A new collaboration showcases the best in British denim head culture.
U.K. footwear brand Grenson recently bowed a special edition denim boot made in collaboration with fashion forecaster and denim creative Kelly Harrington. Often photographed for her indigo-hued street style, Harrington has previously collaborated with Tom Wood, H&M, Denim Days, Bluezone and more.
“We have followed Kelly for a long time and loved her dedication to denim,” said Tim Little, Grenson CEO and creative director. “While looking for new responsible materials for shoemaking, we thought it would be a lovely experiment to work with her.”
For the “Kelly boot,” Harrington kept the production local by teaming with Blackhorse Lane Atelier to supply the denim scraps that were used to assemble the boots’ patchwork upper. Blackhorse Lane Atelier, a London-based denim manufacturer that produces its own house label as well as small-batch collections for U.K. labels, is currently raising funds to advance the opening of a wash house within its own factory.
The denim was selected and arranged to include a range of blue tones, seam details from the original jeans and natural fraying. No two shoes are alike.
“When designing this limited-edition boot with Grenson, I really wanted to highlight my love for repurposed denim and circularity by upcycling unwanted vintage denim scraps into something beautiful,” Harrington said. “Beautiful things can be made from textile waste.”
Harrington said she was especially drawn to Grenson for its artisanal and heritage style. “Like denim, a good pair of shoes lasts for years and [gets] better with age,” she said.
Made entirely in Grenson’s factory in Northamptonshire, U.K., the boots are fully leather lined, have gunmetal eyelets and ski hooks, all round leather storm welts and are made on the super chunky but lightweight Rawhide sole.
The lace-up style is based on a classic British military boot from Grenson’s archives, which date to 1866 when founder William Green first began making shoes by hand in Northamptonshire. Grenson produced footwear for the British military during The Great War and World War II and went on to launch exotic skins in the 1960s and ’70s, customization services in 2013 and most recently, a vegan collection in 2020.
The collaboration with Harrington is another example of the heritage brand’s efforts to adapt to modern-day values about sustainability, recycling and local production.
The Kelly boot is available now in men’s and women’s sizes on Grenson’s website and retails for $770.