The quality of a product is definitely an important factor for turning a brand into a classic, but the history is what that truly enriches the story of a brand.
Charles H. Beckham immigrated to the US from Germany and started working at a tannery in the Southeastern state of Minnesota. There, he became interested in shoes and decided to open up his first shoe store with the belief of “real good shoes” during 1883. Even though the store developed smoothly, he felt that a good pair of shoes was difficult to find. Since he was interested in making shoes himself, he started the Red Wing Shoe Company in 1905 along with other investors and officially launched his career as a shoemaker.
The first batch of Red Wing was a 14-inch buckle boot, and later on the brand started to produce other styles including men’s work boots, office shoes, women’s shoes and children’s shoes. As the brand gained its recognition with growing demands, Charles H. Beckham decided to make Red Wing solely about the production of work boots, which laid the basis for the brand’s future developments.
From the mid-20th century until now, Red Wing’s 6 inch is their defining model because of the leather wrapped heel back which provided a comfortable wearing experience for workers. In the past years, not only has Red Wing maintained its production in the States, but it also expanded their choice of materials by using the waterproof suede Mohave used by the US military and the tanned leather Velva in its production. Matched with the all new soft and wave-patterned black soles, it retained the classic image and also caters to the needs of users who engage themselves in outdoor activities.
