Monkey boots first appeared in the 1940s and have never really gone away. Utilitarian in look, they were exported from the Soviet Bloc states and originally designed for Czechoslovakian soldiers.
Their typically thick, tractor-tyre-like soles offered durability and great grip, while a leather interior allowed wearers to ‘climb anything’ while causing minimal damage to the footwear, hence their quickly adopted name.
Basic monkey boots weren’t always of the highest quality, and tended to be relatively cheap, making them an attractive choice for cash-strapped youngsters and workers alike.
British scaffolders in the 1950s were big fans and from the ‘60s onwards the style has been an integral part of youth and counter-culture trends across the world, worn by mods, rockers, punks, and skinheads.
A range of Monkey boot designs remain popular across cultures, generations and wealth divides, particularly in Mexico and South America, where they are worn in all walks of life.
