From Tassie to Princess Kate:The boot moving from hi-vis to high fashion

The city that never sleeps has been snoozing on the latest shoe trend,according to embroiderer Lauren Weeks. WhenThe New York Times last monthdeclared Blundstones “as the boot of the early 2020s,” Weeks remained nonplussed. Her neighbours have been ahead of the curve for decades.

“Everyone here in Tasmania wears them,” Weeks says. “We’re proud of them. I think most people are pleased to see them doing so well,but they’re still a part of the Tasmanian uniform.”

Model Liz Berry wears a Van der Kooji ensemble ahead of the Melbourne Fashion Festival,with Blundstone boots.

Model Liz Berry wears a Van der Kooji ensemble ahead of the Melbourne Fashion Festival,with Blundstone boots.Eddie Jim

The New York Times article points out that the chunky brown boots have become a sidewalk staple in New York and Canada. They are also a favourite of Catherine,Princess of Wales,who wore her favourite pair last month at a charity launch and on a visit to Denmark last year.

At this week’s Melbourne Fashion Festival stylist Peter Simon Phillips expects to see the chunky rubber-soled boots in the front row and eventually on the runway.

“I think everyone has come down out of a heel and doesn’t want to go back up again,” Phillips says. “Comfort is key again and for women it’s such a relief. It’s a sturdy shoe that you get longevity out of. You can keep them for decades. They’ve got a bit more grunt than sneakers.”

Catherine,Princess of Wales,wearing Blundstone boots on a visit to Denmark’s Stenurten Forest Kindergarten in February,2022.

Catherine,Princess of Wales,wearing Blundstone boots on a visit to Denmark’s Stenurten Forest Kindergarten in February,2022.AP

The fashion community is driving growth for Blundstone,a family-owned shoe business,operating in Tasmania since 1870. The work industry,which sees the round-toe boots paired with Hard Yakka shorts rather than Chanel suits,accounts for 92 per cent of Australian sales,but fashion purchases are growing.

“Women are key drivers in the growth and popularity of Blundstone,” says Blundstone joint chief executive Adam Blake. “In most markets,the 24–35-year-old female segment is showing the fastest growth for both awareness and purchasing behaviour of our brand.”

With more than 3 million pairs of boots sold a year,Australia makes up 27 per cent of sales,with 36 per cent in the US and Canada and 28 per cent in Europe and Asia.

Thanks to post-Covid casual dressing and celebrity awareness,business in the US has tripled in the past five years. While the owners are happy to see their boots worn by Billie Eilish,David Beckham and Brad Pitt,they are not courting celebrity customers and influencers.

“Consumers gravitate to us because we are a genuine,no-nonsense brand that makes durable,comfortable boots,” Blake says. “We are not chasing fashion. We are who we are and our consumer relates to us for that.”

One influencer that the brand has agreed to work with is Weeks,who started her business Abigail and Lauren embroidering flowers and landscapes on the elastic panels of Blundstone boots four years ago. Weeks’ work has been profiled on Blundstone’s social media accounts.

“I decided to teach myself embroidery in 2019 and started to work on boots because it seemed easy,” Weeks says. “After sharing some images people kept asking me to do them and it became a business.”

Each pair of boots takes between two and eight hours,depending on the complexity of the design. One of the most popular designs,a wave influenced by Japanese art,takes the longest time.

Celebrities have approached Weeks for customised boots but she only ships to Australian customers.

Model Liz Berry wearing Blundstone boots with an ensemble from Van der Kooij for Melbourne Fashion Festival.

Model Liz Berry wearing Blundstone boots with an ensemble from Van der Kooij for Melbourne Fashion Festival.Eddie Jim

“I don’t think anyone deserves special treatment,” Weeks says. “Musician Kim Churchill and his mate Liam Fell recently got a matching pair to celebrate their tour. I’ve also been getting a lot of brides asking for boots to wear on their wedding day.”

On the runway at the Melbourne Fashion Festival Phillips will steer clear of wedding dresses and boots but is excited when sturdy footwear is worn with feminine silhouettes.

“Fashion is at its best when it contradicts itself,” he says.

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correction

An earlier version of this story referred to Blundstone boots being manufactured in Australia. Blundstone boots are manufactured overseas. However,Blundstone gumboots are still manufactured in Tasmania.

Damien Woolnough is the style editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age

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