In the world of high-end men’s footwear, very few brands have developed a unique design language that acts as a point of difference in such impressive fashion. For us at The Hand, Baudoin & Lange is one such brand, and we’re thrilled to now have them be a part of our family.
Baudoin & Lange is one of the most exciting brands in footwear and it’s only just getting started. It was founded in 2016 by Allan Baudoin and Bo van Langeveld, who met at the London School of Business and later went on to individually enjoy impressive careers outside of the shoemaking industry before joining forces. Allan worked at Apple where he was a business development executive, whilst Bo was a racing driver who later became an investment banker. We will later divulge further details on them both, but for now, we’re going to reveal why we’ve chosen to bring them into the fold here.
Baudoin & Lange is a British brand with its headquarters in east London. Despite its base, though, its aesthetic is far removed from the English school of thought when it comes to footwear design. The brand subscribes to the idea of ‘the Art of Living’, which is a graceful way of sauntering through life, and is European in nature with a sleek and elegant range of shoes to suit all manner of occasions. It launched with its signature creation, the Sagan loafer, which borrows design cues from the increasingly popular Belgian loafer – which smoothly blends a loafer and a slipper. It’s certainly reflective of some of the changes in attitudes towards footwear we’re currently seeing, whereby men yearn for something that’s supremely comfortable, looks great and can be worn throughout the day and into the night.
The entire range from Baudoin & Lange is quite sizeable, which is why we’ve chosen to offer a curated edit from its most premium range, The Grand Collection. Consisting of penny loafers and tassel loafers, we believe that this edit offers a great starting point for introducing Baudoin & Lange.
In terms of the construction and materials used, the overall level of quality is sublime and that’s largely due to Allan’s experience as a bespoke shoemaker (more on that soon). Each pair is Made in Italy using the finest leathers and suedes sourced from historic European tanneries and the duo go to a number of lengths to ensure that their shoes quickly become one of their customer’s favourite brand.
From a moisture-wicking cork layer and padding inlay that moulds to your foot to a ‘bridge lining’ that alleviates pressure from certain points, they provide all-day comfort time and time again. The soles are hand-trimmed for an artisanal touch, and they all feature a Blake-sewn construction with hidden stitching that ensures lightness and refinement. The lasts are slim, and therefore flattering but not to such a degree that they can only be worn on formal occasions.
We’ll start with the Fleurus, which is an elevated and smart upgrade take on the classic penny loafer. Instead of following in the footsteps of Ivy-League route, it’s decidedly more formal and artistic with a neat vamp and bevelled waist and we offer it in a soft black calf that will improve in comfort with every wear. Moving to the Fenelon, which is a sibling of Fleurus, this penny loafer comes in a supple reverse dark brown suede sourced from the UK and provides a more casual take on the style that’s fit for both work and play. It’s available in pre-order.
The Seine is the tassel loafer within The Grand Collection and there are two options available on pre-order, in black and dark brown reverse suede. Unlike the average tassel loafer, these are much more expressive and the hand-made tassel adds a decorative touch to the shoe and brings a certain level of excitement when you wear them.
As mentioned earlier, there’s so much we can talk about Baudoin & Lange and we’re very excited to do so. For now, we hope this journal article serves as an informative and solid introduction to the latest brand to join our family. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.