Canal Footwear was born from the desire to make timeless shoes comfortable enough to spend your days in—shoes that straddle the line between being worn with a suit or with blue jeans, not just for the special occasions. We care about products that are durable enough to carry you for years to come. We are committed to making premium-quality shoes while maintaining a fair consumer price and ensuring our skilled artisans are fairly compensated. We believe style is a part of a vibrant life, as is caring for your body and the world around you.
Sports have long enriched the life of Canal Footwear’s founder, Andrew Livingston. Growing up in Southern California, skateboarding and surfing filled his days, as did playing competitive soccer. The unique communities around these sports have influenced his work as a designer, as has his love for beauty and well-crafted objects. In creating Canal, Andrew sought to combine style and function without falling into some odd gimmicky blend he commonly witnessed on the market.
Andrew had already become well-acquainted with manufacturing in Portugal through his menswear brand, Knickerbocker. There, he fell in love with production and the factories—the depths of knowledge from decades of craftsmanship, and the work-life balance built into the culture. He admired the quality of the materials and the dynamics of the many family-run factories, with the air of pride inherent in their work.
Andrew and his wife, Maxine, married in Portugal on a family friend’s dreamy vineyard just west of Lisbon. Maxine grew up visiting these friends, though it wasn’t until trips with Andrew that she visited the North and got to witness the depth of the Portuguese craft. She joined Andrew in running Canal Footwear, and the two split their time between New York City and Porto to be close to their partner factories and production. The climate and ocean in Porto are nostalgic of their Southern California home, imbued with a certain romance.
We continually find inspiration in our community of creative friends, and we intend to make shoes with and for them. We aim to pay homage to the cultures that have shaped Canal Footwear by working with the brands and individuals who represent the arts that inspire us, the athletes who embody our values, and the cities and people who form the culture and community we thrive on. We will continue to make thoughtful products that are purpose-serving and don’t chase trends while maintaining a deep respect for the people and processes that bring our shoes to life.