At John Lobb, the 148-year-old British company known for the $1,700 oxfords that have trod boardrooms from New York to Hong Kong, change has arrived in the form of Paula Gerbase, a London fashion designer known for her slightly esoteric tailored clothing line, 1205.

She has never before designed shoes.

So established an institution is Lobb that when Ms. Gerbase, 32, was named in June as the company’s first artistic director, it was the talk not only of the shoe world, but also of the broader luxury fashion industry.

As the market for men’s wear has exploded — with growth, by some estimates, now outpacing women’s wear — companies have sought to attract new customers and galvanize existing ones, often by refurbishing once-staid images.

To its admirers around the world, the Lobb name denotes tradition and heritage in men’s formal and custom-made footwear. (Its bespoke studio in Paris also has a small clientele of women.) The company, its collections, its factory in Northampton, England, and its Paris studio have been owned since 1976 by Hermès, but the original London bespoke workshop operates independently and is family owned.