Rain or Shine, ECCO’s Chelsea Boots Stand Firm
As 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 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.
CityTray Chelsea Boot
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Perhaps the slickest of the pack, this water-resistant Chelsea boot from ECCO is equipped with wide elastic insets to offer easy, flexible comfort. 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 shoemaker would pair perfectly with a suit and features a combination 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)
Helsinki 2 Chelsea Boot
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Somewhere in the middle, ECCO’s Helsinki 2 Chelsea boot is grounded in rugged heritage, with a mid-cut design cradling an arch-supporting 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 promises to age beautifully over time. From a technical standpoint, the brand’s PHORENE™ moulded footbed provides all-day comfort, while the FLUIDFORM™ technology sees the outsole material bonded seamlessly to the upper to deliver enduring and durable comfort. Practical to the last, the Helsinki is the perfect travel companion — wherever your adventures may take you. ($240)
Grainer Chelsea Boot
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Finally, the most rough-and-ready Chelsea boot in the ECCO stable. With uppers featuring oiled nubuck — an oily waxed leather renowned for its unquestionable durability — the Grainer has a beautifully unique, perfectly patinated colour that will only develop with age. Water-repellent and standing on sturdy lug soles, the design is ECCO’s most reliable option for outdoorsmen this winter. And, while the style is built for all-weather performance, it also retains the versatility that makes the Chelsea boot great. Wear it with jeans, smart trousers or a sports jacket. You can’t go wrong. ($240)
