August Special is a new shoe brand - they launched online back in May - and it’s an interesting proposition I think. Comfortable versions of traditional shoes that have more style than most in that combination, and rugged styles that are actually made in a refined way.
The reason the design is good is that the founder, Joseph Pollard (below), is very experienced. He’s been a menswear designer for more than 20 years, primarily at Polo Ralph Lauren and RRL, where he ran the outerwear and accessories/shoes categories at different points.
He’s English and worked for Duffer of St George among others in the UK, before going to the US to work for Abercrombie and then Polo. He made a lifestyle change in 2019 when the family moved to Philadelphia.
“I took a little time off, maybe six months, while the kids got settled in school,” he says. “We’d made one major move before - to the US from England - and I knew how hard it could be. But after that I started thinking about what I wanted to do next.”
Joseph wanted to do something he believed in, made on his own terms, which is of course a very Permanent Style-type motivation, tying together many brands we cover. Joseph is, like many of those, a product person first and foremost.
The first product he created, the Augie loafer, came from a desire to make a tougher and more comfortable version of Belgian loafers he had worn in New York. “We moved from Brooklyn to the Upper East Side when he had kids, and I used to wear Belgians all the time,” he says. “I knew the shop, and I’d walk to the office in them.
“But when we moved to Philadelphia, that didn’t really work. I’m sure people do wear them here, but that’s more of a country-club set than we are! Basically I couldn’t wear them to Home Depot - the city would just chew them up.”
He’d also never been much of a fan of the Belgian Shoe’s little bow. “It’s too fancy for me. My wardrobe is a mix of tailoring and workwear - jackets and denim, chambray shirts and loafers. You can do that look with a dressy slipper, but it’s not my style.
“By the way Simon, that might seem a very current look but the Duffer guys were all doing it back in the day - their standard was a Crombie coat, jeans and a good shoe.”
OK, so what makes the Augie (and the chukka boot, the style I own, above left) interesting?
The first thing is the last. It’s based on old 40s and 50s shoes, which had a slightly more orthopaedic shape, curved on the outside line and straighter on the inside, with a narrower waist.
The example of this that most readers will be familiar with is the modified last from Alden. But while that can look very unusual, August Special is more moderate. I find it both very comfortable and not the kind of thing anyone would notice.
The emphasis on comfort goes through into the construction too. The insole has a full-length piece of memory foam, which your foot sinks into in a satisfying way. The midsole on the loafers is then a piece of sports foam, wrapped in leather. That’s what you can see between the sole and the upper in the pic below.
At first I wasn’t sure about the way that sole looks, but I like it more now I appreciate the functional reasons. I also like the fact it’s not the same rubber unit that everyone in the world is slapping on suede loafers, trying to be an Open Walk or a Belgian with very little extra to offer, other than perhaps cheapness.
The sole on my chukka boot is a more standard Vibram and there isn’t that extra foam in the mid-sole, but I’ve still found it more comfortable than any other chukka I own. I’m not so keen on the contrast between black rubber and natural leather in the sole edge and heel, but that’s a personal preference and will darker over time. Darker suede or leather options would have less of a contrast.
The design is based off boots issued to US Navy pilots, who presumably had a functional reason for the lower height. I wasn’t sure about that height to start with, but I rather like it now. I’m not sure I’d have it as the default for my chukkas, but it seems part of this boot’s style and character.
The other thing that’s interesting is August Special’s combination of rugged and refined.
The chukka’s upper is one piece of full-grain leather, unlined, with a supporting piece around the heel. The thickness of the leather gives it a rugged look, but the quality of it means it’s soft and comfortable - more so than the thinner leather on an Alden chukka for example.
The make is very good, benchmade in Tuscany close to the area the veg-tanned leather, laces and other things come from. The welt is slim for example, cut close to the upper and running 270 degrees around the boot rather than 360 (so not including the heel).
Personally I don’t think these points make the boot any less rugged, just less chunky in shape. I’ve only worn them with jeans and workwear chinos so far, but I can see how this style might enable them to be a little dressier - with tailored cotton trousers and a cashmere knit for example.
The loafers didn’t quite work for me - I seemed to be in between sizes, and while the lacing of the chukka made fit easier there, the loafers had no such luxury. Still, Lucas has a pair and they work really well for him. There are other versions of the loafer coming in the future too, so I will try those.
