A different path, born in Hanoi

Colin Martin began in 2015 with a belief that felt quietly unconventional at the time: classic leather shoes deserved a place in modern Vietnamese life. While the market was turning rapidly towards mass-produced footwear and sneaker culture, we chose to devote ourselves to the slower, more demanding craft of making dress shoes by hand.

We became one of the early independent Vietnamese shoemakers to pursue handcrafted classic footwear as a serious, long-term craft. Our ambition was never simply to reproduce familiar European shapes. We wanted to create shoes with refinement and character — elegant enough to endure changing trends, yet distinctive enough to feel personal.

Beautiful, but never standing still

Beauty is where every Colin Martin design begins, but it is never the end of the conversation. We study proportion, lines, colour and the way a shoe changes the silhouette of the person wearing it. We respect the vocabulary of Oxford shoes, Derbies, loafers, monk straps and boots, while continuously exploring fresher shapes, more expressive patinas and thoughtful details.

This balance between tradition and experimentation defines us. Each new design carries something we have learned from the pair before it. We refine, adjust and begin again — because a beautiful shoe should not feel frozen in the past.

Ten craftspeople, one dedicated workshop

Behind Colin Martin is our own Hanoi workshop and a team of ten skilled craftspeople. Their hands carry out the work that gives each pair its structure and identity: cutting and skiving leather, shaping lasts by hand, Goodyear welting, stitching and forming the soles, and building layers of colour through hand-applied patina.

These are not decorative gestures added at the end. They are connected stages of a demanding process, each entrusted to makers with specialist experience. The character of every pair comes from this shared concentration — from many hands working towards one coherent result.

Comfort is built into what cannot be seen

We have always believed that beauty matters most when a shoe can truly be lived in. Much of our continuous improvement therefore happens beneath the surface.

By carefully refining and reducing reinforcement in selected areas, we allow greater softness and flexibility around the toe and heel while preserving a clean, stable silhouette. We choose supple, breathable leather for the lining and footbed, helping the shoe feel more comfortable through long days of wear. These decisions may be almost invisible from the outside, but they are immediately understood by the foot.

Durability remains equally important. A Colin Martin shoe is made not only to impress on its first day, but to become more personal with wear and to reward proper care over time.

More than 2,000 customers, more than 5,000 pairs

Since 2015, we have had the privilege of serving more than 2,000 customers and making over 5,000 pairs of shoes. Every number represents something deeply human: a first important meeting, a wedding, a new chapter, a daily ritual, or simply the pleasure of owning something made with care.

The trust behind those 5,000 pairs has shaped Colin Martin as much as we have shaped the shoes. Customer feedback has challenged us to improve our lasts, materials, construction and service. It has also reminded us why the smallest details matter.

Our promise

We are proud of how far Vietnamese craftsmanship has come, but we are more interested in how far it can still go. Colin Martin will continue to experiment, refine and improve — without losing the patience, honesty and human touch that define handmade work.

Our promise is simple: shoes with beauty and individuality, comfort that reveals itself with every step, durability worthy of the time invested in making them, and service that treats every customer as part of our continuing story.

Visit us at 100 Trần Phú, Ba Đình, Hanoi or 180A Hai Bà Trưng, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. For appointments and enquiries, call +84 988 101 855 or follow @colinmartinvn.