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The Tassel Boot — an enduring love story

The Tassel Boot — an enduring love story
The Long Tassel Boot holds a special place in our hearts, as it was the first boot we ever made. Designed by Penelope as an ode to the Spanish riding boot, which she discovered during her years spent living and working in Barcelona. Here, she would often spend her lunch breaks riding with friends through the Collserola national park in the hills above the city. To do this, she wore Spanish riding boots, handmade by local artisans, using time-honoured methods, and with painstaking care and skill. These boots were famous for their bespoke fit, across the calf, butter-soft leathers and intricate stitching. This awoke the artist in Penelope, to her these boots seemed to epitomise true craftsmanship and an enduring love affair began...
 
Inspired by the Spanish style, and certain that an iteration of this could be popular with friends and family back home, Penelope set out to design what would become our PC signature Long Tassel boot. A piece that holds onto all of its equestrian heritage and romance, to feel as at home on horseback, in rural destinations or in the city. The Long Tassel boot is more than just a brand staple, it’s synonymous with Penelope Chilvers, it’s the birthplace of the brand, and the inspiration for the values and ideals that still sit at the heart of our collections today.
 

The design process for our Long Tassel Boot started, as all our PC production lines do, with local artisans, and that remains how the Tassel Boots are made. We are a brand inspired by Spain and focus on working with traditional makers and experts from across Spain and Portugal, favouring quality and style, over speed. These relationships are important, as designs like the Tassel Boot require real expertise. Each boot is exclusively cut for us, close to the ankle for a more feminine fit and with scalloped detailing at the zip panel and a leather tassel on the zip pull, making them easier to slip on and off. Each pair of Tassel Boots is then partially lined with leather and sewn to our signature Goodyear welted, commando rubber sole, for durability and comfort. All of which requires immense experience and knowledge in the ways of leather.

But don’t be misled by its elegant cut, or beautiful detailing, like the Spanish riding boot from which it was inspired, this is a boot to kick up the dust in. They’re built on our hardwearing Goodyear welt soles, which are rubbed lined, for adventure and easily replaceable, thus helping breathe new life into your much loved boots. The leather is purposeful too, built to last and designed to look good as it does! If polished and nourished it will impress for many more seasons ahead.

Ever since our first collection, of just 10 styles, the Long Tassel boot, and its cousin the Standard Tassel Boot, have become mainstays of many wardrobes. Including, perhaps most famously, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, who first wore her Tassel Boot back in 2004, and continues to wear them to this day, over 17 years later! They have transcended the many trends and moments that have ebbed and flowed since our inception. Instead, they possess a timelessness; perhaps simply because they’re that great combination of flattering, stylish and practical. Which makes them the perfect pair to slip into the car for a weekend away, or a great choice for an elegant look if you’re unsure of the weather, as the Duchess of Cambridge demonstrated most recently on a tour of Manor Farm, in County Durham.

The Tassel Boot is thoughtfully designed in 2 lengths, to suit shorter or longer calves and the collection includes two different colourways, all dyed naturally with vegetable dye leather. We are also very excited to announce that from this October we will be offering you the mainstay Long Tassel boot in a wider calf measurement. This style will look just as sleek and long while measuring 4 cm wider at the calf.

Please contact our customer service team if you would like to be notified when the new stock arrives.