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It’s a brand that many of us associate with the sensible school shoes of our youth.
But High Street stalwart Clarks has been undergoing something of a re-vamp of late.
In its autumn collection, alongside those traditional work shoes with a low comfy heel, there are now seriously glam spiky stilettos, metallic snake-effect brogues and on-trend shoe boots on offer.
La Shelley in black suede, £99.99
La Bronte, suede and patent leather, £120
Azizi Iris, red suede with metallic strap, £69.99
Curtain Ring, black suede with a brooch trim, £59.99
La Byatt, khaki snake-effect leather with studs, £140
La Promenade, metallic snake-effect leather, £89.99
Idola Sky trainer, leather with patent overlays, £39.99
Lumiere Pearl, black suede wedged boots, £59.99
Wedged boots and metal spikes on high
heels are a bold step for the beloved British brand, which built its reputation on solid, practical shoes.
As
well as kitting out thousands of children for school, Clarks has
brought us iconic styles which have now become staples.
The company created the Desert Boot, the ‘Wallabee’ and the Playdeck
sandal, much imitated by manufacturers around the world.
But devout Clarks customers needn’t panic at the changes as the brand continues to make its more traditional range of shoes – and comfort is still a priority.
Many of the most popular and iconic styles are still available in the ‘Originals’ range, which is popular with a range of celebrities.
Suki Waterhouse, Florence Welch, Alexa Chung, Paul Weller and Liam Gallagher have all been seen championing their classic footwear .
Clarks: The history of an iconic British brand
An advert for a classic T-sandal offering the wearer the ‘utmost freedom’
Clarks is in fact just the trading name of C and J International, named after the two Quaker brothers who founded the company.
Cyrus and James Clark set up a business making slippers and rugs in 1825 in the village of Street in Somerset.
By the time Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837 Cyrus and James Clark had steadily built up their slipper trade. By 1842 business, like Britain, was booming
The brother’s sheepskin slippers were a huge success with sales averaging 1000 pairs a month. The unique design graced feet the length and breadth of the country.
The ‘Brown Petersburg’ was made by hand in Street. There were no factories, so the brothers – now trading as CJ Clark Limited – relied on outworkers to meet the growing demand.
The workers collected the leather from the tannery, along with a pattern, took the whole lot home and turned it into slippers.
Clarks’ successes with basic shoes saw it expand into more fashionable footwear over the years
The Hygienic was the first ever shoe designed to fit the shape of the foot
Production was often a family affair –
everyone did their bit of cutting, sticking and sewing. Then, every
Friday, all the finished footwear would be taken to Cyrus and James and
swapped for wages.
The Desert Boot
The iconic Desert Boot was brainchild of Nathan Clark and made its debut in 1950.
The style captured the imagination of millions and remains a global icon to this day.
It was was inspired by a rough boot from Cairo’s Old Bazaar but it became the footwear of choice for off-duty army officers.
Often imitated, its simple, clean lines in premium suede are teamed with an unfussy lace fastening and signature crepe sole.
Clarks have recently re introduced the popular style in their ‘Originals’ range.
Costing £79, the classic boot can now be yours in a range of colours and materials.
The system worked well for many years and the company prospered.
In
fact business was so brisk that in 1851 the Clark brothers won two
awards at the Great Exhibition, an event organised by Prince Albert to
showcase the greatest achievements of British industry.
Then, in 1863 William – James’
youngest son – took over the company and modernised the manufacturing
process along factory lines and invested in the Singer sewing machine – a
groundbreaking piece of technology at the time.
Under
William Clark, CJ Clark was revitalised and 1883 Clarks
launched its Hygienic range.
The Hygienic was the first ever shoe
designed to fit the shape of the foot, a design principle that is still
the bedrock of Clarks’ reputation today.
Clarks played its part in two World Wars and, in WW II, the main Clarks factory was used to make torpedoes
With more and more products to
promote, Clarks began advertising for the first time in 1936.
In 1937,
they opened a chain of shops called Peter Lord, a name which remained on
the High Street until the 1990s.
Eventually the available workforce in Street was too small to meet demand so, under the guidance of chairman Bancroft Clark, the company opened 15 new factories in neighbouring towns and cities.
New shops and stores were also opened, including, in 1957, Clarks’ first flagship store on London’s Regent Street.
The dawn of the 1990s found Clarks facing some tough decisions.
Major changes in world trade meant the company could no longer stay competitive while manufacturing in the UK.
Reluctantly, production was moved to the continent.
The beloved British brand has now gone international and is continuing to grow in North America, Western and Eastern Europe, India and China.
Clarks has built much of its reputation on strong, comfortable, low-heeled shoes
Clarks has won millions of fans through simple, catchy slogans such as ‘It’s smart to be comfortable’
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Clarks gets cool! Studded snakeskin, leopard print and edgy shapes on offer in autumn collection
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