HERITAGE ICONS: THE A-Z OF CLARKS ORIGINALS

Shoemakers since 1825, Clarks Originals are a case study in brand staying power.

Constantly evolving and adapting to position themselves firmly on the tip of global culture and style, Clarksmean something to almost everyone - from Kingston to Tokyo, football players to hip-hop icons. 

Unpacking a legacy 200 years in the making, join us on an international journey as we unpick the legacy of a heritage icon with the A-Z of Clarks Originals.

Suffragette, early feminist icon, and original member of the Clarks company board in 1904, Alice Clark set the tone for the pioneering spirit which has become the bedrock of Clarks Originals' modus operandi.

Testament to the style's bona fide icon status in Jamaica, the Clarks Desert Trek was re-baptised 'Bank Robber' on the Caribbean island. A colloquial nod to the style's hiker insignia - which could just as easily depict a bank robber making their getaway with a bag full of cash - this regional affinity for Clarks' product is the reflection of a unique transnational love affair like no other.

Longtime partner,Charles F Steadhas supplied Clarks Originals with the finest suede since the early 1950s. The family-owned tannery on Stead Street in Leeds remains committed to the forgotten artisanality of suede supply, using centuries of experience to deliver suedes that celebrate traditional treatments and techniques.

First sold in Australia in the late 1940s, the Desert Boot drew inspiration from styles worn by military men in the Desert climates of South Africa during WWII. First finding its footing Down Under as the UK arm of the business were unsure of the style's suitability for the western market, the Clarks Desert Boot has become of the company's most revered heritage styles. A close cousin of the Chukka Boot, the Desert Boot combines form and functionality in design and material makeup, with reversed leather uppers, exposed stitching, and two-eyelet detail.

A meeting of menswear institutions: Esquire editor-du-jour, Oskar Schoefler, was introduced to the aforementioned Clarks Desert Book at the Chicago Shoe Fair in 1949. A leading authority in men's style, Schoefler immediately saw the promise of the silhouette as a staple of men's casual dress in the pre-sneaker era. Taken with the opportunity to further cement Esquire's position as international gatekeeper of gentlemen's fashion,Schoefler joined forces with Clarks to launch the silhouette in the US marketand the rest is history.

A bedrock of the Clarks Originals experience, the signature branded fob accompanies every pair like a stamp of approval from the founders themselves. Iterated over the decades in a kaleidoscope of colours and materials, the fob marks each Clarks' product as iconic, authentic, and individual.

An unlikely pairing - which catapulted Clarks Originals to the forefront of international style and subculture - Ghostface "the Wallabee champ" Killah frequently referenced the slip-on leather style in songs and on off-label mixtapes. 

The Wu-Tang cosign positioned Clarks as a cornerstone of 90s streetwear, but the brand's enduring relevance in hip-hop has stood the test of time. Consecutive generations of rap talent - running the gamut from Kanye West to MF Doom - have proudly endorsed Clarks as a stalwart of style and culture; a quiet beacon of quality and consistency.