If the last year has taught us anything, it’s that nothing is certain. This is something those of us in the fashion industry have long been aware of; when you’re in the business of tracking trends, it’s all too common to see what is here today, gone tomorrow.

But few of us could have predicted the last 12 months. We’ve gone from dressing up for dinner or the office, to scarcely needing more than a handful of pairs of sweatpants to get us through the week. To say we at MR PORTER have been contemplating what this all means for the future of our wardrobes is something of an understatement. And one area that has been the subject of much conversation is what we wear on our feet.

Of course, this is something we’ll admit to having a vested interest in. As the founders and designers of our very own label, Mr P., of which shoes are constituent part, we like to think of the time we’ve spent deliberating over the seemingly insignificant details of our footwear collection – the exact sole width and height, the particulars of linings, even, if you can believe it, the placement of the laces – as time well spent. Plus, if we’re exerting our energy debating these intricacies, it saves you the trouble.

That, after all, is the goal of the Mr P. collection as a whole: to make it that bit easier and more effortless for men to get ready in the morning. And a pair of smart, adaptable, snug-fitting shoes is part of that equation. 

As the latest drop lands on MR PORTER – standout styles from which are pictured throughout – we’ve enlisted the help of MR PORTER’s own Style Director Mr Olie Arnold, to get to the bottom of our current footwear obsession. “Men are, above all, looking for versatility when it comes to their choice of shoes,” he explains. “It’s great dressing up on occasion, but on the whole, dress codes have relaxed, especially recently and having footwear that can adapt to a variety of situations – something you can wear all day at the office as well as out for drinks in the evening – is the ideal.”

But what does that versatility look like? To Olie Arnold, it’s when form and function are in harmony. “You often build outfits from the floor up, so style is obviously an important factor,” he says. “But then again, I’m also on my feet all day, so comfort is key.”

That blueprint of balanced style and wearability is how we’ve approached these pieces at the drawing board stage, but after the designing part is done, it’s over to the manufacturers to bring the Mr P. collection to life. We’re, naturally, rather picky at this stage in the process. “We always strive to work with manufacturers who align with our DNA and who have a strong pedigree in artisanal and time-honoured techniques,” he explains. Every Mr P. shoe is also crafted using custom lasts. “They’re all exclusive to us,” he says, noting that every length has been gone to to achieve a singularly superior fit.

In this collection, the choice of materials were also key. From the soft, suede split-toe Derbies – perhaps the epitome of the quintessential smart-casual shoe – the leather was sourced from a luxury tannery in Italy (“the last for this one is my favourite; I’m a big fan of the almond-shaped toes”), while the soles use recycled materials, to the summery David sandals which are made with webbing backed with suede so they don’t rub and are equipped with cushiony moulded footbeds. “I love the low profile of the sole and how comfortable it is,” Arnold says. “Personally, I’d wear them with a pair of wide-legged trousers or long-length shorts. But first and foremost, I’d make sure I’d had a pedicure!”

Despite their relative longevity - especially if you go to the trouble of resoling your shoes when the time comes – footwear is not, as Arnold points out, something you’d hand down through the generations. Partly on account of the fact that you put your (sometimes sockless) feet into them, and partly because feet come in varying shapes and sizes. Unlike a shearling jacket, piece of jewellery or top-quality tailoring, they aren’t what you’d consider heirlooms. “Shoes are hard to pass on to your kids or grandchildren, so they are something we replace often, too.” he says. “The thought of them piling up in a land-fill feels incredibly wrong.”

And so, this season, we’re also introducing the Eco Edition Larry sneaker, a variation of our clean, classic kicks made from a lower-impact and vegan-friendly alternative to leather sourced from byproducts of the Italian wine industry, or, in other words, grapes. The resulting bio-material looks, feels and withstands wear in much the same way as conventional hides, but uses no toxic chemicals or heavy metals at any stage of the manufacturing process. “Making more considered, conscious wardrobe choices is high on my list of priorities these days, but I don’t want to sacrifice style,” Arnold explains of the motivation behind the design. “The simplicity of the design and the all-white and all-black colourways, make it a go-to sneaker for me.”