Kanye West Is Now In The Chelsea Boot Business

Back around 2014, Kanye West wasn’t yet wearing his own brand of army boots or dad sneakers. Instead, he was sporting Chelsea boots, and making the rock-and-roll staple safe for guys of every style stripe. For a period of time, West wasn’t seen out and about without a pair of suede-and-crepe-soled Chelseas—more specifically, the super-luxe ones made by Bottega Veneta. As happens with many things West wears, the trend spread to every corner of menswear, and at every price point. And while the Chelsea boot craze has cooled off a bit in the years since, it looks like West is ready to re-invigorate the trend by introducing his own version under the Yeezy Season name. Unlike Kanye West’s favorite Bottegas, West’s Chelsea boots feature the sturdier stacked-leather sole that we normally see on more formal Chelseas. That’s somewhat surprising, given that Yeezy Season is known for its Calabasas Casual pieces like sweats, hoodies, oversized outerwear, and of course hyped-to-the-moon kicks. But going ever-so-slightly formal brings a fresh element to the collection—especially in the case of the python pair. Python footwear was a major trend last year, and we even saw it in Chelsea boots from Margiela and Palace. Whether or not folks will be willing to pay $930 for West’s take? We’ll see. For something more subdued, know the boots also come in olive green, tan suede, and dark gray, which retail for a more-tolerable $580. Read more at GQ.