Church’s presents its Fall Winter 2026 campaign with Theo James at Goodwood, an ode to English footwear, flexible tailoring and classic motor spirit.
Church’s once again builds a universe in which British tradition is not understood as nostalgia, but as a form of elegance capable of moving naturally between different settings. For its Fall Winter 2026 campaign, the house takes its visual world to the Goodwood Racing Circuit in West Sussex, turning Theo James into the protagonist of a day shaped by vintage cars, pit lanes, English humour and a contemporary vision of formal footwear.
The actor, a brand ambassador, continues his collaboration with Church’s in a campaign photographed by Samuel Bradley under the creative direction of David James. The result is a visual narrative that does not simply present shoes, but integrates them into small scenes filled with character. Here, Goodwood works as more than a backdrop: it is the place where speed, heritage, mechanical precision and a very British understanding of style come together.
The campaign begins in the pit lane, where Theo James appears wearing the Sidley boot in soft grain tan leather. Its practical silhouette and polished finish introduce the tone of the collection: pieces with a functional purpose, but constructed with the artisanal sophistication that defines Church’s. The boot adapts to the context of the circuit without losing elegance, proving that classic footwear can have presence even in settings associated with movement and speed.
James then changes into the Sidbury, a pair of suede Derby shoes that accompany one of the campaign’s most cinematic scenes: the actor push-starting a vintage Aston Martin. The gesture connects the refined construction of the shoe with the dry, slightly eccentric humour of the proposal. Church’s is not looking for rigid solemnity, but for elegance with personality, capable of coexisting with irony and the small accidents of the day.
The day continues with the new Skipton Oxford, presented during an improvised picnic beside the track. The scene recontextualises the formal shoe and moves it away from a strictly ceremonial image. Instead of reserving it for the office, eveningwear or a full suit, Church’s places it in a relaxed, almost domestic situation, where sophistication emerges precisely through contrast. It is a clear way of expressing the brand’s new direction: formal footwear no longer belongs to a single code.
Later, Theo James appears in the Stanhope Chelsea boot at the starting grid, in a sequence that turns a moment of pause and refreshment into another playful chapter of the campaign. The Chelsea boot, one of the great classics of the masculine wardrobe, takes on a more dynamic reading here, connected to gesture, movement and a less rigid idea of masculinity. Elegance is not imposed; it accompanies movement.
Between races, the actor crosses the circuit in the Farsley penny loafer, a piece that perfectly sums up the spirit of the collection. During the walk, he meets Betty, an imposing Great Dane who joins the story as an unexpected and charming detail. The dog’s presence reinforces the discreet comedic tone that runs throughout the campaign, mixing impeccable clothing, motorsport references and a narrative lightness rarely seen in the world of formal footwear.
The final scene takes Theo James to the podium, where champagne closes the day and completes the circuit narrative. Through each moment, Church’s links English shoemaking tradition with a more relaxed and current way of dressing. It is not about abandoning formality, but about making it more flexible, more useful and more connected to real life.
That idea comes through especially clearly in the New Formal group, one of the key elements of Fall Winter 2026. The proposal redefines masculine elegance through an intelligent and versatile wardrobe, moving away from the strict codes that for decades associated formal shoes exclusively with classic tailoring. Oxfords, Derbies, Chelsea boots and loafers coexist as different tools for the same purpose: dressing with polish without giving up comfort or context.
