Benson Wholecut Oxford Chestnut

"Soft, supple and charming"

Our Benson wholecut has a sleek silhouette and slightly chiselled toe. Perhaps the ultimate dress shoe for shoe lovers, it is formal, subtle and beautiful. Chestnut is one of the more versatile colours and works with both dark and light suits.

• 'Wholecut' - made from a single piece of leather
• Sleek, elegant and minimalist styling with a slightly chiselled toe
• Oxford closed lacing with premium flat, waxed laces
• Full grain calf leather for softness and longevity
• Hand-dyed chestnut finish, polished and burnished
• Hard-wearing Blake-stitched leather/rubber sole for added grip
  
• Full calf leather lining for comfort and to absorb moisture
• Made in Italy by artisan shoemakers

Why choose the chestnut Benson?

Benson is a sleek formal dress shoe cut from a single piece of leather, which makes it unique and exquisite. It has the traditional closed Oxford lacing and an elegant chiselled toe shape showcasing Italian craftsmanship and attention to detail.

The beautiful Thomas Bird chestnut has a richness to it that will warm and add class to your wardrobe.

Looks good with...

The Benson wholecut is the ultimate dress shoe and is a perfect accessory for those occasions when style and attitude matter. Its subtle, simple elegance balances perfectly a sharp suit or evening wear, and its simplicity enables you to really showcase contrasting colours in your outfit.

In our classic chestnut calf leather, this is a timeless shoe and can be worn with smart tailoring both during the day and on into the evening.

Stitched leather sole and stacked leather heel

The sole is stitched onto the upper using a traditional and refined Italian method called Blake stitching. This allows the sole to be easily replaced when it eventually wears but we've used a rubber insert as well, to aid longevity and grip.

There is a 25mm genuine-leather stacked heel, with brass pins and a rubber piece, again for longer wear and better grip. There is also a ‘gentleman’s corner’, a small bevel that reduces snagging of the heel on your trousers. We've even added an embossed Thomas Bird logo in the waist of the sole too, a distinctive feature of our brand.

Materials and craftsmanship

We work with the finest Italian artisan shoemakers who showcase their expertise in cutting, shaping, stitching and dying leathers, skilled crafts that have been handed down through the generations.

With attention to detail being paramount, leathers are carefully selected by weight and pliability and cut to form the pattern to fit the last. Then several stages of dying, polishing and burnishing create the depth and richness of the unique chestnut colour.

Italian made

Italy is renowned for the quality and style innovation of its beautiful leathers and components used in the shoemaking process.

It has a strong and well-deserved reputation as the home of fine craftsmanship and attention to detail and we want nothing less for our Thomas Bird collection.