Red Wing Shoes are produced from the leather tanned in the nearby SB Foot Tanning factory, just outside of Red Wing. The company was found in 1872 by Silas B. Foot and George Sterling and has been producing leathers for Red Wing Shoes for generations. In 1987 Red Wing Shoes took over the SB Foot Tanning Co. and it has been part of the Red Wing Shoe company since. The pictures above are from the rare Red Wing Moc Toe style 2878, in a yellow nubuck leather from the SB Foot Company.

Thanks to Fred from redwing1905.

A while ago we wrote about the craft of signpainting, a forgotten practice that was once a common profession when handpainted signs were seen all around town. At storefronts, murals, banners, billboards and even street signs were all usually hand-lettered with nothing but a brush and paint. Directors Faythe Lavine and Sam Macon started the project back in 2010 when they noticed there was a growing trend and the traditional craft of signpainting was making a comeback. In the documentary (soon to be released) the craftsmen are being interviewed and followed in their everyday effort. And last but not least, the beautiful works of art they create are depicted. Stay tuned for more information and for now, enjoy the official trailer below. 
 

The photographer Carl Mydans is well known and widely celebrated for the forty years he passionately spent working for LIFE magazine. The work he is most recognized for was made by Mydans during World War II, when he captured the American presence in both Europe and in the Japanese conquered areas in South-East Asia. However, before he was hired by LIFE magazine he worked as a photographer for the Farm Security Administration, where he made pictures of American rural life. Here's a small selection of Mydans' depiction of the authentic simple life outside the urban areas. Although these shots were all taken in the late 1930s, the pictures look like they could've been made five decades earlier. Enjoy.

The latest addition to our Red Wing Heritage collection are the two new Work Oxfords styles with the plain round toe, style 8051 Black Star and 8052 Brick Settler. Since they are a whole new style, we thought it be nice to give them a proper introduction with all of the exact details and characteristics. Have a look:

The Work Oxford style is build on the last Nº 8, which is the same one used for the shape of the 6" Beckman or the Iron Ranger styles. The outer sole, constructed underneath with a goodyear-welt, is a Nitrile Cork Sole that is known for its extreme durability. Both of the styles have the brass eyelets painted in a tonal color, giving the shoe a nice uniform appearance. This is identical for the color of the laces, which are made from a nylon to ensure a longlasting lifetime. The two colorways in which they are available, the Black Star and the Brick Settler, are both full-grain finished leathers perfectly suitable to polish them for some good luster. The leathers on the shoe are held together by Red Wing's famous triple stitch vamping and are double lined with leather on the heel part of the shoe. 

Last but not least, did you know the design of the shoe is inspired on the first classic Oxford style ever designed by Red Wing in the 1950s? Take a look at the 8051 - Work Oxford Black Star and the 8052 - Work Oxford Brick Settler in our webstore!

What a weekend we had at the Red Wing Shoe Store Amsterdam. This saturday we held the Shoe Care Day event in the store as we announced last week. And man, what a day to remember! Matthijs from Red Wing Heritage had his hands full with the more then 40 pairs of Red Wing shoes that were brought to the store for maintenance. We'd like to thank everybody that visited the store and dropped of their Red Wings to be polished, oiled or just properly cleaned. We hope all of you are set again with your fresh Red Wing boots to battle the early Spring days!

For all of you Red Wing fanatics that couldn't make it here last saturday, attached is the Shoe Care video we released last year where Mitch offers you a step-by-step guide to condition your specific pair of Red Wings. Good luck!