It isn’t every day that we make an introduction to a brand, so, when we do have that opportunity, it is always a pleasure. And when it happens to be a name that is well-loved by so many, and one with such a storied history, it makes our jobs that little bit easier. With that in mind, the new arrival we are extending a warm (but sensibly distanced) welcome to today likely needs little by way of explanation.

You might have grown up with them, perhaps – worn their shoes to school as a callow youth, or taken them on dates, pub lunches and nights out over the years. You may have used them to pad your office’s corridors every day; to see you through promotions, meetings and lunches. Whether you are a firm fan of Clarks Originals or you are an interested newcomer, let us delve into why they are such an iconic name – and why this winter is a better time than any to pick up a pair of its shoes.

So, the basics. The brand was founded in 1825 by brothers Messrs James and Cyrus Clark in Street, Somerset (which it still calls home), and is almost certainly best-known for its desert boot – a now instantly recognisable style. For the uninitiated, though, it is an ankle-high boot with a crepe rubber sole, made out of calf leather. It was designed by Mr Nathan Clark – the great-grandson of Mr James Clark – based on a shoe produced in the bazaars of Cairo and worn by British Officers in WWII. We have three styles of it available at MR PORTER and, if there was ever a time to invest in a pair (or two, or three) it might be now. After all, this year marks the 70th anniversary of the desert boot – a significant milestone for a shoe, which has made a unique and undeniable impression on music and style customs the world over.

If you need any more indication of its credentials, Google imagery of Jamaican rude boys and the subculture that emerged in Britain in the 1960s and the 1970s – a post-war Caribbean community that wanted to exude confidence à la Mr Gregory Isaacs, inspired by England’s counterculture movement. Mr Steve McQueen’s recent BBC “Small Axe” film Lover’s Rock – named for the reggae genre of the same name – is a fine example of this particular bit of style history. Otherwise, just listen to Jamaican reggae and dancehall stars, (Little John’s Clark’s Booty is worth a spin on YouTube.)

But it’s not just the Jamaicans who have claimed the desert boot, of course. Looking back at the Beatnik movement in the US, and the UK mods in the 1960s and 1970s – they also took on the shoe as their own. Another bit of homework should you wish to brush up: watch the film Quadrophenia.

Perhaps, though, you’d prefer something different: more informal, maybe, and a touch chunkier? If so, we would recommend something such as the Wallabee. With four styles having just landed on MR PORTER, we’re big fans. Again, it’s got history. This time, with US rappers, who were inspired by Jamaican immigrants who came to New York in the 1970s and paired their Clarks Originals Wallabees with suits. Slick Rick, of Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew fame, is quoted as saying, “it’s a way to look casual, but not look like a scrub. The ladies like that.” He’s not wrong. And more recently, Wu Tang Clan flew the Wallabee flag, enamoured with its style and wanting to eschew (pun intended) flashy trends. As late as 2008, Ghostface Killah was referencing Clarks Originals, naming his compilation album “The Wallabee Champ”.

It is not often that, when slipping something onto your foot, you have the backing of decades of cult appreciation. But with a pair of Clarks Originals desert boots, or a couple of Wallabees lined up neatly in your wardrobe, you have just that. And, whether you’re a rude boy, a mod, a beatnik, or a modern gentleman – you can, today, add a timeless slice of history to your step.