Six pairs to see you stride into the next season .

Nothing says more about a man than his shoes. Not the size of his watch, the colour of his briefcase or the knot in his tie. No, a pair of top-quality, well-shined shoes are the absolute, unshakeable foundation upon which all else is built. After all, everything is constructed from the ground up, right? And with the new season upon us, and back to work the theme of the week, now is the time to make an upgrade.

These, gents, are the shoes for men with well-developed tastes. They are for those of you who value quality and timeless design over lip service to some passing trend. Read on to discover six pairs of shoes that are worthy of your attention.

The reputation of Mr George Cleverley as a shoemaker to the great and the good is well documented. Having learnt his craft at the famed shoemaker Tuczek of Clifford Street, he opened his own business in 1958, crafting exquisite, long-lasting shoes until his death in 1991. Sir Winston Churchill, Mr Laurence Olivier and Mr Alexander McQueen are on the brand’s illustrious roll-call of former clients – their lasts (or three-dimensional wooden blueprints) still proudly hang in the company’s workshop on London’s Royal Arcade. The brand’s current line of styles is no less impressive. These penny loafers are a smart alternative to lace-ups. Crafted from pebble-grain leather in a delectable chocolate brown shade, wear them (sans socks) with navy or dark blue tailoring to add a rakish slant to your corporate uniform.

John Lobb is one of the world’s oldest cobblers. The company uses a skilled team of artisans to hand-make each pair in a process that can take 190 steps and several weeks – as you might expect for a firm that has been in the game 151 years. This attention to detail and finish is evident in its City II Oxford Shoe, which uses high-shine black leather. With leather soles and a sleek double-stitched cap toe, their elegant profile makes them the perfect foundation for a formal daytime look. Wear them with a charcoal grey suit by Prada to stand out from the crowd.

J.M. Weston, founded by Mr Edouard Blanchard, is the go-to, off-duty shoe for former French presidents including Messrs Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy. And it is not hard to see why. J.M. Weston is dedicated to traditional craftsmanship – being founded in 1891 – while keeping its designs as relevant as ever. Its iconic 180 Moccasin is still produced in accordance with the fabrication processes of its 1946 launch and in the same atelier in Limoges, France. Why mess with a winning formula? In the 1960s, Parisian teenagers from bourgeois families would wear them with Wayfarer sunglasses and rolled-up trousers to expose tanned ankles, and we can’t think of a better way to style them today. This pair has been crafted from smooth dark brown leather. Slip them on with a pair of turned-up stone-coloured chinos, navy unstructured blazer and a white tee for a smart off-duty look.

British brand Church’s was established in 1873 by Mr Thomas Church, although his family had already been hand-making men’s shoes since 1675. Quite the pedigree, then. Quality, dedication to craftsmanship and innovation have run like a golden thread through Church’s business. In 1881, the company became the first shoe manufacturer to introduce differently shaped “left” and “right” shoes (previously, both tended to be cut from the same last.) Based in Northampton, the shoe-making capital of the UK, Church’s uses only the finest leathers and produces each shoe by hand. The company’s time-honed expertise is evident in these longwing brogues. The leather lining, rain-friendly rubber sole and the artful perforation pattern make them a smart choice for any city slicker.

Monk-strap shoes (so called because they were initially designed for monks back in the 15th century) fall into one of two categories – the single monk and the double monk, with one or two buckles, respectively. However, there’s still plenty of scope for variety with this style of shoe which has quickly gained a reputation as being the anti-establishment alternative to the classic Oxford or Derby. This offering from O’Keeffe, in water-resistant, smooth leather has been oiled and waxed so it can wear its punishment well. They will go with everything from charcoal tailoring to turned-up denim.

Founded in Milan in 1913 as a leather goods and accessories shop, Prada quickly became an official supplier to the Italian royal household. Today, the brand is led by Ms Miuccia Prada who is well-known for her forward-thinking approach to design. This is particularly evident in the label’s chunky Derby shoes, which have been constructed from spazzolato leather and finished with a fringed kiltie panel. Unconventional yet still smart, they’re a modish alternative to your everyday smart shoe. Unlike Oxfords, they can easily be dressed down as well as up, so you can wear them from breakfast meeting to cocktail bar. Now, how’s that for an investment?

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