Red Wing London Blog

Its been a while!

Well its been one hell of a year already, much has happened, things have changed and continually will do so, and the future ahead is still somewhat uncertain.  But hopefully we are on our way to a more positive road, and we can only hope that everyone continues to support one another, keeping safe, listening/abiding to guidelines, getting vaccinated, and continuing to do what we can to help prevent the spread of this virus. 

We would like to thank you all for your continued support throughout these times, for our store and for our brand, your orders however big or small contribute to a much bigger picture and we do always appreciate that.  Our store is of course back open 7days a week keeping in line to government guidelines, social distancing, with limited customers in store at one time and hand sanitiser provided...and please do remember your mask. 

Back to business.....  

We are now mid way through the year, warmer months, albeit slightly less warm this week and we would like to take this opportunity to welcome a couple of new additions to our collection which we have been long awaiting. 

The Classic Chelsea 

Over the years we have seen our chelsea styles come and go.  But we are pleased to welcome it back to our collection in its latest form. 

The details..

Its upper silhouette is identical to our Rover style, rounded toe with plenty of space, built on our no.8 last and classic good year welted construction.  We have chosen a traction tread sole which gives the wearer the upmost comfort, flexibility and grip for different terrain, available in 3 different leather types pictured below.

3190 - Amber Harness 

3191 - Ebony Harness

3192 - Hawthorn Roughout 

Up next..Yep, its another moc-toe

This year will see the departure of a few existing colour ways so in response to that we have introduced a new colour to tickle your toes.  Style 8863 in slate muleskinner.  One of our favourite leather types, in a beautiful new suit.  But don't be fooled by its soft touch and appearance, this leather type is extremely durable and weather resistant. Styled perfectly with black or blue denim, the more worn the better it gets. 

Womens Collection 

Style 3353

Within the last couple years we have been trying to incorporate more colour combinations.  And with our new womens addition this does exactly that. 

Indigo legacy leather.  A richer, slightly darker leather compared to our mens 8859, with lovely oiled finish.  This will age with dignity, much like our Oro legacy leather which shows character second to none.  Olive and brown lace, beige trim, the perfect summer palette. Last no. 105 which is our slimmed down moc-toe shape for our womens collection providing a more comfortable and narrower fitting.

Available online and in store now. 

Stars in Red Wings

We all like to take style cues from our favourite stars from the screen and elsewhere. We've put together a little list of some of our favourites.

Steve McQueen

Image - Pinterest

No list regarding style would be complete without the King of Cool. McQueen is associated with many elements of fashion from jackets to watches but what we're interested in is his boots. Seen here in his downtime at a trials event wearing our iconic Prairie boot, the 877.

Paul Newman

 Image - Pinterest

Just as big a star as McQueen and as much of a style icon. Spotted wearing an early version of a Roughout Pecos. Extra spot here for the yellow leather gloves he's wearing as well!

Jack Nicholson 

Image - Pinterest

Arguably the most iconic wearer of Red Wing Boots is Jack Nicholson. His legendary performance as R.P in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest has forever emblazoned the image of his Watch Cap, A-1 Jacket, Levi's and of course, his 877's.

David Beckham

Image - Upscale Hype

That's right. One of the biggest names in football wears our boots. He's been seen in a few pairs over the years but his favourites seem to be the 1907 model.

Bradley Cooper

Image - Pinterest

The Hangover star, like Beckham, has been spotted with a few different pairs but most commonly we'll see him with a pair of Iron Rangers or Blacksmiths.

Ryan Gosling

Image - GQ

Commonly dubbed one of the best dressed actors in Hollywood, Ryan Gosling is often seen sporting a pair of Moc Toe boots with various different outfit styles. From chinos to jeans to even smarter trousers, he'll likely be wearing his Mocs.

Winona Ryder

 Image - Star Tribune

For a recent Super Bowl commercial, Winona visits her birthplace and the town that she owes her name, Winona MN. She stays loyal to her home state by wearing the 3375 moc toe, the 875 for our women's collection.

Oprah Winfrey 

Image - Oprah Magazine

TV host Oprah Winfrey recently sported a pair of 3368 Sand Mohave Iron Rangers for a feature for her eponymous magazine.

Thanks for reading, let us know if there are any stars that have influenced your choice of Red Wing Boots!

Our Top Reads During Lockdown

We know these are very strange and uncertain times. So to help you get through it we find its always fun to lose yourself in a good book. Take a look through our top reads to hopefully keep yourself entertained during lockdown. 

Enjoy!

1.Take Ivy 

Photography by Teruyoshi Hayashida. Text by Shoshuke Ishizu, Toshiyuki Korusu & Hajime Hasegawa. Published by Powerhouse Books.

