
Sometimes, the tools of the trade in your summer style rotation come easily — you tend to know what you need in your arsenal of menswear essentials pretty quickly based on the fashion scenario. For instance, some occasions call for classic leather boat shoes, others for canvas sneakers and others still for formal, handsome leather loafers — at least on the footwear front, that is.

The white leather sneaker (more on this particular pair shown above in a moment) is another must-have, timeless in at least two seasons (spring and summer, my good friends) and adding a sense of crisp polish to even the most casual of looks (like the pocket tee and drawstring chambray lounge shorts, for instance).
And when you come across an expertly crafted pair of leather sneakers, like the ones at the top of the page from British footwear masters GORAL, the difference is crystal-clear, with luxury, craft and obsessive attention to detail top of mind.
GORAL’s made-in-England sneakers in both low-top and high-top form are heritage personified, dating back to the company’s 1936 Polish roots and later, carried on through the company’s 2005 move to Sheffield.
The company also makes ridiculously well-crafted boots and barefoot sneakers, each featuring impossibly rich leather of the utmost quality (speaking from personal experience with GORAL men’s sneakers). You can find both a small selection of ready-to-ship sneakers and a deeper selection of finely crafted, made-to-order sneakers, all done in small batches — the sort of attention to detail that the stylish gentleman can get behind.

This season, it’s the GORAL Mellor II Sneakers that have caught my eye as of late, from their summer-friendly low-top construction to the use of Full Grain Nappa Leather and a calfskin leather lining for incredible comfort and virtually zero break-in time right out of the box.
Available in distinctive leathers like Horween Natural Leather as well as the utterly classic White Calfskin leather shown earlier, these are investment-level sneakers so sleek and well-made, you could certainly rock them with a lightweight, soft-shouldered summer suit. If expert construction and steadfast versatility — plus a resoleable design fit for years of wear — is what you seek in your next pair of stylish men’s sneakers, then you’ve come to the right place.


















