Stitchdown’s Boot Camp 2025 Recap

Stitchdown Boot Camp 2025

Back in November, I flew to Chicago to see what Stitchdown’s Boot Camp 2025 version was all about. It was the first event in the Windy City (previous ones were in Brooklyn), and the feeling was that it was going to be booming. I had not gone to the Brooklyn versions, as truth be told, they were always on weekends, and it is rare that I divert from family time on weekends unless traveling. That’s what made the excuse to go to the Chicago event so easy 😉

Boot Camp, as it sounds, is a large gathering of brands from the industry of boots, menswear, cobblering, and even some dress shoes, with a high focus on quality craft. Stitchdown’s Boot Camp is the answer to combating fast fashion and a world of cheap products shipped free by tomorrow.’ The focus is on craft, community, product excellence, and encouraging people to appreciate the work that truly goes into well-made, long-lasting products. It is the appreciation part that Ben has captured so well. His visitors are truly enthusiastic about the products and learning more.

The event was great. I could go on and on about it, but for the sake of brevity, considering the photos will do the talking, I will just say that Ben Robinson put on a great show. You could feel the vibrance of it. I was there the entire day, and that vibrancy didn’t stop from the time the doors opened to the time they basically had to kick people out. That is how popular it was.

I discovered a lot of brands at Stitchdown’s Boot Camp 2025 that I did not know, such as Russel Moccasin, which makes some super comfortable Moc-Toe Boots that I might have to pick up one day. I discovered Johnny Works there, who then presented at our Singapore Super Trunk Show. Same as Renav Goods, who also presented at our Singapore Super Trunk Show. I was also able to see Nick’s Boots for the first time in person, and lastly, discover some super cool local tanneries, such as Seidel Leather, Wickett & Craig, and Law Tanning.

A few weeks before, Ben and I had actually sat down to do a Shoecast at his office (aka podcast talking about shoes). Ben used to be a journalist and really knows how to ask questions, and in doing so, gave me the opportunity to really dig into my history and how I became The Shoe Snob. I thoroughly enjoyed it and know that you will to.

After the shoecast, Ben and I went grab burgers and beers for lunch to discuss an idea we had about merging our events: Boot Camp and The Super Trunk Show. We felt that separately, we could continue to do our own things, staying in our own lanes and building the industry sector by sector. Or that we could join forces and build something truly amazing that no one else had done before: A super shoe event, for the public. And when great minds think alike, it is hard to stop that force.

So, let me be the first to tell you that later this year, we will be joining forces, bringing The Super Trunk Show to Stitchdown Chicago 2026!! Do stay tuned, as there will be a lot more of that information to come.

Make sure to follow Ben at: https://www.stitchdown.com/

—Justin FitzPatrick, The Shoe Snob

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