There’s a trace of theater in Church’s decision to bring Theo James back, though this time the pretense has shifted. Last season’s Stage Craft offered a man caught between acts, brogues and loafers worn like part of the set.
Fall-winter 2025 cuts the drama. James is still in black and white, still dressed like someone whose name is on the deed, but now the agenda is more subtle. The shoes do most of the talking.
Theo James for Church’s Fall/Winter 2025 Campaign
Church’s continues to push its staples with its signature refinement. Shannon derbies, Oldford whole cuts, and a particularly good pair of Poulton boots all appear under different pretenses: worn with pajamas, or kicked up on a desk as if quarterly results can wait. There’s no visible urgency, and that’s the point.
James, fresh from Capri’s humid gloss in Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue reprise, plays the foil here. Gone are the wet tiles and white briefs. In their place, wool tailoring, ribbed cardigans, and a life where footwear is the only thing that ever gets broken in.
The fall campaign frames Church’s in a world of soft rituals and private amusements. The shoes remain the still point, steady amid the looseness. James moves with the offhand assurance of someone born to the setting, or good at pretending. Church’s leans into its own certainty, letting the details tilt just enough to feel lived-in.
