A Day in the Life: Red Wing Shoes

As the weather begins to turn from mild and wet, to cold and bitter- it is time we reconsider our footwear. Something more suitable for cold, icy pavements and treks across the city. A simple choice here; we turn to Red Wing Shoes- popular with trendsetters for their stylish, yet practical form.

Red Wing Shoes, named after the city in Minnesota, was founded in 1905 by Mr. Charles Beckman, a successful local shoe merchant. In that same year the company began re-writing history books by releasing their original work boot with leather, buckles and laces for a secure fit and now synonymous with Red Wing, maximum longevity.

Each boot is constructed with hand cut leather, and hand-dyed by expert craftsmen. The boots are then sewed by skilled sewing machine operators on the same Puritan sewing machines used by Red Wing when the company was founded. And finally, the leather welt is sewn together with the upper and the leather insole using the traditional Goodyear welt construction process patented in 1869, and finished with the sole stitched or glued to the midsole.

 

Throughout Red Wing’s 108+ year history, they have established a strong brand by, crucially, producing products of the utmost quality. The oil-tanned leather from their very own S.B. Foot Tanning Co. for example is exceptionally durable and has been used to build countless work boots on which the Red Wing Shoes reputation was built, particularly in the early days of the company.

Featured here is the Harvester boot, style no.258, which was one of Red Wing’s most successful products in the 1930’s- popular in both the harvest field and mining sections of the USA. The 8-inch lace-up boot comes with traditional speed hooks and is available in Amber Harness (pictured) and Black Harness. A Vibram® 430 Mini-lug sole and Goodyear Welt construction ensures these boots are built to last.

RedWingHeritage.eu

Chris Beastall

Chris is the Founder and Editor of Ape to Gentleman. His interests lie in men's style, male grooming and leading a better lifestyle - through minimalist, basic and clean design.