The thing I love most about the August Special shoes, though, is how good they look beaten up. When Joseph came into the pop-up shop in New York recently, that was the thing I liked the most. It’s his look of the loafers with workwear chinos and a loose chambray or white oxford shirt that really appeals to me, I feel would be relevant for a lot of readers.
I also saw a pair of chukkas on Sean Crowley (an old colleague of Joseph’s from Ralph Lauren) and they looked fantastic. I can’t wait for mine to get to that stage.
Some facts in anticipation of questions:
- I wear an 9.5 (US) in the chukka, but was between 9.5 and 10 in the loafer. My standard now in something like Edward Green is 9E (UK). August Special only comes in an E width
- August Special is only sold online at the moment, and is based in the US. There is no wholesale at the moment, but that might change in the future
- The boots are Goodyear welted and can be easily resoled. The loafers are Blake stitched and are harder - August Special has no current solution there but is planning to offer a resole service in the future, including on those
- The shoes are all made in Italy
The chukka boots are being restocked in February
Peter Zottolo has been talking about these for a whle-great to see a write up. Thanks Simon.
Look fantastic. Josephs a great guy
These might be just the thing I’m looking for. Although more than long enough, I find my EGs (U.K. size 10 E / F) increasingly painful to wear because they crowd my toes together. What size do usually you wear in Alden, Simon?
August Special states “Our sizing is comparable to Alden, so if you wear an Alden size 9, you can confidently order an August Special shoe in size 9.”
In Alden I’m pretty much always a 9.5. The only shoe that doesn’t work so well on me in that size is the full-strap loafer on the Aberdeen last, but I make do with some heel slippage so my toes are comfortable
Look like great shoes – wonder if you’d look at bringing them over to a future pop-up…
I reckon there could be an interesting article on the legacy of good, big company design departments and the small brands their former employees go on to create – the Ralph Lauren extended universe, if you will…
Yes, true, a nice idea. Some of those people were quoted in this article, in case you didn’t see it. But a broader one about those companies is definitely a good shout.
Working on an event together in the future is also a good idea
Ah yes, I had forgotten about that article, good to go back to. I think there is new ground with a look at what they took from their experience to their own projects. There must be other examples than ralph too – the Nutters extended universe in tailoring is one that comes to mind
True.
Actually Duffer of St George is an interesting one too
As I young clubber in the 90’s Duffer was the go to brand, I can remember saving for a couple of months to by a shirt with a dragon on it. And their cargo pants were amazing
In American football, there is the idea of “coaching trees” of assistant coaches who have gone on to become head coaches. It could be an applicable method for organizing your thinking, with a Ralph tree, a Nutter tree, etc.
A case in point — the August Special journal features an article about another small company founded by an ex-RL designer: Atlantic Coastal Supplies, whose beach bags were recently recommended by Simon
Yes, Joseph’s comment about the Duffer guys’ look was an interesting one and I’d like to read something more broadly about their extended universe and influence.
Enjoyable article. Those chukkas are tempting… Did you have a chance to try the other boot, the Belliver one?
I didn’t, no
Hi Simon, great article! Is there anywhere in the UK that offers a single pair of shoes in two different sizes?
Not ready to wear, no. But made to order at places like Gaziano, Edward Green and others is often not much more
Really? How much would those be? What about the various chukkas that Drake’s offers?
No, Drake’s doesn’t do it.
I don’t know the precise prices, you’d have to check with them
Love the shoes and the ethos of the brand. Looks like most ex-RL employees who make their own brand seem to bring a breath of fresh air into the landscape without going too far in any direction.
Not unique to August Special, but I really do wish shoe brands regularly had extended sizing up to a US14. I understand that the demands is likely very low in that end of the spectrum but it’s a bit of a bummer haha
I have the loafers and got great wear out of them this summer. I was a bit stressed over how much the heels were wearing down-this is just my gait and happens to every shoe I own. I ended up taking them to my cobbler, who simply reinforced each heel with a rubber counter, very inexpensively.
They seem interesting, although once you add in European taxes, they don’t seem to be that much value at all.
