Novesta Mens Shoes & Trainers

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Novesta make vulcanised canvas shoes in Slovakia. The Star Master is the one most people come for — chunky rubber sole, shell toe, in hemp black, hemp white and the transparent-soled versions. The Star Dribble

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About Novesta Shoes & Trainers

Made in Partizánske since 1939

The factory was opened in 1939 by Jan Antonín Baťa in Partizánske, central Slovakia, and it is still running in the same building. For its first decades it turned out rubber-soled boots for factory workers, soldiers and firefighters. The Star Master arrived in the 1960s as a military sports shoe and has barely changed since. Shoes have carried the Novesta name since 1992, but the machinery and the method go back much further.

Why the sole matters

Novesta soles are not glued on. Natural rubber is heat-pressed onto the cotton canvas upper under high pressure, which bonds the two without adhesive and leaves the visible vulcanisation line around the shoe that has become the brand's signature. Uppers are cotton and linen, soles are natural rubber, and the absence of chemical adhesive is a large part of why the shoes hold up as long as they do.

Star Master, Star Dribble, Ital or Trampky

The Star Master is the chunkiest of the four — a thick tyre-tread sole and a rubber shell toe, in hemp black, hemp white and versions with a transparent sole. The Star Dribble sits lower and slimmer, a cleaner shoe for warmer weather. The Ital is the plainest, no shell toe, the closest thing here to a basic plimsoll. The Trampky is the outlier: suede rather than canvas, on a heavier sole, and the most substantial shoe in the range.

The Novesta x Noel Gallagher Lone Star Chukka sits alongside these, and there's more in trainers and casual shoes.

Novesta FAQs

Novesta are built on a generous last and most people find they come up large. As a general guide, take one size below your usual trainer size. If you are unsure, the Manchester and Sheffield shops both hold Novesta and it's worth trying a pair on before committing.
The Star Master is the chunkier of the two, with a thicker sole and a rubber shell toe over the front. The Star Dribble is lower and slimmer with a cleaner profile. Both use the same vulcanised construction; the Star Master reads heavier, the Star Dribble lighter.
In Partizánske, central Slovakia, in the factory opened in 1939 and still in use. The shoes are made on original machinery using traditional vulcanising methods.
Natural rubber soles with cotton canvas or linen uppers. The Trampky uses suede instead of canvas. The sole is heat-pressed onto the upper under high pressure rather than glued, so no chemical adhesives are used in the bonding.
Take the laces out and brush loose dirt off dry. Clean the canvas with a soft brush, warm water and a small amount of mild soap, and use a cloth on the rubber sole and toe. Let them dry away from direct heat rather than on a radiator, which can affect the sole bond over time.
Yes. We hold Novesta at both Yards Store shops — 13 Old Bank Street in Manchester and 86 Pinstone Street in Sheffield. Because the fit runs large, trying a pair on is worth doing. Stock differs between the two shops, so call ahead for a particular size or colour.