Always use products of the highest quality. The leather of a shoe is delicate; there is no need for polishes which cover up the creases, but for creams which nourish the leather and slow the process of ageing

Always use a coloured polish which matches as closely as possible to that of the shoe so as not to alter its colour

Use shoebrushes made from natural materials with long, soft bristles

Use cream polishes extremely sparingly. The polished finish is obtained by allowing the cream to penetrate the pores of the leather without blocking them; an excess of grease will only prevent the leather breathing. A well-polished shoe should appear glossy and sheer

Avoid liquid coatings and scuff-coat polishes; they may speed up the process but at the cost of irreversibly ruining the shoe, covering it with a waterproof coating which will dry out the leather and which is removed with difficulty