When going for a pair of laced-up shoes, the selection often boils down to two icons: The Oxford and The Derby, both champions in their own right. 

Tracing its origin back to Scotland and Ireland, and gaining its name from being a shoe often worn on the campus of The University of Oxford back in the 1800s, The Oxford is by many considered the mother of all dress shoes. Thereafter, The Derby has appeared as a less formal version of The Oxford, offering unmatched compatibility with both formal- and casual wear. Easy to pair – easy to wear.

Distinction

The general distinction between the shoes is how the lacing is constructed as a part of the shoe. The lacing of both shoes is constructed into the quarters of the shoes. While The Oxford has its quarters sewn “in” or integrated into the vamp – something often called “closed lacing”, the quarters of The Derby are sewn on top of the vamp. See pictures below.

Even though this seemingly futile detail constitutes the distinction between the two kinds of shoes, they are often crafted with some quite defining individual characteristics such as broguing (the dotted patterns on the shoe), the dimensions of the outsole and the instep. How The Oxford and The Derby can be perceived in terms of compatibility with certain clothes is mainly decided by two main factors: 

• The material of the shoe, leather being more formal and suede more casual.

• The Broguing on the shoe; more broguing generates a less formal shoe.

With this in mind and after years of development, we offer our own take on The Oxford and The Derby, each with their own distinct characteristics.

The Oxford