A story in the making
Baudoin & Lange designs and manufactures luxurious modern footwear.
Originating from the world of English and French bespoke shoemaking, we are driven by a passion for craft and elegance, aiming to raise the level of comfort and quality in modern shoes.
Our first product is an unlined, soft lambskin loafer that wraps around your feet like a glove - the Sagan.
Allan Becomes an Artisan
Craving a counterpoint to his work in tech, Allan Baudoin turns his attention to the craftsmanship of artisan footwear, an art form that calls for a slow, considered handiwork, totally at odds with his previous life working with data and machines.
Allan Meets Kasim
Allan forms a friendship with Kasim Yldir, a brilliant shoemaker who used to make boots for John Lobb. Kasim becomes an important mentor to Allan, teaching him the precise art of making a shoe from start to finish.
Allan's First Belgian Loafer
After clocking up countless hours in the workshop, Allan makes his first archetype - a bespoke Belgian loafer, which soon catches the attention of discerning figures in the world of menswear. Editor Simon Crompton features the loafer on his site Permanent Style and Allan receives hundreds of new orders overnight. In no time at all, boxes containing made-to-order loafers are dropping into postboxes in XX, XX and XX.
The Sagan is Born
Allan launches his first ready-made loafer, named the Sagan, after the curious mind and great French polymath, Carl Sagan. The design was inspired by a tale told by the actor Philippe Noiret, of a nomadic Armenian actor who carried a string bag around the world, with only one pair of shoes that we would wear for travelling, socialising at receptions, and exploring the streets of Europe. The Sagan honoured that way of life.
Allan Meets Bo
In 2016 Allan meets Bo van Langeveld, a former racing-driver working in finance. Bo was tired of suffering hours of discomfort in his office footwear, and the two bond over a pipe-dream of creating a modern shoe with a beauty matched by its comfort. Allan and Bo take the leap, joining their names to create a new brand from scratch: Baudoin & Lange.
Columbia Road Showroom
The team grows. Nik, Vaoi and Efi join, and together they make pairs of Sagans completely by hand. After years of Allan working in his East London flat, they finally move into their own workshop - aptly, an old shoe factory - a stone’s throw from Columbia Road.
The Sagand Grand is Born
Next, Baudoin & Lange creates the Grand - the sturdy, all-weather brother of the Sagan, and they cater to the female clientele asking for their own unmistakably comfortable belgian loafers, with a Sagan and a Grand for women, too.