Although there isn't too much of a need to get dressed up currently it doesn't mean you should stop taking inspiration! Originally published in Japan in 1965 Take Ivy gives you an insight into the early days of "Ivy Style". A trend that caused the subsequent explosion of influence in the fashionable suburbs of major cities around Japan and eventually the rest of the world. Still as relevant today as it was in '65 its now a must read for lovers of vintage Americana. 

2.Into the Wild

Jon Krakauer. Published by Picador Books

Krakauer, a keen adventurer and one of the survivors of the ill-fated 1996 Mt Everest expedition originally reported on the death of Chris McCandless (aka Alexander Supertramp) for the January 1993 issue of Outside magazine. The immense and immediate response led him to write one of the finest non-fiction titles out there. Learn how a fit and extremely determined young man from an affluent East Coast family ended up being found dead in the Alaskan wilderness.

3.The American West

Dee Brown. Published by Pocket Books 

If you want to brush up on your history of how the US pushed forever westward on their way to building the most powerful nation on earth, then look no further! Better known for Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee, Dee Brown again illuminates the history of the American Old West by following the fate of three groups, the settlers, the ranchers and the Native Americans.  

4.Vintage Menswear:A Collection from the Vintage Showroom

Josh Sims, Roy Luckett & Douglas Gunn. Published by Lawrence King Publishing 

There are many great books out there dedicated to vintage fashion and menswear. However, the reason this is one of our favourites is because the Vintage Showroom have curated such a vast array of trends and styles spanning many decades. From turn of the century sportswear and original Polar expedition suits to French denim, there's something for everyone. You never know, you might be inspired to start documenting your own vintage collection (if you haven't done so already). 

5.Cabin Porn:Inside 

Edited by Zach Klein, Feature Stories by Freda Moon, Layout & Design by Matt Cassity. Published by Particular Books.

If ever there was a book to keep you inspired during these uncertain times, it would be this one. Cabin Porn:Inside is filled with personal accounts of people who made their wild ideas and dreams a reality by taking the plunge to build there very own slice of paradise. Each story and each photograph gives you the urge to up sticks, head away and create your own eden.

From all of us at Red Wing London

Stay Home, Stay Safe, Stay Positive.

INDIGOFERA X RED WING SHOES

The Indigofera boot is inspired by the #919 Lineman Boot that we first released in 1977 in which 8-inch boots were a common staple to our collection.

The Indigofera crew are a big fan of such styles as the Engineer, Logger and Pecos so when it came down to pencil and paper it made it easy on deciding the direction of the #4328 “Climber” boot.

There are many interesting features but one unique detail is the green Vibram sole that was used on Lineman boots back in 1956.  Vibram that produces all Red Wing rubber soles including the mentioned green sole is the same compound that we use today.  The green colour was used a lot on Lineman boots but unclear as to why the colour was significant.  One theory is that it was an indication that the sole was compounded with the EH (Electrical Hazard) insulation between you and the ground so if you happened to touch a live wire/hot wire you wouldn’t get shocked.  It gave wearers confidence that the shoe you were wearing was guaranteed to be safe whilst working up high-lines.

Along with this very special collaboration Indigofera have also created a blanket, t-shirt and bandana and will be launched and available on September 21st.   And if that isn’t enough we will also be premiering an extremely special film made in California by our good friend Obi Kaufman (@coyotethunder).  Obi embarked on a hiking trip to capture the spirit of this collaboration and tells stories making reference to a deeper mystery where an inner world of adventure meets the outer world of evolution.

This extremely special release is available in store now! Once its gone, its gone.

@redwingheritage #redwingheritage#madeinusa🇺🇸 #myredwings#redwinglondon#redwingshoes#redwingboots#moctoe#moctoeboots #redwingmoctoes#orolegacy #amberharness#tractiontread#irishsetter#irishsetterboots#minnesota #soho#carnaby #newburghquarter

NEW FALL / WINTER WOMENS DROP!

And yet more lovely things available this new season. Today we celebrate the edition of some stylish yet durable new Womens collection editions.

First up is the new Red Wing Shoe Store Exclusive for FW19!

The super cool #3369  Colorado Atanado Moc toe.  Very limited stock so don't miss your chance.

Our Moc toe design has always been a core part of our company and we are pleased to offer it in such a beautiful colour way.   

Second up! 

You wanted black, and here it is!  The perfect edition to your wardrobe.

The #3380 Black Moc. 

Third up! 

