Gaziano & Girling

The company has progressed from humble beginnings in a garage through several stages of growth, eventually establishing their own factory and opening their flagship Savile Row shop in April 2014. Gaziano & Girling received the Royal Warrant of Appointment as shoemakers to His Majesty The King, recognizing their excellence in British footwear craftsmanship. The company offers both bespoke shoes made on individually carved wooden lasts and ready-to-wear collections, predominantly using Goodyear welt construction with exceptionally high stitch counts that create refined, thin-profiled shoes.

Gaziano & Girling was founded in 2006 by Tony Gaziano and Dean Girling, two master shoemakers who brought complementary skills to their partnership. Tony Gaziano had developed expertise as a lastmaker, the specialist craft of creating the wooden forms around which shoes are constructed, while Dean Girling specialized in sole and heel making, the finishing elements crucial to footwear construction and comfort.

Both founders brought over 25 years of experience in high-end shoemaking to their new venture, having worked within the British bespoke footwear industry before establishing their own company. This extensive background provided both technical skills and industry knowledge necessary to launch a successful shoemaking operation in the competitive London market.

The company began operations from a garage, starting with bespoke shoe production before expanding into ready-to-wear collections. This progression from bespoke to ready-to-wear follows a pattern common in luxury shoemaking, where initial bespoke work establishes reputation and craftsmanship credentials that can then be leveraged into broader market ready-to-wear lines.

Initially, Gaziano & Girling produced ready-to-wear shoes in another manufacturer's factory, contracting production while maintaining design and quality control. As the business grew, the company established their own manufacturing facility, gaining complete control over production processes and allowing implementation of their specific quality standards and construction techniques.

Gaziano & Girling first established presence on Savile Row in 2009 when they had the opportunity to display their shoes at Chittleborough & Morgan, a bespoke tailor located on the historic street. This initial presence provided exposure to Savile Row's clientele of discerning customers seeking the highest quality British craftsmanship.

In April 2014, Gaziano & Girling opened their own shop at 39 Savile Row, becoming the first shoe company to occupy premises on the street historically dominated by bespoke tailors. This milestone positioned the company alongside legendary tailoring establishments while creating visibility for British bespoke shoemaking within menswear's most prestigious location.

The Savile Row shop serves multiple functions: retail space for ready-to-wear collections, fitting room for bespoke clients, and brand showcase demonstrating their position within the apex of British craftsmanship. The location allows Gaziano & Girling to connect with customers seeking complete bespoke wardrobes, coordinating footwear with suits from neighboring tailors.

Gaziano & Girling's bespoke shoe service begins with precise foot measurements taken either at their Savile Row shop or during trunk shows conducted around the world. This international fitting capability extends their bespoke services beyond London, serving clients globally while maintaining the personal measurement and consultation process essential to bespoke work.

Following measurement, a last is sculpted from beech wood specifically for each individual's feet. This custom last-making represents one of the most critical and specialized aspects of bespoke shoemaking, requiring the lastmaker's ability to interpret measurements and foot characteristics into three-dimensional wooden forms that will produce properly fitting shoes.

Tony Gaziano's background as a lastmaker provides Gaziano & Girling with in-house capability for this specialized skill, avoiding reliance on external lastmakers while ensuring direct control over this crucial element. The beech wood lasts are retained by the company, allowing repeat orders without requiring new measurements or last creation.

The bespoke process allows complete customization of leather selection, design details, and construction methods, with clients working directly with the shoemakers to specify their preferences. This collaborative approach ensures that finished shoes reflect customer requirements while maintaining the structural integrity and aesthetic proportions that distinguish well-made footwear.

Gaziano & Girling predominantly employs Goodyear welt construction for their footwear, unless specifically stated otherwise for particular models. This traditional method has been used for high-quality shoe production for over a century, providing durability and repairability that justify premium pricing.

The company's Goodyear welted shoes utilize an extremely high number of stitches per inch compared to typical implementations of this construction method. This dense stitching creates surprisingly thin-profiled shoes that avoid the bulk sometimes associated with Goodyear welted footwear, achieving refined aesthetics while maintaining structural benefits.

The Goodyear welting process involves attaching a strip of leather called a welt to both the upper and insole, creating a cavity that is filled with cork before the outsole is stitched to the welt. This construction allows shoes to be resoled repeatedly throughout their lifespan by removing the old outsole, replacing the cork, and attaching a new sole. This repairability significantly extends shoe lifespan compared to cemented constructions.

Goodyear welted construction was the focus of Gaziano & Girling's production for many years, as it represents the most traditional and reliable method for high-quality men's shoes. This construction expertise established their reputation within the industry and among discerning customers who understand the technical superiority of welted shoes.

Gaziano & Girling Ltd received the Royal Warrant of Appointment as shoemakers to His Majesty The King, one of the highest recognitions available to British craftspeople and businesses. Royal Warrants are granted to companies that have supplied goods or services to the Royal Household for at least five years and continue to meet exacting quality standards.

This appointment recognizes Gaziano & Girling's excellence in British footwear craftsmanship while connecting them to a tradition of royal patronage for bespoke shoemakers extending back centuries. The Royal Warrant provides both validation of quality and marketing distinction, allowing the company to display the Royal Arms on their premises and materials.

Permanent Style, an influential menswear blog, named Gaziano & Girling their "Artisan of the Year" for 2019, describing their trajectory as "the ideal artisanal journey." This recognition from respected menswear journalism acknowledges not only their craftsmanship quality but also their business model of growing from garage startup to Savile Row presence while maintaining craft integrity.

The company's progression from bespoke beginnings through factory establishment to ready-to-wear success while preserving quality standards represents a successful navigation of the challenges facing modern artisanal businesses. This journey demonstrates that traditional craftsmanship can be commercially sustainable when combined with appropriate business development and market positioning.

Beyond bespoke services, Gaziano & Girling produces ready-to-wear shoe collections available for purchase without custom ordering. These shoes are made on standardized lasts in regular size runs, making them accessible to customers who desire the company's construction quality and aesthetic without the time and cost investment of bespoke work.

The ready-to-wear collections maintain Goodyear welt construction and material quality consistent with bespoke standards, distinguishing them from mass-market shoes while offering more immediate availability than bespoke orders. This dual offering allows the company to serve both the small bespoke market and the larger ready-to-wear luxury segment.