Clarks Originals is celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Clarks Desert Boot with a special
Made in England collaboration.The Originals brand and Charles.F Stead
factory have come together to create a handcrafted, limited-edition Clarks Desert Boot which
heroes the artisanal skills at the centre of British style today.
After Nathan Clark stormed America with his revolutionary Desert Boot design in the early
1950s, it was to the highly-skilled shoemakers and tanners of England that he turned to
produce the boots which would go on to become signifiers of cool around the world.
Each of the 1,950 pairs (a number chosen to reflect the year when the boots first hit the
market) of Made in England Desert Boots are hand-numbered and come with spare leather
laces. The collaboration honours the unique partnerships forged by Clark which are still
integral to the Desert Boot 65 years on.
The Story of Made in England
The Suede
The original Cordova Velour suede which characterised the very first Desert Boot styles of
the 1950s came from long-time Clarks collaborators, Charles F Stead. Based in Leeds,
England since 1895, the tannery is renowned worldwide for the exceptional quality and
colours of its suede.
The Limited Edition Packaging
Made in England Clarks Desert Boots come presented in collectible packaging containing commemorative artwork. Clarks Originals have worked with Potts Printers of Northumberland, a family-run company which was founded in 1875 by William John Potts, to produce the limited edition boxes.
The Artwork
Peter O’Toole is an artist and illustrator whose work gives a modern take on vintage inspirations. Working from his converted windmill in Huddersfield, O’Toole’s artwork is a stylish reminder of the Desert Boot’s 1950s origins and unique cult classic place in fashion today.
The Socks
Each Made in England set comes with an exceptionally crafted pair of socks by TRiCKETT of Lancashire. Knitted using 100% Lancastrian cotton on traditional looms and finished by hand, the socks come in a trio of colours which each represent elements of the Clarks Desert Boot story. Sandy beige recalls the desert landscapes of Cairo where the boots were originally made. The accents of orange echo the tangerine stitching which is an original Desert Boot feature revived for the Made in England collection. Finally, rich blue represents sapphire, the 65th anniversary stone.
The Suede Cleaner
To keep each pair of Made in England boots looking pristine, an exclusive crepe suede cleaner in the shape of the Desert Boot’s iconic fob in Sheffield Steel has been created by Mamnick, a brand inspired by the splendour of the Peak District who manufacture near Sheffield.
The limited edition Made in England Desert Boot is now available online and in OFFSPRING Selfridges London.
