Northampton shoe shop today opens first boutique outside of UK in Tokyo

This historic event marks the first ever Tricker’s boutique outside the UK and will be followed by a 190 year exhibition and anniversary party in London on May 2.

Tricker's - which makes its shoes in The Mounts - first came to the Japanese market in the 1980s and has been loved by customers there ever since. The country now makes up 30 per cent of its export business.

CEO of Tricker's, Martin Mason, said: "The store opened this Thursday morning and our team in Tokyo are delighted with the response.

"It is another positive step forward for our fine welted Northampton footwear industry.

"Northampton footwear is seen as a luxury product in Japan and our new store even features a Northampton coat of arms on the shopfront."

The new store reflects the brand’s history and was inspired by its only other boutique in London’s prestigious Jermyn Street.

Opened in 1927, Jermyn Street features floor-to-ceiling custom made mahogany show cupboards, which were hand-designed by one of the owner’s family. Aoyama also features the same design and the same wooden cupboards, although not this time made by the family.

The new store will feature all the classic Tricker’s styles from its Country and Town collections as well as a new sandal collection, which has been specially created due to demand and to cater for the hot Japanese summers.

The team of three master shoemakers in Northampton follow a time-honoured process, unchanged in two centuries. As opposed to made to measure, which are simple adaptations of existing models, bespoke shoes are created from scratch.

Full bespoke shoes and boots including a unique last, can take between six - nine months to create by the craftsmen in the Tricker’s bespoke workshop.

Tricker’s Japan is now open at 5-4-27 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 107-0062.