Campaign image for Deadly Ponies’ first footwear collection. Image supplied.
Having built a cult following for their chic handbags and leathergoods, Deadly Ponies have made their first foray into footwear, debuting a capsule collection of women’s boots. The sophisticated footwear is personally designed by Creative Director, Liam Bowden, and is available in Deadly Ponies’ stores and online from Wednesday 13th July.
Deadly Ponies’ many fans have been requesting shoes from the brand for years and Liam Bowden has long been contemplating the best way to bring a premium footwear offering to life. The resulting winter boots capsule is laser-focused on two hero styles that will see the wearer through the chilly weather and for many years to come.
“As I did with handbags, I taught myself how to construct footwear patterns,” says Liam Bowden. “It’s an exciting venture for us, as we can take our brand aesthetic and the techniques we have mastered from handbags, and transform them into a new category. Footwear is an area our customers have been encouraging us to move into for a while, and after such a restrictive few years, we came out of the other side knowing it was the right time to do something fun, and creative.”
“We want to create future classics; boots that will be wardrobe staples, offering a small initial run in order to nail those designs, while hitting the hallmarks of our brand – sumptuous and sustainable leathers, brass hardware, our marque embossment, and of course, Deadly Ponies signature purple.”
Deadly Ponies’ new Rider Boot and Marengo Boot feature a supple lamb inner and calf leather exterior, responsibly tanned by certified Leather Working Group partners and handcrafted in in the shoe-making capital of the world, Portugal.
The Rider Boot is named after ‘Horse, Rider and Clown’, an iconic artwork by Henri Matisse featuring a bold purple horse. The style of the boot was inspired by the perennial favourite Chelsea boot – literally a cut above all others with its elevated heel and signature purple Deadly Ponies woven pull-tab. The Rider Boot also features a calf leather sole with an embossed Deadly Ponies marque, a subtle, yet distinct detail.
The Marengo Boot is named for Napoleon’s trusty steed, and is Deadly Ponies’ interpretation of a square-toe ankle boot, a modern classic that lends itself to a playful attitude with a slender yet solid heel and silhouette housing a calf leather sole with the signature embossed Deadly Ponies marque. The Marengo boot also features a signature brass zipper.
Both of the new Deadly Ponies’ boot designs are available in classic black, with the Marengo also stepping out in coveted macadamia python this season.
Deadly Ponies have long prided themselves on the quality and transparency of their products and that continues with this latest offering. The brand’s eco-atelier in Thailand meets rigorous environmental standards and they took their time to find a footwear manufacturer who met those same high standards.
“We’re working with a small, family-owned boutique in Portugal that specialises in shoe-making,” adds Liam. “It’s important that our craftsmanship is the best in the market, so we took our time, trying several different manufacturing hubs and partners until we found a team that could match our high standards. We were also very conscious about working with a sustainable manufacturer that operated within our code of conduct, and this maker best aligned with our quality requirements, and matched our family values.”
Deadly Ponies is excited to now have a luxurious head to toe offering for the brand’s customers and something tells us this foray into footwear will evolve in a significant way moving forward. In the meantime, we would recommend being quick if you fancy a pair of these boots, as they will sell fast!
Image supplied.