Patent leather shoes

Here you find our affordable versions of patent leather shoes. Shoes to wear with tuxedo or evening dress at special occasions. We have two lace-up shoes made for our own Skolyx brand, one clean oxford with a plain toe, and one so called plain cap toe oxford. Also an opera pump and slipper in patent leather from Yanko.

The shoes are Blake stitched in Portugal and Spain, with heel stiffeners in leather board which conforms to your feet, and are fully leather lined.

What is patent leather?

Patent leather can be entirely synthetic, or it can be real leather covered with a high-gloss finish. All patent leather shoes sold by Skolyx are made from natural leather, which is then prepped with a glossy finish. Originally the glossy finish was prepared with various oils and lacquers, nowadays it's a form of soft, flexible plastic surface that are used for all forms of patent leather.

In what contexts are patent leather shoes used?

Patent leather shoes are used in the most formal contexts, such as parties or gatherings with dress code black tie / tuxedo or white tie / tailcoat. Both oxfords or slip-ons like opera pumps work well for both dress codes. A pair of plain cap toe oxfords or wholecut oxfords in black calfskin, polished with a proper high gloss, is considered to be suitable for these formal occasions as well, but the shine should really be at its best. Note that you should not wear patent leather shoes to a funeral, as it's seen as a party shoe and therefore oxfords in plain black calfskin are right for these occasions.

Which shoe models are best as patent leather shoes?

When it comes to lace-up shoes, an oxford model with closed lacing is definitely the most correct. Nowadays you see some derbies in patent leather, but then derbys with open lacing are traditionally seen as a less formal shoe, and therefore less suitable for formal contexts where patent shoes are used. Opera pumps or slightly higher-cut slip-on versions are also good options as patent shoes.

How do I care for patent leather shoes?

Patent leather shoes can usually be wiped clean with a damp cloth, and then with a soft goat hair brush or nylon stocking you can rub up the high shine again. For more proper care, there's Saphir Vernise Rife, which both cleans, recolours (if the pigmented version is used), protects and restores maximum shine.

For patent shoes, it's especially important to use shoe trees, as they're more susceptible to cracking in the creases, so you always want to help restore their original shape. Always insert cedar shoe trees immediately after use, and leave them in place for at least 24 hours until the shoes are completely dry.