Page 46 - Sharp Winter 2024

STANDING FIRM
FEW BRANDS UNDERSTAND THE APPEAL AND VERSATILITY OF THE CHELSEA BOOT LIKE ECCO
By David Stol
A S WE STEP INTO A NEW, MORE UNPREDICTABLE SEASON,
it’s time to reach for a style of shoe that has been a menswear staple for decades: the Chelsea boot. First slipped on in 1851, when Queen Victoria’s cobbler, J. Sparkes-Hall, constructed the “paddock boot” for her majesty, the shoe was originally designed to deliver something without laces that might get snared up in stirrups, and that could be easily slipped on. Sparkes-Hall achieved this by using a specially vulcanized rubber, with which he created an elasticated collar around the boots’ ankles.
For years, the design was reserved for only the upper echelons of British society. Thankfully, fashions twist and turn, and the boots’ cultural resonance grew. Soon, the practical style left the paddocks and migrated over to London’s Chelsea neighbourhood, an affluent area that had become an eclectic melting pot for the city’s young artists, musicians, and children of the upper crust. Before long, it entered the menswear mainstream and, inseparable from the borough, became known as the Chelsea boot.
Today, few brands understand the understated style like ECCO, a Danish footwear manufacturer established in 1963 (around the same time the Beatles were popularizing the slip-on Chelsea style around the world). Guided by a respect for heritage, ECCO remains dedicated to crafting well-made, long-lasting shoes — making leather at its own
CityTray Chelsea Boot
Perhaps the slickest of the pack, this water-resistant Chelsea boot from ECCO is equipped with wide elastic in- sets to offer easy, flexible com- fort. Crafted from high-quality leather, the CityTray is also packed with ergonomic arch support, making it the perfect candidate for your everyday, go-to shoe. Available in black or brown, this most refined leather option from the shoe- maker would pair perfectly with a suit and features a combina- tion of leather and textile lining for breathability. And, for a final flourish, a herringbone pattern on the elastic insets brings a touch of out-of-office flair into the boardroom. $260
GUIDE
tanneries, and both designing and developing every one of its styles in-house. The brand’s spins on the Chelsea boot are threefold, each more durable than the last and combining modern materials and manufacturing techniques with age-old traditions and shoemaking know-how.
So, whether you’re headed to the paddocks, the pub, a first date, or the office this winter, SHARP has rounded up a trio of Chelsea boots from ECCO that deliver the versatility and style that Sparkes-Hall first created all those decades ago.
Helsinki 2 Chelsea Boot
Somewhere in the middle, ECCO’s Helsinki 2 Chelsea boot is grounded in rugged heritage, with a mid-cut design cradling an arch-support- ing footbed that features springy shock absorption. Available in a rich “potting soil” colour or traditional black leather, the boot is made with high-quality oiled leather that prom- ises to age beautifully over time. From a technical standpoint, the brand’s PHORENETM moulded foot- bed provides all-day comfort, while the FLUIDFORMTM technology sees the outsole material bonded seam- lessly to the upper to deliver endur- ing and durable comfort. Practical to the last, the Helsinki is the perfect travel companion — wherever your adventures may take you. $240
Grainer Chelsea Boot
Finally, the most rough-and- ready Chelsea boot in the ECCO stable. With uppers fea- turing oiled nubuck — an oily waxed leather renowned for its unquestionable durability — the Grainer has a beautiful- ly unique, perfectly patinated colour that will only develop with age. Water-repellent and standing on sturdy lug soles, the design is ECCO’s most re- liable option for outdoorsmen this winter. And, while the style is built for all-weather perfor- mance, it also retains the ver- satility that makes the Chelsea boot great. Wear it with jeans, smart trousers or a sports jack- et. You can’t go wrong. $240
46 GUIDE • WINTER 2024
SHARPMAGAZINE.COM