Following on from a collaboration with Tricker’s, Wildsmith has now teamed up with Solovair to bring you a handcrafted limited-edition collection, created by the renowned NPS footwear company of Northamptonshire.
Like Wildsmith, NPS has a proud history rooted in shoemaking. It began in 1881 when five men from the village of Wollaston came together to form a co-operative known as the Northamptonshire Productive Society (NPS), affectionately called ‘the Duffers’. Initially, they produced traditional army boots before pioneering a unique type of welted boot in the 1960s. This new Goodyear-welted footwear, featuring a soft-suspension sole, was branded Solovair (Sole-of-Air) and an icon was born. The name has been synonymous with comfort and durability ever since.
Similarly, Wildsmith is a family business founded in 1847 that also traces its roots to military boot-making before evolving into formal styles, including the creation of London’s first slip-on loafer. Wildsmith has long admired Solovair’s iconic heat-sealed construction and timeless silhouettes. With a shared respect for traditional craft and a firm commitment to British production, the partnership between Wildsmith and Solovair felt entirely natural.
This collaboration reinterprets four Solovair classics through the Wildsmith design lens, each updated with subtle detailing that nods to our heritage:
The Monk
The Monk: A Solovair staple, reimagined with Wildsmith’s iconic diamond cut-out on the toe and brogued heel. This classic single-buckle silhouette is available in Solovair’s rich burgundy rub-off and timeless black hi-shine, each accented with a contrasting leather backer that balances character and polish.
The Monk
The Monk: A Solovair staple, reimagined with Wildsmith’s iconic diamond cut-out on the toe and brogued heel. This classic single-buckle silhouette is available in Solovair’s rich burgundy rub-off and timeless black hi-shine, each accented with a contrasting leather backer that balances character and polish.
The Penny Bit Loafer
Featuring a snaffle bit across the saddle, this version introduces Wildsmith’s diamond brogue detailing on the heel and vamp, adding a refined edge to a familiar shape. It comes in bold green hi-shine with gold hardware, classic burgundy rub-off with gold snaffle, and clean black hi-shine with silver accents.
The Tassel Loafer
A true Solovair silhouette largely left untouched but elevated by a double-stitched saddle, diamond brogued heel, and signature collar piping. Available in enduring black hi-shine and rich burgundy rub-off.
The Tassel Loafer
A true Solovair silhouette largely left untouched but elevated by a double-stitched saddle, diamond brogued heel, and signature collar piping. Available in enduring black hi-shine and rich burgundy rub-off.
The Gibson
This soft-suspension Derby is subtly updated with Wildsmith diamond broguing on the facings and heel. Crafted in waxed greasy black leather with grey detailing, rugged brown gaucho, or Solovair’s signature black hi-shine for a classic finish.
Every pair in the Solovair x Wildsmith collection is crafted in NPS’s Wollaston factory using their distinctive heat-sealing process, which fuses the welt to the sole with a 700°C heated blade. The Solovair PVC sole is highly resistant to acid, oil, fat, petrol, and alkali.
Every pair in the Solovair x Wildsmith collection is crafted in NPS’s Wollaston factory using their distinctive heat-sealing process, which fuses the welt to the sole with a 700°C heated blade. The Solovair PVC sole is highly resistant to acid, oil, fat, petrol, and alkali.
The Solovair x Wildsmith collection celebrates British shoemaking with heritage-led, utility-minded, and quietly distinctive design.
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