What's in a name? -
Okay, so we might be stealing from Romeo and Juliet, here, but who are we to doubt the venerable William Shakespeare? (We are based in England, after all.) Like the author and his famed star crossed lovers, we, too, are obsessed with all things Italy. It’s why we turn to their talented artisans to craft their finest Italian leather and turn it into the handmade, stylish shoes and accessories that we at Royal Albartross, and now you, have come to love.
So… what is in our name? Let’s look at it: Royal. Are we royal? No, we are not. But we do have an appreciation for the finer things in life, and when you lace up a pair of our Captain Biancos or slide into our hybrid Striders—or really, any of our golf shoes—we know you’ll feel like royalty. It isn't just luxury golf shoes we are known for, our range of high quality handcrafted accessories include a sophisticated collection of belts, very popular with some familair faces on the golf course, like our good friend South African championship golfer Eric van Rooyen.
As for the second part of our name, Albartross, that’s where the real story is. At first, you might think of the bird—but a quick look in the Oxford Dictionary would tell you that, no, that’s albatross, sans the extra “r” we’ve thrown in.
You might say, “I know! It’s because of the golf term, albatross.” But no, that’s not really it either. An albatross is a very rare, three-under-par shot. And while we applaud anyone who shoots one (cheers, Harris English!), that’s not where we got the name.
In fact, the name comes from our founder and designer, the lovely Alex Bartholomew. She first thought of it when she visited an adorable men’s clothing boutique on the coast of Italy. The shop was called Albatros, with notably one ‘s,’ and she loved both its creativity and its similarity to the golf term we just mentioned. By simply adding that ‘r,’ she made it her own. Not coincidentally, her version of the name actually incorporates another cherished part of her life, her family. Albartross is a fusion of parts of her name, Alex Bartholomew, and that of her husband, Ross. Al-Bart-Ross.
Shop through our golf shoe and accessory collections, and you’ll see a combination of all of the above. First, luxury-level, British-designed golf shoes made from the finest Italian craftsmanship. And second, a collection of belts, wallets, handbags and more, for both men and women, made from start to finish with love. That’s what’s in our name, at least..
Words by: Jennifer Agress