Stepping Into Style: The Art Of Boot Design

A good pair of boots is comfortable and built to last. A great pair of boots is comfortable, built to last, and aesthetically exquisite, able to complement a variety of styles and outfits and exude a sense of rugged elegance.

Thursday Boots co-founder Nolan Walsh has an impeccable eye and feel for the finer details of boot design, whether it’s a leather finish that only gets better with age to sophisticated waxed cotton laces. He recently spoke with Forbes.

Nolan, how have Thursday Boots designs changed and evolved over the years?

When we launched we just had three styles and frankly, we were just two guys with a dream and passion for the product. While the collection has evolved a lot over the years, we always try to stay true to our design principles by focusing on products made with high quality materials, clean design without external logos, that are built to last.

We’ve expanded the line quite a bit, but we’ve focused more on perfecting our craft than line expansion. On a technical level, the product has evolved exponentially. When we started we were using off the shelf components, just like everyone else. Today, almost every component on our boots is custom developed and rigorously tested, both in the lab and on our feet, to ensure we are providing our friends, family, and customers the best value for their hard earned money as possible.

And what about the evolution of the brand more broadly?

The main drivers for our evolution have been customer requests, and products I selfishly want for myself! A lot of times customer requests give us the confidence to evolve.

The best example of that is our sneaker collection. We had two years in a row where sneakers were the most requested product from customers. At first I was scratching my head. Why are people asking us to make sneakers?! This is what led us to realize that we could do sneakers while staying true to our design principles, and there was actually a great opportunity by offering the same value proposition as we do with our boots by making sneakers with super high quality materials, clean timeless Americana designs, and the lowest markups in the industry.

You’ve talked about the importance of actually spending time in factories where the boots are made.

The details don’t just matter, the details are everything. A 1mm adjustment in a shoe last could be the difference between a great fit and a bad fit. Slightly off heat settings in the lasting process can result in damaged leather. To offer exceptional products you need to know the ins and outs of the products to the smallest details. We make a lot of our boots in León, Mexico where we have a far bigger presence on the ground than any other USA brand. At every factory, in addition to the factory’s QC Inspectors we have a Thursday QC inspector that reviews every single pair before it is shipped out. We are even in the process of building our own factory to best ensure we can hold the highest quality standards! 1 negative experience can damage our reputation as much as 99 positive experiences help, so we are always willing to fight for that extra 1% increase in customer satisfaction.

What’s the most important consideration for men when it comes to selecting a pair of boots?

It’s hard to narrow it down to just one! I think versatility, comfort and value are the big three. Comfort and value are obvious, but versatility can mean different things to different people. For me, I need to love the design, feel confident I will want to wear the boots often, and that it makes sense for me given what my days look like. In NYC where I live, the weather isn’t always great, I do a lot of walking and on any given Thursday I might see business partners, friends for dinner, and then go out for a drink — I want to make sure I am wearing a pair of boots that make me feel confident in all of those settings.

Given the heat lately, what’s the Thursday Boots team’s position on boots during the warmer months — even summer?

For me, there’s just something about a good pair of boots that puts a spring in my step. The extra 1-2” in height feels nice and boots can really make an outfit feel more put together and masculine. You’ll find me and the rest of the team wearing Thursday Boots year round, even in the peak of summer!