The British shoemaker has created the ultimate winter boots
Crockett & Jones’s winter boots weren’t just made for walking. They were made for marching, climbing, shuffling and clambering – and that’s just getting on the Northern line at rush hour. The brand calls its latest collection ‘its most winter-ready ever’, a claim tested not on the streets of London, but at the top of the Alps.
‘We were able to experience a variety of conditions, from rocky boulders, wet meadow grass and streams to lakes, gravel tracks and snow,’ says James Fox, head of marketing and ecommerce at Crockett & Jones. In other words: if they can hack that, they can definitely handle your commute.
Building high-performance boots has always been in the brand’s DNA. In World War I, it produced 3.5 million pairs of marching boots for soldiers on the front line; during World War II, it produced another million. More recently, its Islay boot appeared on James Bond’s feet during the Highlands scenes of Skyfall.
But today’s typical customer isn’t a spy or soldier; they’re people who want comfort and versatility. That’s why this collection includes more low-cut, casual styles like the Elgin or Chepstow 2, which, Fox says, are ‘the perfect weekend boots’.
New season Crockett & Jones boots
‘The main element here is lightweight comfort,’ he says. ‘For years, we have been focusing on comfort across the collections, making proper shoes for the trainer or sneaker generation; for customers who are used to shoes feeling soft and supple from wear one.’ Cutting the topline below the shin allows greater freedom of movement, while a lightweight cleated rubber sole keeps them closer in weight to a sports shoe.
Then there are the leathers. Being one of Britain’s biggest boot brands gives Crockett & Jones a shoo-in with leather companies, allowing them to create materials that meet its exacting standards.
For autumn, it partnered with Chicago-based tannery Horween to create a “waterproof side” leather, which you’ll see on styles like Islay 2 and Griesdale 3. It’s a particularly powerful material that packs a full portfolio of boot buzzwords into its list of capabilities – tough, waterproof, flexible and comfortable.
Another newcomer is rough-out suede, a hard-wearing, wax-infused suede with a tight fibre structure that remains fully waterproof with minimal effort (although you may need to dab on a little dubbin). You’ll see this applied to styles like Galway 3, a lower-cut Derby boot sitting on a newly-developed Commando sole – an evolved version of what was once originally built for soldiers.
New season Crockett & Jones boots
It also appears in a new product for Crockett & Jones: a winter loafer. Available in two colours, it’s a storm-welted, weather-ready spin on the brand’s beloved Boston 2 – proving even its most relaxed styles can take a beating.
Chances are, these boots and loafers will see more pavements than peaks. But it’s reassuring to know they’re built for the long haul – whether that’s trekking the Alps or making the daily expedition to Pret and back.
