The low down on Gabor Shoes in the UK
Anyone looking for sleek, high quality, comfortable footwear should certainly take a look at Gabor. If you’ve ever stepped into a pair of Gabor shoes, sandals or boots before, you’ll know exactly what we mean. But for those who maybe aren’t as familiar, let’s take a closer look at what makes Gabor shoes great.
Is Gabor a good shoe brand?
Absolutely! Founded by 'Bernhard and Joachim Gabor' the family have been producing shoes since the early 1900’s and coming from a shoe making background they were able to make custom, comfortable and high quality shoes from day one. Following shoe trends (including travel across the pond to the USA) and keeping up with demand (particularly after the Second World War), they became increasingly popular and have had loyal customers returning time after time ever since. Looking at Gabor in the present day, they’re still making stylish boots, shoes & sandals using quality leathers and materials for a long lasting product which is also hugely comfortable.
Gabor Dolly Ladies Sky Blue Nubuck Zip & Lace Trainers (photo taken from Llandudno prom) - A platform trainer featuring a chunky outersole and premium nubuck leather upper.
Is Gabor British?
Gabor was actually founded in Germany in 1949 and to this day is still a family run business being handed down through the generations from father (and uncle) to son. The current custodian and 2nd generation to manage the family business is Achim Gabor. With 3500 employees and producing 8 million pairs of Gabor shoes annually, he's understandably kept very busy!
Is Gabor a luxury brand?
Yes, I'd certainly say so. It’s important to look at what we consider as luxury when it comes to footwear. When I think of luxury shoes, I think of fantastic construction, the use of premium quality materials and something a little more unique. Gabor shoes certainly tick all these boxes thanks to their soft premium leathers, high quality linings and beautiful sleek designs.
Although they do tend to be a little more expensive from the outset, in my opinion they offer fantastic value. Given the superior construction method and premium materials used, I'd expect them to look, feel and perform better for many years to come and so in the long run could end up costing much less than some of their less expensive rivals.
Where are Gabor shoes made?
Currently Gabor have three main factories where their shoes are made. These are located in Slovakia, Portugal and Vietnam and each shoe has a stamp on the bottom detailing where that particular style has come from. Each factory is specifically chosen according to the style in which they specialise. For example, the fantastic range of Gabor Dolly shoes (shown above) and Gabor Lanzarote sandals (photo below) are created in the Slovakia factory.
Whereas the ever popular range off Gabor California Moccasins (an absolute customer favourite) are hand crafted in Portugal using the finest available leathers.
Gabor have a huge variety of shoes available, but you can be sure that every pair has been made to exacting standards. Each time you purchase a pair of Gabor shoes, sandals or boots you can be sure that you're receiving the best in quality, comfort and style.
