Matthew Cookson, a footwear and menswear brand specializing in velvet slippers handmade in England, announced this month that its slipper personalization service and complete slipper collection are now presented to American customers through its website. The online configurator allows each customer to design a pair of custom velvet slippers by choosing the velvet color, the lining color, the trim color and the decoration. According to the company, the configurator offers more than 70,000 possible combinations.
Handmade in England
Every pair of Matthew Cookson slippers is made by hand in England. The uppers are cut from cotton velvet, the interior features a quilted satin lining, and each slipper is mounted on a thin leather sole. The quilted lining is designed for comfort, while the leather sole gives the slipper its slim profile and durability. Patterned models are embroidered by hand.
The velvet slipper has its roots in English domestic life, where it was traditionally worn indoors with a smoking jacket or evening attire. Over time, the style moved beyond the home and is now worn in the city, at evening events and at formal occasions.
A Personalization Service Built Around Embroidery
The personalization service is the central feature of this announcement. Within the configurator, customers can select from several decoration options, including hand embroidery, frogging, tassels, gold or silver thread monograms and a sweater-style monogram.
Beyond the standard options, the brand produces bespoke embroidery on request. Designs can include family crests, initials, hunt buttons or company logos. The workshop also creates embroidery based on photographs supplied by the customer, such as a pet, a car or a family house. Each personalized pair is made to order.
The Ready-to-Wear Slipper Collection
For customers who prefer an existing design, the velvet slippers collection includes men’s and women’s models in a wide range of colors and fabrics. Plain velvet models are available in shades such as black, chocolate, olive, purple, yellow and lavender. Frogged models add a classic military-style braid to the vamp.
The embroidered range covers traditional English themes, such as grouse, pheasants and the Union Jack, as well as more playful designs, including a cupid in silver thread. The women’s collection also offers a series of sport-themed motifs, featuring tennis, golf, surfing, rugby and mountain designs. All models share the same construction: cotton velvet upper, quilted satin lining and leather sole.
English Shoes and Smoking Jackets
In addition to slippers, Matthew Cookson offers a range of handmade English shoes and tailored indoor wear. The footwear collection includes loafers, tassel loafers, summer loafers, Oxford shoes, Derby shoes, buckle shoes, ankle boots, mountain shoes and evening shoes. Models include a chocolate suede loafer mounted on a Vibram rubber sole and the Burlington Derby in loden green.
The brand also designs smoking jackets and house jackets in velvet, including a green velvet smoking jacket with black silk lapels and house jackets in black and blue velvet. These pieces are designed to be worn with the slippers, reflecting the English tradition of evening wear at home.
Quality Standards
The brand selects high-quality materials for each product and applies a detailed finish to every pair. Cotton velvet is chosen for its depth of color and soft texture, satin for the comfort of the lining, and leather for the sole. This combination of materials, together with hand production in England, defines the identity of the brand.
“A pair of slippers should be both comfortable and personal,” said Matthew Cookson, Founder of Matthew Cookson. “The personalization service allows each customer to create a pair that carries a meaning, whether it is a family crest, initials or a design taken from a photograph. Every pair is still made by hand in England, as it has always been, and presenting this service to customers in the United States is a natural step for the brand.”
Customers in the United States can explore the full slipper collection, the personalization configurator and the English shoe range on the Matthew Cookson website.
About Matthew Cookson
Matthew Cookson is a footwear and menswear brand known for its velvet slippers handmade in England. The collection combines classic English style with original hand-embroidered designs and includes men’s and women’s slippers, personalized slippers, English shoes, smoking jackets and house jackets.