HISTORY

In 1851, Queen Victoria challenged the royal shoemakers to make a pair of boots minus shoe laces that were constantly getting tangled in her stirrups while indulging in her favorite pastime of horse riding. The first boots were made by J. Sparkes-Hall, using vulcanized rubber (elastic), allowing Queen Victoria to slip the boots on and off easily. The Queen was delighted; thus, a brand-new footwear style was catapulted onto the world stage. As the stirrup proved so crucial in the history of this beautiful and enduring boot, we lovingly embroider a stirrup on all our Classic Chelsea Boots!

Initially called ”Paddock Boots” due to their popularity while riding, the boots underwent a name change in London’s swinging 60’s and became known as the ”Chelsea Boot” based on their association with King’s Road (A street in the Borough of Chelsea in western London)...Embraced by the Rock & Roll community, from The Rolling Stones and the Beatles to Twiggy, they were the must-have accessory & everybody wanted to walk in their boots.

ABOUT US

The Chelsea Boot Co Est. 1851 (CBC) is owned and operated byVIRGOAN WISH LLCa Limited Liability Company based in Los Angeles, CA. Virgoan Wish LLC was founded in 2021 by Lena Hermansson who is an inspirational leader with over 27 years experience in creative operations in the Clothing-, Music & Film Industries. She has over the years developed an expert knowledge of production management, workflow, infrastructure, project life cycles and management methodologies. Virgoan Wish LLC’s main focus have always been in Men’s Wear, but do offer a Women’s Boot Collection as well. Virgoan Wish LLC is the home ofThe Chelsea Boot Co Est. 1851, Da Vinci of California since 1952 and HERMAN MURRAY (Herman Murray is in partnership with Murray Roffé of Roffe Accessories). 

FASTER TO MARKET

On average, a new product launch takes between 18 to 36 months - that’s from the point of inception to the point when the product reaches the shop floor. 

That is a lot of time and effort and to a risk-averse retailer, the decision to stock a new innovative product without a sales history is most likely to be deemed risky. With D2C, CBC can mitigate these risks by allowing them to launch a new innovative product on a smaller scale. CBC can develop a specific product, test it within a very tight demographic, and then get their feedback. This enables the Company to understand what their customers love and hate about the product so they can make the required adjustments where appropriate. Even though our main focus is on D2C, we work with wholesalers and offer Dropship Solutions from the 250,000 sq ft facility located in Colton, California.

MANUFACTURING

These stunning boots have been handcrafted in Europe and are made from soft leathers & suedes and feature elasticated panels with our embroidered stirrup logo. The signature Chelsea Boot Company resilient large finger pulls make it smooth when pulling them on. The low 2cm leather heel offers a premium finish while the rubber heel cap ensures grip and a full leather lining and removable insole provides breathable comfort throughout the day. 

ABOUT LENA

Lena’s been vital in the creations of such brands as: English Laundry by Christopher Wicks, Fender® the Guitar Company, Jimi Hendrix - The Experience, Collections inspired by the Lyrics of John Lennon & Paul McCartney through Sony/ATV, The David Bowie Collection using a selection of photographs by late Rock & Roll photographer Terry O’Neill through Iconic Images as well as a Collection inspired by the Art of John Lennon through Apple One. Lena has designed and created custom clothing for, and styled rock and roll luminaries including Ozzy Osbourne, The Glorious and Alanis Morrissette, among others. Since moving to Los Angeles in 1990 her costumes have been recognised in theatre productions in Hollywood (”The Hudson Shorts”) and seen in music videos and movies. She is the Acting Partner and Shareholder in The Chelsea Boot Co Est. 1851 and Da Vinci of California - the Original since 1952 Brands. (Christopher Wicks is part-owner, silent partner and shareholder of The Chelsea Boot Company Est. 1851 and Da Vinci of California since 1952).