As with many styles we work with, it hasn’t been possible to pinpoint the exact year the first whole cut was made.
The style was popularised during the Victorian era when shoe making competitions required competitors to elevate their designs and challenge themselves with more difficult constructions.
The name refers to a shoe in which the upper is made of one single piece of leather – no separate vamps, quarters, or toe caps. It’s a far more costly and difficult build for a shoemaker, particularly when working by hand.
It requires more fabric – and of a more consistent quality – than a regular shoe does.
The minimalist design means the aesthetic relies on that provided by the skills of the shoemaker and the quality of the materials. There is little, if any, room for error or flaw, and no style distractions to draw the eye elsewhere.
Whatever the date of origin, the whole cut has undoubtedly been made, sold, and worn since the 1800s and is considered the most elegant of men’s dress shoes.