""Amazing boots. Beyond my expectation.""
Milan is a fresh look at the classic chelsea boot. It is cut slightly lower on the ankle, with more angular lines and a semi-chiselled toe. Stylish and versatile it can be worn casually or dressed up. Blue adds visual pop and works whether matching or contrasting your outfit.
- Slip-on chelsea boot with elasticated sides
- Stylish, modern design cut lower on the ankle
- Full grain calf leather for softness and longevity
- Hand-dyed blue patina, polished and burnished
- Hard-wearing Blake-stitched leather/rubber sole for added grip
- Full calf leather lining for comfort and to absorb moisture
- Made in Italy by artisan shoemakers
Italian made, high quality blue chelsea boot
This is an Italian made chelsea boot, made with beautiful full grain calf leather, skillfully coloured by hand to a rich blue patina. The full leather lining helps it slip on well and makes it more comfortable.
The stitched leather sole includes a rubber insert to add grip and makes them last much longer before needing resoling.
Chelsea boots were originally invented in England as riding boots before becoming world famous in the 1960s, worn by the Beatles and getting their name from the fashionable Kings Road in Chelsea . Read more about chelsea boots for men in our .
We also have a range of matching , including a belt, wallet, cardholder and shoe cream.
Hand finished blue patina
This Milan chelsea boot is in a very nice, hand finished blue patina. Blue looks fantastic with blue or black jeans, also chinos, and even a suit. We also have them in other colours, including oxblood, light tan and black. The colour is very rich and deep. It has been built up in layers and then waxed and polished to protect and enhance the finish.
Full grain calf leather
They are hand crafted in Italy, using the finest, full grain calf leather. They have an elegant, clean, sophisticated pattern, very nice lines. It's a beautiful piece of leather. The toe is slightly longer than some other brands, which is typically Italian, and is nicely rounded. For many the convenience of chelsea boots is that there are no laces. They're the boot version of a step in loafer. There is an attractive sweeping line from the toe to the ankle We achieve this with our special blocking process, a very skilful process, using a roller to smooth and shape the leather. The result is a clean, sweeping line with no creases.
Craftsmanship/attention to detail
There is a twin elastic gusset, with a nice shape, not square or rectangular. We use a high quality elastic which should keep its elasticity for many years. There is a leather strip from the heel all the way up. It incorporates a strong nylon pull loop, that adds strength, which is important when you pull the boots on. The boots provide excellent support around the ankle. It's important to have a carefully shaped last. We based this design on a lot of testing and feedback - so it's generally seen as a very great fitting boot.
There is a nicely rounded top line, with no raw edges, as we taper or ‘skyve’ the edge, then fold the leather and stitch it. Looking inside, we see the Thomas Bird branding, embossed into a piece of calf leather, foam backed for added comfort. The boot has a full calf leather lining. This helps absorb moisture and prolong the life of the boot. And we use a genuine full leather insole. Inside the heel, we use suede to stop your heel slipping. What you can’t see are the stiffeners between the calf upper and lining. There is one in the toe and another at the back, around the heel. These are important to keep the shoe looking good as it ages, and we use longer, high quality stiffeners to achieve this.
Stitched leather sole
The sole is stitched onto the upper with a traditional Italian method called blake stitching. Th is an in-channel, lock stitching technique, so even if one stitch was worn the others will still be locked securely in place. And being stitched the sole can be replaced when it eventually wears. But to extend the sole’s life, we use a rubber insert for added wear and better grip.
Stacked leather heel
There is a 25mm genuine leather stacked, heel, with 4 brass pins, and a rubber piece, again for better wear and grip, that can be easily replaced. Our Milan blue chelsea boot has a classic cut with an elegant line. It's a beautifully Italian made high quality boot, that with care should give you many years of enjoyment.