Buying tip – Østmo x Iron Boots

The Norwegian bootmaker Lars Jensen of Østmo has teamed up with the Chinese brand Iron Boots to make his styles more accessible. Now the first drops from the collaboration is ready, and orders on still limited amounts can be placed the coming weeks. Here’s an introduction to the first styles.

I’ve written about Østmo Boots before here on Shoegazing, the brand of Norwegian Lars Jensen, who have gained a huge interest for his handmade boots inspired by old Norwegian military boots. He makes one boot at a time, in a style, leather and size he just decides on the go, and then people can sign up to be the one to purchase it, and a lottery wheel decides the final customer. Needless to say, this approach makes his boots very difficult to get ones hand on, which was why this new collaboration was set in motion.

With the help of Patrick Gessner, aka Ticho of the Stitchdown podcast and more, Lars Jensen was introduced to Kaishu Zhang who run the Chinese bootmaker Iron Boots. It’s a six man workshop based in Guangzhou, who makes hand welted boots and loafers with an excellent reputation. Still a small production operation, but more muscle power than Lars alone obviously. Iron Boots uses Lars lasts and patterns, make them exactly the same way he does, and to be fair the final boots are just as well-made and of the same high quality, just not made by Lars himself.

The first boot available in the Østmo x Iron Boots collab will be this lovely one. Natural horsehide, Dr. Sole rawcord soles.

The first models to be offered are three different versions of Østmo’s Type 1 boot, all completely handmade in a type of stitchdown construction, where the first will be very exclusive, with just ten pairs being available to members of the Stitchdown Discord (mentioned before as the inspiration to the Shoegazing Discord, read more here), a great community for those interested in workwear boots and all things around this. It will drop on July 28, and is made in a natural horsehide from the Italian tannery Maryam, on the round toe last Moe, with Dr. Sole rawcord soles.

The coming two make-ups will be open for everyone to order, and there 30 pairs of each will be available. Both are Type 1 models on the same Moe last, which is a bit small so go up 0,5 in size compared to your normal sizing, and on Dr. Sole Supergrip soles. One is made in the finest leather offered by the American tannery S.B. Foot, called Featherstone in the brown colour Teak. The other in is made in a black roughout leather. Both these will be available to pre-order sometime late September, price is €980. If you’re interested, keep an eye out on Østmo’s Instagram for more info on how to order.

Made in S.B. Foot’s Featherstone leather, which Red Wing uses for some of their boots.

Hand lasted and a handmade stitchdown construction.

Black roughout version. All pictures: Østmo Boots