Some of you may remember this from a few years back, its always been on our mind to re-release this model and now that's become a reality.   We will be offering this special release in two colours.  The #3470 Black Boundary and #3471 Copper Rough and Tough.  Both leather types we have chosen will age brilliantly and take little time to break in.

Photo courtesy of : @janbijl 

..Last but not least!

We have been waiting for this, and honestly its been very difficult keeping a lid on this since we found out.. We proudly introduce the "Gracie" to our collection.  Available in two colour ways - #3431 Pecan Boundary and #3430 Black Boundary.

Much like our beloved Gloria boot, it offers a flattering and historical silhouette and a tremendous fit.  For those of you not too comfortable by the height of the Gloria, the Gracie is most certainly the one for you.

All new styles available in store now and from our web-shop next week! 

 https://www.redwinglondon.com/collections/womens-boots

 @redwingwomensstorelondon@redwingheritagewomen
#herredwings #myredwings #redwings#rwwslondon#redwingwomensstorelondon#redwingexclusive #limitededition#ladymocs #redwingmoctoe #london #soho#carnabystreet #newburghstreet

The Sawmill - New for FW19

Taking inspiration from outdoor and sporting boots from our extensive archive we are very excited to introduce the completely new Sawmill boot for Autumn / Winter 2019.

Available in Olive Mohave and Briar Oil Slick, the Sawmill boot is Goodyear welted with an added storm-welt for extra protection form the cold and wet weather.  It features a Cambrelle lining and a felted wool footbed to keep your feet toasty.

The Cambrelle lining is completely new to our heritage collection.  It offers great comfort and moisture management. The Bi-component fibres mean that the lining can constantly adapt to the movement of your foot and helps not only to keep your feet warm and dry but in warmer climates can keep your feet cool as well.

The collar of our Sawmill boot is made from the same deerskin as we use for our gloves to give a soft, water repellant ankle support.  For the first time since the Heritage collection began we have used "D-rings" on one of our styles, a common fixture on outdoor boots from which the Sawmill is based.

We can see "D-rings" used on these two Irish Setter boots from the 1960's (#888 & #844) both of which are also lined for extra warmth.

These 70's hiking boots are a great example of Roughout leather being used on an outdoor boot.  Like we see with the Olive Mohave leather used on the Sawmill, Roughout is a great choice because the mud and water are able to "run-off" the buffed side of the hide rather than stain or penetrate through to the foot.

A boot isn't complete without an outsole.  The Sawmill uses the heavy duty Vibram Lug sole seen on the boots on which it is based.  The full lug sole gives amazing durability and impeccable grip on almost every surface so it was an obvious choice for the Sawmill.

Red Wing Shoes has a long history of outdoor and sporting boots and the Sawmill is a great modern day interpretation of those styles that came before.

We can't wait to see your Sawmill boots after they've had a few miles on them.  Come and get yours in store now, or head over to our webshop!

  @redwingheritage #redwingheritage#madeinusa🇺🇸 #myredwings#redwinglondon#redwingshoes#redwingboots#moctoe#moctoeboots #redwingmoctoes#orolegacy #amberharness#tractiontread#irishsetter#irishsetterboots#minnesota #soho#carnaby #newburghquarter

NEW !! FW19

Very exciting things coming this Fall / Winter, so stay tuned for more details!

@redwingheritage #redwingheritage#madeinusa🇺🇸 #myredwings#redwinglondon #redwingshoes#redwingboots#moctoe#moctoeboots #redwingmoctoes#orolegacy #amberharness#tractiontread #irishsetter#irishsetterboots#minnesota #soho#carnaby #newburghquarter

NEW RELEASE ! 87519

NEW DROP!

The 87519 limited-edition men’s boot is a distinctive twist on the iconic Classic Moc silhouette.  This leather is made from Oro Legacy crust that was not approved at the tannery because the colour was slightly off for our usual 875 boots.  At the time we developed the 87519 boot there was 6000 feet of this leather available to create a new leather type.  So rather than throwing out this leather we have re-worked it into this special one-time release. 

The 87519 is tailored to stand out with subtle detailing that creates a one-of-a-kind hybrid. Oro Harness leather leads the way with a rich red hue that gains depth as it patinas. With premium leather laces & brown and black taslan lace, black woven label, speed hooks and an embossed exterior logo.

VERY LIMITED SIZES! 

@redwingheritage #redwingheritage#madeinusa🇺🇸 #myredwings#redwinglondon #redwingshoes#redwingboots #moctoe#moctoeboots #redwingmoctoes#orolegacy #amberharness#tractiontread #irishsetter#irishsetterboots #minnesota #soho#carnaby #newburghquarter

THE RETURN OF THE SUPERSOLE

5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY