From railroad workers at the turn of the Century to sheep farmers on the hills of Yorkshire, the humble, rugged work boot has straddled utilitarian, heritagewear and high street fashion for decades. But as the momentum gathers for garments ‘made to last,’ you don’t need to look further than a handmade Portuguese leather boot to epitomise this revolution. The Drover boot design was showcased in our first collection and allowed us to offer an entire outfit for the modern Pioneer – to dress them from ‘Cap to Boot’ as the saying went. This boot style was initially made to provide local quarrying and lead mining industries in north England with rugged footwear that would survive some of the most severe conditions. We have retained the traditional aesthetics of this famous footwear and worked closely with our makers to produce a hardwearing boot weighing in at just 750g. The soft, supple leather means the boots require minimal breaking in and are immediately comfortable straight out of the box. This stunning leather is aniline dyed in the drum to create deep and vibrant colours. It is finished with a combination of transparent waxes and oils, which gives the leather avery soft feel. When the leather is stretched or pulled, the colour migrates and becomes lighter in the pulled areas producing a beautiful patina. The Drover boot comes with our bespoke sole, leather laces, soft in-sole, extra-long boot pull, and the &SONS utility pocket and is complete with their own Cotton Drawstring bag. Our Boots are made in Portugal, famous for their quality leathers and craftsmanship. We have retained the traditional aesthetics of this famous bootbut with softer leather &SONS details and lightweight construction Over half of my wardrobe is now &SONS tops, jeans, boots etc. Says it all really. Complete your outfit Step back to decades of heritage wear… Origins The name Drover comes from the ancient legacy of Anglo-Saxon Britain. The name belonged to those who worked driving the livestock from the fields to the markets. This person was called a drover. Many drovers started in Wales and accompanied the animals on foot or on horseback. For three centuries, the people who dwelled in London, Manchester and other big cities had their meat brought to them by the drovers. This was a vast operation and at its peak, there were more than 2000 animals being driven through the streets of London market every single day. Made in Portugal Features A longer ‘Boot Pull’ which makes fitting easier and quicker and features our hand-embossed &SONS ‘Ampersand’ A small leather utility pocket to the right boot - Ideal for coins, bottle openers, or anything you need stash away We have chosen to use the British Made Dainite sole which carries their recognisable trademark grip and added a soft leather insole to give the boot a more traditional look We have added genuine leather laces to help make them more durable and long-lasting. Care Instructions For specific care instructions, see our guide to caring for your product. Click here
