Red Wing Is Honoring Its Founder by Bringing Back His Namesake Boot From the Early 2000s
Red Wing has reimagined its signature Beckman boot – a silhouette that pays homage to its founder, Charles Beckman.
According to the Minnesota-based footwear label, the refreshed Beckman boot features a slimmer toe box and a Gro-Cord outsole by Vibram, which was first developed in the 1920’s for Red Wing.
Amy Peck, director of product creation at Red Wing Heritage, told FN in an interview that the shoe includes “thoughtful design refinements” from the original classic that debuted in the early 2000s.
“Seeing a beloved silhouette from our archives, like the Beckman, make a return is always exciting,” Peck said. “It’s wonderful to see how some pieces really never go out of style, even after decades.”
“As a heritage brand, we are always looking for ways to celebrate our rich history and the people who have made the company what it is today,” Peck continued. “The Beckman boot is a timeless homage to Red Wing’s visionary founder, Charles Beckman, and the re-introduction of this silhouette honors his unique story — from embarking to America as an immigrant from Germany to his relentless pursuit of high-quality footwear, which ultimately led him to the founding of Red Wing Shoe Co. in 1905.”
As consumers look for fall footwear, Peck is confident that boots, like the Beckman, will make a comeback this year after the category experienced a slowdown industry-wide in 2023.
“We are seeing brand momentum in North America as well as our Europe and Japan markets,” Peck said.
Red Wing’s Beckman boot, which retails for $399, is now available in three rich shades of Excalibur leather – black cherry, black, and cigar – at Redwingshoes.com/heritage.
This launch comes a few weeks after Red Wing toasted its collaboration with Americana-loving contemporary brand The Great last month in Los Angeles. The collab focused around Red Wing’s Classic Moc work boot silhouette, updated in color-blocked shades of indigo, army green and brown. The boot also features special floral-embossed brown leather.
