Two centuries of shoemaking in Somerset — and two boots, the Desert and the Wallabee, that crossed every subculture.
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The Quaker brothers Cyrus and James Clark started with sheepskin rugs and slippers, then mechanised British shoemaking under James's son William. The house is best known for two designs born of one family: the Desert Boot, created by Nathan Clark and launched in 1950 after he sketched ankle boots seen on soldiers in Cairo's bazaars, and the Wallabee, produced from 1967. Both became icons far beyond Somerset — staples of Jamaican rude-boy style, Sixties Mods, and Wu-Tang-era hip hop.
Clarks moved production offshore through the 2000s and closed its last UK factory in 2019. In 2020 the Hong Kong firm LionRock Capital led a rescue, taking the company out of Clark family control for the first time; a stake later passed to Viva China Holdings.
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Both are icons, so it comes down to mood. The Desert Boot, an ankle-height chukka with a crepe sole, is the cleaner, more versatile option that pairs with most trousers. The Wallabee, with its distinctive moccasin toe box, is the more characterful, casual pick and is the brand's best seller. If you want one do-everything shoe, start with the Desert Boot.
For most buyers, yes. The Wallabee is made with a tubular construction from suede, with the vamp hand-sewn using thick waxed thread, and it wears well over years rather than seasons. It is a distinctive, comfortable shoe with deep cultural roots, which is a big part of why people keep coming back to it.
Clarks has been making footwear since 1825 and its Originals line, especially the Desert Boot and Wallabee, is widely regarded as strong value with sturdy, comfortable construction. The classic Desert Boot uses calf suede from the Charles F Stead & Co tannery in Leeds, a name with a long quality reputation. Suede does need a little care, but the make holds up.
Clarks is best known for its Desert Boot and Wallabee shoes, plus its long-running collection of children's school shoes. The Originals line, built around those two silhouettes and the Desert Trek, is the heart of the brand's identity.
The Desert Boot was designed by Nathan Clark, great-grandson of company co-founder James Clark, and officially launched in 1950. He drew the idea from ankle-high suede boots worn by soldiers and made in the bazaars of Cairo, sending sketches home while serving in the Royal Army Service Corps during the war. Its first real success came after he showed it at the 1949 Chicago Shoe Fair.
Clarks was founded in 1825 by Cyrus Clark in Street, Somerset, where the headquarters still sit today. The business began with sheepskin rugs before Cyrus's younger brother James started making slippers from the offcuts, and from 1833 it traded as C. & J. Clark.
Yes. Clarks is a British footwear manufacturer and retailer, founded and still headquartered in Street, Somerset. Its roots there run deep, including the new Shoemakers Museum that opened in the village in 2025.
Largely no. Clarks manufactured in the UK until 2005, then moved much of its production to the Far East, closing its last domestic factory in 2019. Some owners feel the older Ireland-made Wallabees had an edge, but the current shoes are still regarded as good quality for what they are.
Clarks became a cultural icon in Jamaica from the late 1960s, adopted by the "rude boy" youth movement as part of their uniform, and the shoes have been name-checked by reggae and dancehall stars from Dillinger to Vybz Kartel, whose track "Clarks" became hugely popular. That association is one of the most storied chapters in the brand's history.
The Wallabee was embraced by the American rap community, traced to Jamaican immigrants in 1970s New York who paired the shoes with suits. Its modern revival is closely tied to the Wu-Tang Clan, especially Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, who wore them and referenced them in lyrics. Ghostface even nicknamed himself "Wally Champ" and put custom Wallabees on his 1996 "Ironman" album cover.
Because the Desert Boot is built from soft calf suede on a crepe sole, a little upkeep goes a long way. Keep a suede brush handy to lift and even out the nap, and avoid soaking them, since suede does not love severe weather. Treated kindly, a pair can last many years.
The Desert Trek is a third Originals classic, associated with Lance Clark, who based it on a shoe he had seen in the late 1960s. It first launched in North America in 1971 and arrived in the UK in 1972 as the Hike, and is recognisable by the "Trek man" figure that featured on it. Alongside the Desert Boot and Wallabee, it rounds out the Originals trio.
