Most new design projects take between 12-18 months. We’ve done it in as short as six, but most footwear projects involve a few design rounds, a couple of changes on samples, a nosy CEO who likes to get in the middle of things and then materials need to be ordered, leather cut, and shoes stitched.
The Finn, our new Chelsea boot, is different; a project that we’ve been working on for over five years. About 2.5 years ago we thought that we had it, but quickly learned that there was still work to do in order to make a Chelsea boot that was up to our standards at HELM.
So what makes The Finn different? Why do we feel so proud and excited and what are the key elements in making the perfect Chelsea boot?
FOUR KEYS TO THE FINN—OUR NEW CHELSEA BOOT
The Right Toe Shape – when you have a boot or shoe that slips onto the foot without laces, there is nothing more important than the shape of the toe and what you see when you look down at your feet. Confidence starts from the ground up and depending on your preference, footwear looking too round or too pointed can ruin a boot. The shape of The Finn doesn’t venture into a European high fashion boot shape, which would have made it too dressy for jeans; it instead has a modern shape that’s going to allow you to dress it up for the nights out or the office. something that you can’t do with a more-traditional round toe shape.
Eliminate The Struggle – outside of the design, people are drawn to a Chelsea Boot because they are easy to get on and off while still providing comfort and a proper fit. Easier said than done and we’ve had several projects where the design was perfect, but where I had difficulty getting my foot in the boot. No one wants to struggle to get their boots on and off, so we used Gore to allow the boot to hold shape while making it easy to slip them on and off.
Pant-Friendly – knowing that the boot has to be easy to get on and off, the hardest part of making a great Chelsea boot is to create a narrow throat that doesn't allow for your jeans or chinos to fit properly over top of them. The perfect Chelsea hugs your leg, allowing you versatility in the type of pants you want to wear with them.
A 24/7 365-Day Outsole – we wanted to design a Chelsea boot that could be worn everywhere, and therefore needed to develop an outsole that could be worn anywhere. The new custom-made HELM Lug Outsole has the traction for all conditions, but we’ve positioned the lugs away from the edge of the boot to allow an elevated look. We wanted to maintain the thickness of the outsole for durability, but needed to maintain a dressier look that allowed this boot to belong in the office as well as on the snowy streets.
When it comes to quality, we never cut corners. But sometimes we don’t get it 100% right design-wise, and we owe it to you to be honest about that. The Finn has been one of those projects, five years in the making, and now this Chelsea boot is ready for showtime. We couldn’t be more excited to get The Finn on some people’s feet.
BOOT CARE WITH OUR NEWEST CHELSEA BOOT, THE FINN
Our newest Chelsea boot comes in three styles: Sienna, Black, and Brown. The Finn Sienna is made of a water-resistant, Rusan suede leather and for that we recommend suede protector. You can also clean your new Sienna Chelsea boot with Otter Wax Suede Cleaner. For The Finn Black and Brown, we recommend Blackrock Leather 'n Rich, our most popular boot care product. You can also use Pure Polish's high shine wax if you like to keep your Chelsea boots gleaming.