At Baudoin & Lange, the leather is the shoe. Long before a pair is cut, we begin with the hide, choosing only the finest skins and, within each, only the best parts. Working with small, family-run tanneries in Italy and France, we develop our own leathers: tanned slowly and naturally, without chemicals, and dried in the open air. The result is the softest, most supple leather we have found, made for footwear of unrivalled comfort: a second skin from the first step.
Only The Best Of Each Hide
It begins with the cut. We use only the top grain, the dense outer layer where a skin is at its finest and strongest, and within that, only the prime of each hide: the back, where the fibres sit tightest and most even. The softer bellies and flanks are set aside. It is a wasteful way to make a shoe, and the only way we make ours.
Asteria Suede
Our signature, bespoke suede, invented and developed by Baudoin & Lange. Spun from the finest top-grain Mediterranean lambskins, Asteria is slowly tanned by a single family tannery using natural oils and plant extracts, then dried in the Mediterranean breeze and finished by hand. So velvety and supple it needs no lining, it wraps the foot like a glove from the very first step. Quite simply, the softest suede you will find anywhere.
Brush gently with a suede brush to lift the nap, then protect with a suede spray before first wear.
French Noble Calf
The refinement of traditional box calf, reimagined with rare softness. This is full-grain leather, the finest expression of smooth calf. Bred and raised in France, the hide has a fine, tightly knit fibre that stays remarkably supple, far more so than the stiff calf usually reserved for formal shoes. Breathable and resilient, every skin is hand-polished and finished by our shoemakers with their own chosen blend of waxes.
Buff with a soft cloth after wear, and nourish occasionally with a neutral cream polish.
Deerskin
Few leathers feel like deerskin. Crafted from the finest deer hides, it is prized above almost all others for its warm, buttery softness and natural give, moulding to the foot like a worn-in glove. Yet beneath that tenderness lies real strength: supple and resilient in equal measure, it ages beautifully, growing softer and more personal with every wear.
Wipe with a soft, dry cloth and treat occasionally with a conditioner suited to fine deerskin.
Exotic Alligator
The rarest expression of the house. Our exotic loafers are crafted from the most precious alligator skins, sustainably farmed and sourced, each chosen for the beauty and symmetry of its scales. Only the very best part of the skin is used, then hand-dyed to perfection to reveal extraordinary depth and lustre. Reserved for our finest pairs, alligator is the ultimate meeting of natural artistry and master craftsmanship.
Buff lightly with a soft, dry cloth and store with shoe trees, away from heat and direct sun.
Hatch Grain Calf
Top-grain calf of the highest quality, pressed with a fine cross-hatched grain that lends subtle texture and quiet depth, catching the light in a way smooth leather never can. For all its structure it stays supple and breathable, cushioning each step in comfort, while the distinctive grain shrugs off scuffs and the rigours of daily wear. This is our most hard-wearing calf, as at home in the city as the country.
Brush away dust, then revive with a matching cream polish and buff to a soft sheen.
Glove Calf Suede
Developed for us by a historic tannery in Tuscany, Glove Calf Suede is made from specially selected calfskin, tanned by a natural, time-honoured method that gives it a velvety soft nap and a uniquely fine, sophisticated sheen. A true pleasure to wear, it shapes itself to the bespoke form of your foot. Denser and more hard-wearing than ordinary suede, it weathers remarkably well, withstanding even the rain when cared for as we advise.
Brush to lift the nap, and apply a protective suede spray to guard against rain and stains.
Patent Leather
A patent leather like no other. Developed exclusively for Baudoin & Lange, ours is nothing like the hard, traditional patent you know. We have traded that rigidity for an extraordinary suppleness while keeping the deep, mirror-bright gloss that black tie demands. Comfort comes first: this is a formal leather you can truly move in, handcrafted to carry you through every wedding, gala and celebration in flawless shine.
Wipe clean with a soft, damp cloth and buff gently to restore the shine.
Raw Silk
Not every Baudoin & Lange is made in leather. For our lightest, most summery styles we turn to natural raw silk, a beautifully irregular, hand-loomed weave with a soft, organic lustre that no synthetic can imitate. Light and breathable on the foot, it brings a relaxed, sun-warmed elegance to the Riviera and the warmest months of the year.
Brush gently to keep the weave clean; avoid moisture and store away from direct sunlight.