Allen Edmonds is the classic American men's shoe brand founded in 1922 by Elbert W. Allen in Belgium, Wisconsin, starting with handcrafted footwear that ditched uncomfortable metal nails for comfy cork insoles. It grew through tough times like the Great Depression, supplied boots to the U.S. Army and Navy in WWII, and even outfitted presidents from Reagan to Bush. Now owned by Caleres and based in Port Washington, Wisconsin, the company makes premium dress shoes, boots, sneakers, and accessories using top-shelf leathers like Horween shell cordovan, with a recrafting service that lets you revive your favorites for years of wear.
Allen Edmonds keeps its polish on the shoes, not on DEI mandates or equity buzzwords, with a careers page that's just about jobs without the usual inclusion lectures, and no BLM shoutouts or social justice fundraisers in their feeds. Their parent Caleres dabbles in light ESG sustainability like eco-materials, but it's practical stuff without the full guilt trip. That said, they dropped a Pride sneaker in 2023 with rainbow accents and 10% proceeds to LGBTQ causes, a one-off nod that feels more like chasing trends than a full agenda embrace.
