Happy Shoemaker Day

Happy Shoemaker Day. St Crispin is the patron saint of shoemakers, cobblers, and leatherworkers, hence this is our humble tribute to celebrate our artisan shoemakers. We can not feel prouder. We can not be more thankful. 

Passion. Heritage. Craftsmanship.

The heritage of artisan shoemaking is full of history and is rich in tradition. It is well known that Saint Crispin is the most commonly recognized patron saint of shoemakers, though there have been other.

History says that Crispin and Crispiano were two noble Roman brothers who converted to Christianity. Persecuted by the Emperor Diocletian, they fled to Soissons (France), where they learned the art of shoemaking.

It is known that during the night, they made shoes for the poor. They worked at night and during the day, they dedicated to evangelize the Gauls; this being the reason why they earned as many admirers as adversaries. After they betrayal they were persecuted, captured and beheaded.

St. Crispin’s Day

Since medieval times, October 25th has been celebrated as St. Crispin’s Day feast day and the shoemaker’s holiday. In the past, it was tradition that boot and shoemakers closed their shops on this day in celebration and commemoration.

For us at Cambrillón, shoemaking is much more than a profession or a guild. It is an expression of art reflected in a master piece: a pair of shoes.

Artisan shoemakers have always been extremely important, since it is thanks to their savoir faire that we can walk safely and with strong foundations, in our daily life.  That is why we will celebrate it with them.

A man who works with his hands is a labourer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist.

The Feast of St Crispin’s Day speech is spoken by England’s King Henry V in Shakespeare’s Henry V history play (act 4 scene 3). The scene is set on the eve of the battle of Agincourt at the English camp in northern France, which took place on 25 October 1415 (Saint Crispin’s Day and Shoemakers Day). Through the course of the speech, Henry V motivates his men – his ‘band of brothers’, outnumbered greatly by the French – by recalling previous English military defeats of the French. 

Finally, we live you with the… 

Original text of St Crispin’s Day speech: 

“What’s he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin:
If we are mark’d to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires:
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England:
God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more, methinks, would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.

This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.”

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