How Premium Ready-Made Shoes Got So Expensive

Whole Cut Made To Order Shoe by Roberto Revilla London

If you’ve walked through a department store recently, or past the shop windows of Church’s et al and glanced at the price tags on men’s dress shoes, you might have felt your eyebrows lift. You’re not imagining it. Premium ready made shoes have skyrocketed in price over the last few years. Brands that once offered solid value are now charging luxury fashion prices, and the gap between what you pay and what you actually get has never been wider.

As a bespoke tailor that spends my life helping busy gents dress better, I’ve seen this shift happen in real time. Clients tell me all the time that they just want quality shoes that look great, feel comfortable and last. What they don’t want to overpay for a logo on the insole while compromising on fit or choice.

I want to unpack why ready made luxury shoes have gotten so expensive, the issues you still have to deal with even at these higher prices, and why commissioning a pair of made to order shoes at around £695 is not only much better value but also gives you far more choice, comfort and longevity.

Why Premium Ready-Made Shoes Have Skyrocketed in Price

The big story here is Church’s. Around four years ago the brand raised prices across the board by roughly 40 to 50 percent. Overnight their classic cap toe Oxfords jumped into the £700 plus bracket. Other luxury makers quickly followed. Whether you call it repositioning, inflation or brand strategy the result was the same. Ready made shoes suddenly cost as much as entry level bespoke once did.

Why? Well there are a few reasons.

• Rising costs of materials and labour

• Post-pandemic supply chain disruptions

• Fashion houses positioning traditional shoemakers as luxury fashion products rather than heritage craft

• Currency shifts and import pressures

• A shift toward margin driven pricing rather than value driven pricing

The irony is that while these shoes are undeniably beautifully made, their price tags have escalated far faster than their actual value. You’re paying more, but you’re not getting more.

Which brings me to my next point.

Why Expensive Ready-Made Shoes Still Don’t Solve the Fit Problem

Here’s the uncomfortable truth. Though for some they do work perfectly, for many others even the most beautifully made ready made shoes can only ever fit you approximately. They’re built around a standard last, width and volume. They’re made for the average man, not your feet.

And your feet aren’t average.

Studies show a huge percentage of adults wear wrong-sized footwear. This contributes directly to foot pain, blisters, calluses, bunions and even problems with your knees and hips. Plantar Fascitis is a common complaint I see among clients. Feet have grown wider and longer over the years too (nearly three years of people living in Crocs and running sneakers during the COVID-19 lockdowns is a big reason), but the footwear industry hasn’t kept up. Many men buy shoes that feel “fine” in the shop but become horrible to wear after a full day of walking or commuting.

So you end up stuck with a shoe that may cost £700 or even £1,000 that you hate wearing because they’re not the most comfortable but you persevere because of a combination of having spent a lot of money on them and the shop assistant told you they’d “stretch out”. And this has a negative effect on your long term health.

That’s not good value - that’s brand tax and clearly in this situation there’s only one winner here, in the short term at least.

Made-to-Order Shoes at £695: The Smart Luxury Alternative

This is where made to order footwear changes the game.

At Roberto Revilla London our made to order shoes start at around £695 depending on specification. That’s already much less than many premium branded ready made shoes. Yet what you get for your money is so much more.

Here’s what truly separates made to order from the ready made world.

1. Fit that’s actually based on your feet

We size both your feet individually because they’re not identical and shouldn’t be treated as if they are. If you have one foot half a size or more larger, or even one foot wider than the other, we make the shoes accordingly. You’re not squeezing one foot (or both) into the closest approximation a factory decided on. You’re getting a shoe that better supports your biomechanics and keeps you comfortable from the moment you first put them on.

2. Choice that reflects your style, not a brand’s seasonal direction

Want a slightly chiseled toe? A more classic almond shape? A deep burgundy patina or a classic English tan? Leather soles, rubber city soles or something hybrid? In a ready made world you buy what’s in stock. With made to order you get exactly what you want. We have even made shoes for clients that are traditional on top but with a running sneaker sole crafted beneath for the ultimate in comfort for those that run around more than the average person, or need the extra shock absorption due to lower back, knee and hip injuries.

3. Better value and longevity

Our made to order shoes are hand sewn and fully built for longevity. Our Goodyear Welt options are designed to be resoled, refreshed and enjoyed year after year. When a shoe actually fits properly it also wears down far more slowly which saves you a lot of money in the long run.

4. Free cedar wood shoe trees

Every pair of our shoes, boots and trainers includes cedar wood shoe trees as standard. Most premium brands charge between £40 and £120 for these and use them as a hard upsell, like when you order a new car and have to pay extra for the floor mats! Cedar naturally absorbs moisture, reducing bacteria and mould inside the shoe while the trees help maintain the shape of your shoes - they’re an absolute must-have. We include them because (like functioning buttonholes on the cuffs of our bespoke jackets) they’re a necessary part of the package and experience.

5. More sustainable and responsible

Unlike mass manufactured ready made shoes that require bulk production and unpredictable stock forecasting, with our made to order service we only produce what our clients commission meaning less waste, no overstock and no unnecessary leather consumption. And for the odd pair that don’t work (it does happen sometimes!), we donate those to charities that support getting less privileged people suited, booted and back to work.

Who Benefits Most from Made-to-Order Shoes?

Well honestly everyone would, but especially:

• Busy professionals who need all day comfort

• Men with wider, narrower or unevenly sized feet

• Clients who want luxury quality without paying inflated fashion-house pricing

• Anyone who wants the ability to choose their own personal style and features rather than whatever the brands dictate this season

• Men who appreciate craftsmanship and longevity

If you’re the kind of person who invests in themselves through well made clothing, enjoys looking sharp and values comfort that lasts, made to order footwear is one of the smartest investments you can make.

Luxury ready made shoes have climbed into price brackets that used to be exclusive to bespoke makers, but they still come with the same compromises in fit, comfort and choice that the average man has always had to accept.

Made to order shoes at around £695 give you more value, better fit, greater longevity, personalised style and a far more satisfying ownership experience.

If you’re ready for shoes that are made the way you want them and built around your actual feet size, we’d love to help you take the first step.

Book your shoe appointment at Roberto Revilla London and let’s create something special for you.