Clarks Originals and Thistle & Broom

Published: 22 May, 2011

Clarks Originals and Thistle & Broom previewed the results of their 10-month long collaboration for AW11/12 ladies collection, a limited edition take on Clarks ubiquitous Desert Boot featuring a hand-knit shoe ‘cuff’ reminiscent of an Arran jumper.

The idea originated with Clarks Originals Range Manager Rosie Macgregor, herself a Scot from St.Andrews. “Clarks has always stood for excellence in design and craftsmanship, and we’ve recently seen a huge resurgence of interest in hand-crafted products across the industry more generally. For the Clarks Originals consumer this has a particular resonance not only as a key fashion look, but as a statement of creativity and individuality,” said Macgregor. “The trick was to find a great partner focused on helping us to bring all this together. Each items created for us by Thistle and Broom is of the highest standard and you need only the briefest of glances to sense the passion behind every stage of their manufacture.”

Thistle & Broom blind sampled prototypes to Clarks to ensure that there was no bias to geographic origin or company. The Soil Association and certified organic yarn used for the project was sourced from Ardalanish Farms and Weavers on the Isle of Mull and spun on the 19th century machines at the UNESCO World Heritage Site at New Lanark. What’s more, the effort to produce the limited edition of 1200 pairs involved 35 hand-knitters living across Scotland from Caithness to Inverness, Fife to Kelso with a combined experience of more than 973 YEARS! Clarks went one step further in framing the importance of their collaboration with Thistle & Broom in hiring Glasgow-based portrait photographer Iain Clark, whose work can be found in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, to capture the knitters’ images.

“There is a creative energy found in every aspect of this collaboration that I believe owners of the boot will intuitively ‘feel’ even in absence of intellectually understanding what sets their new footwear apart from the girl next door,” said Thistle & Broom’s Managing Director and Chief Creative Officer, Teresa Fritschi. “Our efforts focus upon creating economic opportunities for traditional skills through a new business paradigm which combines the best aspects of the luxury goods market and the eco-friendly/Fair Trade/sustainability one. Working with Clarks, a 186-year old British firm with a devoted, global customer base, meant we could have a more immediate positive impact both economically and in raising the profile of the Scottish firms and individuals with whom we chose to do business.”

Notes to Editors:

Thistle & Broom
Edinburgh based Thistle & Broom is a bespoke luxury ecommerce initiative based upon the Fair Trade model was legally incorporated in Scotland in 2004 and which commenced trading in May 2005. With a raison d’etre of preserving, protecting and restoring Scotland’s heritage and traditional skills, Thistle & Broom is unique within the luxury goods space in that its product offerings are sourced exclusively within Scotland’s geopolitical boundaries. 66% of the retail price of Thistle & Broom’s offerings is paid directly to the artisan/ craftsperson actually producing the product thus positively impacting Scotland’s often rural economies.

The History of the Desert Boot
The Desert Boot was designed by Nathan Clark in 1949. The story begins in Burma 1949, while serving with the West African Brigade, a young Nathan Clark creates the Desert Boot. The inspiration for the shoe came from a crepe-soled boot made out of rough suede popular in Cairo’s fabled Old Bazaar. The footwear of choice for off-duty Eighth Army officers, it was the boot’s simple line and conspicuous comfort that struck a chord with Nathan, a chord that, 60 years later, still chimes with people all over the world.

Over 60 long years after its debut, the Desert Boot lives on, its simplicity, its versatility and its individuality have all helped to secure its place on the roll-call of iconic design. It has become a cult classic, transcending trends throughout the ages. Worn by Icon’s of past and present, from Steve McQueen, Bob Dylan, Paul Weller and the Beatles, to the Raconteurs, Jonny Borrell, Florence Welch and the Arctic Monkeys.

www.clarksoriginals.com
For additional information, imagery or quotes please contact
Amber Wood or Jessica Davis at Yellowdoor
t; 0207 580 0707 e; AmberW@yellow-door.com or JessicaD@yellow-door.com

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