Not to mention the funny thing that while they’re made here in Italy, I can’t actually order them here. Not only I would have to pay to ship them back from the US, but apparently I would be charged duties too, which I am pretty sure it shouldn’t even apply since I’m introducing a product back in the EU where it was actually made.
Let’s see if they do decide to do wholesale here I guess.
It’s not really unusual that if a product is made in a country, you can’t order them in that country. It’s always dependent on where the company is based and holds stock.
It’s also common to have to pay duties to import, even if they’re made in the destination country.
For those near Philadelphia, August Special will be attending a pop-up on Sunday 15 December in Ardmore at American Trench (which is like the US version of PWVC).
Thank you
A £475 pair of shoes come up at £650 with delivery and duties to the UK. Ordering from the US with such punitive duty doesn’t seem particularly practical given how personal shoe fit is, though looks like they’ve sold out of everything but loafers anyway.
True on the pricing, it is hard. I meant to say on the stock levels that the chukkas are coming back into stock in February.
Hopefully this article might bring this brand to a European audience and make it worth them having a local offering in the future.
That’s exactly what I thought when I looked at them when Simon posted about them last. I love the look but the high price makes them too much of a gamble. Even if I order them when in the US it’s a gamble as it’s online only and would be too hard to return them.
Any idea who makes that suede belt in the 11th photo?
No, but I can ask Joseph
So, that’s a vintage 40s piece, but Joseph did also design a similar piece for RRL that you might be able to find around
I bought a pair of the chukkas and Joseph was super helpful through the process. However, I find the look of the shoe to be a little “blobby” to my eye. But my main concern with them is that the heel strike is incredibly hard. It is as though there is no cushioning at all in the heel or inner sole. I haven’t tried, but I very much doubt I could walk very far in these shoes without knee pain.
Interesting, thanks Andrew. I’ve found them more comfortable than other boots in that respect, particularly compared to something like Alden, but let us know how you get on. Perhaps it’s an issue more if there are existing knee issues
I know what you mean about the shape – I like it, but I do think it leans a little more towards the workwear side of a chukka style, rather than the dressy one. I wouldn’t wear them with tailoring really, whereas some Aldens I would
Thanks, Simon. I’m certainly not at the point of giving up on them. I compare them to my Edward Green Halifax boots that have Dainite soles. Dainite isn’t soft, but I don’t experience the same hard strike as I do with the August Specials. It’s true, my knees do have some miles on them! But that’s exactly why I rarely wear leather-soled shoes any more these days. And I agree about the workwear look. I’ve been wearing them with chinos or cords.
Hi Simon, when it comes to small clothing/accessories businesses do you have any insight on how the new EU GSPR coming into effect on the 13th (particularly the bit about requiring an EU representative) will affect those small businesses in the UK? I’ve seen that some of the 1-2 person businesses are stopping selling to EU/NI customers.
No I don’t, sorry
Do I have to go for a boot in wet weather? I want something more smart than trainers and less formal than brogues and boots seem to be my only option. Do these chunky shoes pass the test or have I missed this article?
If it is actually raining you’ll probably want a boot or a derby, yes. The chukkas and boots here are nice but not that smart – you might want to go for a smarter brand if you want a boot that leans that way
Thanks for reviewing this new brand.
Looking at their website from Switzerland, prices are displayed in Swiss Francs, so an average pair of boots is CHF 650. With shipping and duties that works out to CHF 722 equivalent to 812$ for a boot made in Italy. Not very attractive.
As much as I often buy from new brands to try them out and help them out, living in Europe in terms of quality and value, I would definitely recommend shoemakers such as TLB or Carmina. Since there are no duties in the US on imports of less than 800$ (if I am not mistaken) this seems like a much better option.
NY based Justin Fitzpatrick shoes seems like a better option for US customers in terms of price/quality.
I know what you mean Andre, but I’d also say none of those brands make shoes like these
Simon,
Two questions, (1) do you have details on those fatigue pants with the drawstring hems; and (2) kindly recognizing that AS’ leopard print loafers probably aren’t your style, would you recommend the darker of the three options as the most subtle way to incorporate that look into a wardrobe, or does it make sense to do the lighter print given that is the more conventional look?
Thanks,
Rand
I don’t, sorry.
I’d go darker probably, but take my opinion for what it’s worth, given I’ve never owned any leopard print!