HISTORY
The story of The Original Playboy shoes began in 1936 when English shoemaker Hutton in Northampton created a completely new shoe with a unique and patented crepe sole construction. The ‘Play-Boy’, as it was originally called. The construction was based on a thick 100% natural crepe sole attached to the upper, a signature piping sewn all around the shoe and an inch-high crepe foxing to complete the shoe. An iconic, and timeless, classic that has since been worn by royalties, legendary Hollywood actors, jazz musicians, rockabillies, hip-hoppers and a host of other good people around the world.
THE 1930S: THE BEGINNING
In 1936, English shoemaker Hutton created a completely new type of shoe with a unique and patented crepe sole construction. The ‘Play-Boy’, it was called.The construction was based on a thick 100% natural plantation crepe sole attached to the upper, a signature piping sewn all around the shoe, and an inch-high crepe foxing to complete the design. An iconic and timeless classic was born.
The Easiest Shoe On Earth. Made for Town and Country. The new shoe was marketed as ’The Easiest Shoe on Earth’, made for both town and country wear, as well as golf, football, motoring, and racing. The shoes quickly caught on, also among royals. Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, for example, ordered her third pair of Playboy shoes in 1937, and soon after, the adverts carried the line ’Worn by Royalty’. At one point, the shoes even went by the name ’Royal Playboys’.
THE 1940S: ORIGINAL PLAYBOYS COMING TO AMERICA AND AUSTRALIA.
In the 1940s, during the Second World War, Playboy shoes and chukkas, along with other English brands, were heavily exported, primarily to America and Australia, as part of the shoe industry’s mobilization to earn foreign currency for their country.Original Playboys were even spotted in Cairo during WW2 on Eighth Army officers, who were renowned for wearing their privately purchased chukkas abroad. This could have been the start of the later popular desert boots trend.
THE 1950S: A HOLLYWOOD FAVOURITE. WORN BY LEGENDS.
The 1950’s marked the beginning of a huge popularity in America for Original Playboy as some of the biggest male Hollywood stars began wearing the shoes.In particular one of the world’s hottest actors Steve McQueen, known as the ’King of Cool,’ notably wore the Original Playboy chukka both on and off-screen from the 1950s well into the 1970s, including in the iconic film ’Bullitt’.
Other legendary actors such as Marlon Brando, Anthony Perkins, and Jason Robards were also spotted in Original Playboys. Not least, jazz legend Miles Davis wore the Playboy chukka on the cover photo of Milestones in 1958 and during the recording of Kind of Blue in 1959.
THE 1960S: PLAYBOYS EMBRACED AS IVY LEAGUE STYLE.
In the 1960s, Playboy shoes were embraced as part of the American Ivy League style, which was to sweep the world during the mid-1960s, and later filter into Mod fashion in the UK. Also in the 1960s, Playboy’s long-term adoption by the Scandinavian countries began, with particularly strong sales in Sweden, a country that would go on to play an increasingly important role.
THE 1970S: THE TIMES ARE CHANGING.
The previous clean suedes and leathers were joined by multicoloured styles, elastic sides, double buckles, and thicker soles. Malcolm McLaren & Vivienne Westwood’s ’Let It Rock’ shop on King’s Road even carried a rare bespoke pointed-toe version of the Original Playboy shoe.The most significant change, however, occurred in 1973 when shoemaker Hutton had to discontinue its business and sold the Playboy trademark, archive, and tooling to a Swedish company.
THE 1980S: THE HIP HOP SCENE
As the 1980s rolled around, Original Playboys became part of the exploding Hip Hop scene. Known wearers being Brooklyn’s own Beastie Boys and pioneers to the hip hop culture, as well as the Rocksteady Crew’s Popmaster Fabel and Ron La Retro, who, in 2019 organised an exhibition titled ”Forgotten Street Fashion” at the Universal Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx, New York.
STEVE MCQUEEN COLLABORATION
The brand gained particular recognition when Steve McQueen, one of the world’s hottest actors, wore Original Playboys both privately and on-screen in the 1950s and well into the 1970s.
Steve McQueen notably wore the Original Playboy chukka in the film Bullitt, famous for one of the wildest car chases in world history through the streets of San Francisco and, not least, for the über-cool McQueen in the role of police detective Frank Bullitt. An iconic character that Steven Spielberg reportedly plans to bring to life in a new original film, with Bradley Cooper starring in the lead role as Frank Bullitt.
The new collaboration was brokered by Chad McQueen’s representative, Renaissance Licensing, between Original Playboy and Chad McQueen, the only living son of the iconic Steve McQueen, and is a continued tribute to the world-famous actor’s masculine and timeless style, rightfully earning him the nickname ”The King of Cool.” McQueen was considered one of the greatest icons in film history and a style pioneer who continues to inspire the fashion world.
The special edition of the Original Playboy chukka, developed in the new collaboration, is launched in suede in black, brown, and ’Bullitt’ cognac, with Steve McQueen’s name and emblem embossed on the side and back of the boot, and the emblem printed in the lining.
