Origin Story - Chelsea Rainwalkers

While photographing our Core Collection for a new campaign, we got a sudden urge to know more about the story behind our iconic rain boots. We turned to our CEO, Lee Cotter, for the in-depth origin story of Chelsea Rainwalkers.

The Chelsea Rainwalker boots are one of our best-selling products and were developed in collaboration with Novesta, a heritage brand and one of the oldest shoe manufacturers still operating in Europe today. The Slovakia-based factory opened in 1939 and the production process remains much the same to this day.

Novesta are experts in natural rubber, which is what Chelsea Rainwalkers are made of. An organic and completely waterproof material, it’s incredibly smooth and flexible. So much so that the boots will mould into shape around the wearer’s feet with time, making each pair as unique as their owner. In fact, each pair of Rainwalkers are unique straight out of the factory, as the assembling of the boots is completed by hand.

Apart from being unique, Rainwalkers are timeless classics, which is a rare combination. The silhouette is based on the iconic Chelsea boots, conceived by none other than Queen Victoria’s shoemaker Joseph Sparkes Hall in the 1800s. The design has not faltered in popularity since and we suspect it won’t – for at least another two-hundred years.

Shop the Chelsea Rainwalker