SNEAKERS
LEATHER NEEDS MOISTURE. NOT WATER, WHICH DAMAGES THE SURFACE, BUT THE OILS AND WAXES THAT REPLACE WHAT THE MATERIAL LOSES THROUGH WEAR AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE. A LEATHER CONDITIONER APPLIED REGULARLY, A PROTECTIVE CREAM BEFORE EXPOSURE TO WET CONDITIONS, A BRUSH USED CONSISTENTLY TO MAINTAIN THE SURFACE.
THE PATINA THAT DEVELOPS ON WELL-MAINTAINED FULL GRAIN LEATHER IS NOT UNIFORM. IT REFLECTS THE SPECIFIC LIFE OF THE PERSON WEARING THE SHOE. TWO IDENTICAL PAIRS, WORN BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT CONDITIONS, WILL DEVELOP DIFFERENTLY. THIS IS NOT INCONSISTENCY. IT IS THE MATERIAL INDIVIDUALISING ITSELF TO ITS OWNER.
FULL GRAIN LEATHER, PROPERLY SOURCED AND PROPERLY MADE, IS THE ONLY SHOE MATERIAL THAT IMPROVES WITH WEAR. 1812 USES FULL GRAIN LEATHER THROUGHOUT. EVERY PAIR IS BUILT TO DEVELOP, DEEPEN, AND LAST.
