Celebrating British heritage with the Montpellier kiltie monk shoe

Back in the day, my father had a cracking pair of golf shoes that sported a fringe across the vamp…the kiltie tongue. Imagine my joy, when Herring brought out a new kiltie monk shoe?

What is a kiltie?

Named after a historic French city, the Montpellier has more Scottish heritage about it because the fringe of the kilt inspired the design of its kiltie tongue. The kiltie has the practical purpose of keeping the upper clear of dirt. As a result, golf shoes often sport a kiltie to prevent mud and debris from getting caught in the laces.

These days, the kiltie tongue is used as a decorative asset, as seen on the Montpellier. Designers have played with the length of the fringe and its material. We have opted for a calf version to elevate this single buckle monk shoe style. We have tweaked this design several times over the years to keep it fresh.

I can confirm that the Montpellier provides excellent comfort thanks to its construction on the 205 last. Its chiselled toe shape also gives it a contemporary look and feel.

The 2025 burgundy iteration sees the kiltie complement a grain upper decorated with brogue detail. Meanwhile, the brown version has been teamed with cream calf. My dad would have loved them!

Handmade by Cheaney

This refined handmade shoe has been produced by our friends at Cheaney. The Montpellier really is testament to their skill and expertise. We have indulged almost every shoe-making technique to bring this elegant style to life and to celebrate British shoe heritage in the process.

How you wear them is up to you. The dashing dandies among you will love them! They are super-smart shoes with the air of a sporting occasion about them. Pop your Montpellier-clad feet on a footstool and wait for people to start asking you about them…because they will.