Burberry makes a lot of shoes

Burberry makes a lot of shoes. Most of them will not last. The canvas sneakers with the archive check will separate at the sole after a wet winter. The leather derbies with the rubberised branding will crease badly and show scuffs by month three. This is not unusual for a house that sells volume alongside heritage, but it means you have to choose carefully.

What holds up: Goodyear-welted construction, full-grain leather uppers, and styles that predate the logo era. Burberry has been making footwear since the 1950s, though the archive runs deeper in outerwear. The shoes worth buying now are the ones that borrow from that older vocabulary—plain derbies, Chelsea boots with narrow elastic, brogues that don't announce themselves. They cost more than the canvas options, but the gap closes fast when you're not replacing them every 18 months.

Good, in this context, means a sole you can resole, an upper that darkens rather than cracks, and a silhouette that doesn't date itself to a single season. Burberry's current range includes all three qualities, but only in specific models. What follows is based on wear, not press material: three pairs tested over two years, across city commutes, wet pavements, and the occasional country wedding.

Arthur Leather Brogues

The Arthur is Burberry's closest approach to a traditional English brogue without actually calling it one. Full-grain calfskin, Goodyear-welted, with a storm welt that keeps water out longer than you'd expect from a dress shoe. The perforations are restrained—enough to mark it as a brogue, not so many that it reads as costume. The toe is slightly squared, which dates it to the early 2000s revival of Edwardian proportions, but it hasn't aged badly.

I bought a pair in dark tan two years ago. The leather was stiff for the first month, then broke in around the ball of the foot and stopped moving. The welt stitching is still intact. The sole has been worn down to the cork layer at the forefoot, which means it's due for a resole, but that's expected at this mileage. A cobbler quoted £90, which is reasonable for a welted shoe.

The Arthur works under a suit or with heavy chinos. It does not work with denim, unless the denim is dark and the context is dinner. The toe shape is too formal for casual tailoring. Burberry offers it in black, tan, and oxblood. The tan shows scuffs less, but the oxblood darkens better over time.

One note: the sizing runs narrow. If you're between widths, go up. The leather will give, but not much.

Brockleigh Chelsea Boots

The Brockleigh is what Burberry should have been making all along. Plain elastic gussets, no branding on the pull tab, a slim profile that doesn't collapse at the ankle. The leather is a matte calfskin that takes polish well but doesn't require it. The sole is a Goodyear welt with a low stacked heel—practical for walking, not so chunky that it turns the boot into workwear.

I've worn a black pair for 18 months, mostly in London. They've been through rain, slush, and two trips to Edinburgh in February. The elastic has stretched slightly but hasn't lost tension. The leather has creased at the vamp, which is unavoidable in a Chelsea boot, but the creases are clean and haven't cracked. The sole has worn evenly, with about two millimetres left before I'll need to take them in.

The Brockleigh fits under a trouser hem without bunching, which is the test of a good Chelsea. It also works with a turn-up, provided the turn-up is narrow. The shaft is tall enough to cover the ankle bone but not so tall that it looks equestrian. Burberry offers it in black, dark brown, and a burnished tan that I haven't tested but looks promising in photographs.

One caution: the pull tabs are short. If you have high insteps, you may need a shoehorn. I don't, and I still use one.

Lanham Leather Derbies

The Lanham is Burberry's plainest shoe, which is why it works. Three eyelets, a rounded toe, a single-piece vamp with no broguing. It's built on the same last as the Arthur but without the decoration. The leather is a pebble-grain calfskin that hides scuffs better than smooth leather, though it also takes longer to break in.

I've had a brown pair for two years. They were uncomfortable for the first six weeks—tight across the instep, stiff at the quarters—but they've since moulded to the foot and require no thought. The pebble grain has darkened unevenly, which I like. The sole is Goodyear-welted and has held up better than the Arthur's, possibly because I wear them less often.

The Lanham reads more casual than the Arthur, but it's still a leather derby, which means it won't work with shorts or joggers. It pairs well with flannel trousers, moleskin, and heavyweight cotton chinos. Burberry offers it in black, brown, and a navy suede that I haven't seen in person. The brown is the safest choice.

Sizing is consistent with the Arthur: narrow, so go up if you're between widths.

Care and Longevity

All three pairs require the same maintenance. Clean the uppers with a damp cloth after wet wear, let them dry on shoe trees, and apply cream polish every month. The Goodyear welts mean you can resole them indefinitely, provided the uppers don't crack. Expect the first resole around the two-year mark if you wear them three times a week.

Burberry includes dust bags with each pair, which is useful for storage but not much else. The shoes don't need waterproofing spray—the storm welts handle rain better than most treatments. If the elastic on the Brockleigh stretches, a cobbler can replace it for £30.

Buy the right size the first time. These are not shoes that stretch into comfort if you start too tight.