Canvas Baggy Metal
BRAND: Palladium Boots
SINCE: 1947
HOME BASE: Los Angeles
WHY WE CO SIGN: If you felt so inclined as to follow Hov and ditch Timbs this fall, there are a number of different boot brands you can drop your money on. One of them being the Los Angles based company Palladium. Founded in 1920 as a rubber tire company that manufactured and supplied tires to the wartime aviation industry, they switched it up after WWII and decided to build footwear as reliable as their tires. The result of which was the now legendary Pampa boot which was scooped up by the French Foreign Legion as their official boot.
Today, Palladium's still sitting high up top the footwear totem pole thanks to them employing their time-tested production tactics. It's those tactics and techniques that allow them to make boots designed for casual wear, comfort and hard-wearing durability. This fall, Palladium is re-launching their famed Pampa boot which will be followed up by special versions using Shearling lining in October.
WHERE TO FIND IT: Palladium Boots stores.
See below for our interview with Barney Waters, Vice President of Marketing for Palladium Boots and pics from the Fall 2009 Collection...
Complex: The aviation industry heavily inspired Palladium, how has it influenced the overall look and feel of your collection?
Barney Waters: The company made aircraft tires before we made boots, so it's part of our history. We supplied the French Foreign Legion in the late 1940's, so we also have a military background. Canvas is one of our primary materials, which came from aircraft tires, as canvas was used as a layer under the rubber. In the old days if you wore a tire down, the threads would show through. Those threads were canvas. You'll also see some heritage Palladium colors used in the core collection, like the original sand khaki canvas used on the Foreign Legion boot. All of this makes up our heritage, which we'll reference, but the focus will be on what Palladium stands for today. Authenticity is important, but I don't want the brand to be a museum.
Complex: What are your retail plans for the future?
Barney Waters: Our first collection will be available in some of the best stores in the country, like Conveyor at Fred Segal, Kitson, American Rag, Shoe Market in Brooklyn and Villains in San Francisco. We're going to open our first Palladium store soon, probably close to our home office in LA. Having our own store will help us get a real read on what people like and don't like, and will help us build better lines going forward.
Complex: Any anticipated collaborations?
Barney Waters: Our first collaboration will be with BBlessing, the New York boutique whose owner and creative director, Daniel Jackson.
BAGGY LEATHER
Click here to Buy It Now at Palladium Boots, $110
PAMPA CANVAS
Click here to Buy It Now at Palladium Boots, $55
PAMPA OXFORD
Click here to Buy It Now at Palladium Boots, $50
GoILL August 26th, 2009 at 10:13 PM
These are great. Thanks complex, as i never knew about them.
ang xiao August 26th, 2009 at 10:50 PM
good boots, thanks, it is the first time i see it
PIMPJUICE but my mom call me Tyrone Goldsby August 27th, 2009 at 01:46 PM
Them is illy with the right denim
gordon gartrelle August 27th, 2009 at 05:28 PM
aw sniggitty snap! i remember these kicks... I even rocked during middle school P.E. class with loaner shorts!... can i get a witness!?
Ron Johnson August 27th, 2009 at 05:31 PM
I back these.
Caspar Letische August 27th, 2009 at 08:58 PM
Good God these are horrible shoes. It doesn't surprise me that they are owned by K-Swiss, one of the most "been there, done that, won't do it again" footwear brands in the world today.
jermajesty September 4th, 2009 at 05:13 PM
Pretty cool. Look good with skinny jeans
Clockwise Clothing- DC October 1st, 2009 at 10:20 AM
where can i find those navy ones? http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/leather-baggy-chinchilla.jpg
Quan October 3rd, 2009 at 06:52 PM
I emailed the owner of the site "The style you are referring to is the Baggy Leather in Chinchilla. However, the pair featured in the banner is not available as they were samples and modified before production" So just visit http://www.palladiumboots.com/cgi-bin/palladium/store/product_detail.html?mv_arg=x&pid=02353:090 those are the chinchillas, but they seem a bit more dark navy/green than dark navy in the old pic. I just ordered it, shipping was free =]
gunny October 9th, 2009 at 08:29 PM
My palladiums are old enough to drink. I've been wearing the pair I have for twenty-one years and they have seen Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, The Great Wall of China, the Great Gobi in Mongolia, Okinawa, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Tonga. I'm trying to finad a pair of olive drab pampa canvas boots like the ones I have now. PALLADIUM! If you're listening, I noticed that you don't have them in the desired color. If you could... Semper Fi. Gunny
ed February 18th, 2011 at 04:33 PM
check these out i think they are the closest you can get to the originals http://www.palladiumboots.com/cgi-bin/palladium/store/product_detail.html?pid=02604:331
geeo March 1st, 2010 at 04:01 PM
These boots are bad quality. I purchased a pair no more than 3 months ago and the are already ripping at the seams. I have not done any strenuous activity with these except walk and .....walk.... Palladium is producing cheap boots that do not last for too much $$$$