At the end of May 2024 a very exciting new collaboration between two of the countryside’s most loved brands entered the footwear scene. The two quintessentially British brands, Joules and Chatham, have paired up to bring us not one but three pairs of all new, summer centred, pub trip perfect deck shoes.
The first and most stand out of the new collection, for both us and Tom Joule (Founder of Joules) himself is the ‘Jetty Deck Shoe’. The Jetty embodies the very heart of the collaboration between the two renowned British brands. It delivers on the love both brands have for producing ‘classic styles with a contemporary twist’.
The ‘classic style’ is achieved through the traditional Chatham Deck shoe shape, beautifully crafted from the highest quality materials with the ‘contemporary twist’ being brought to you by its three unique Joules inspired colour-ways. The Jetty comes in three synonymous Joules colours, blue, pink and green and is finished with an equally quintessential Joules blue and white pinstripe lining, not dissimilar to those seen on the Harbour Tops we all know and love.
Bright summer loving colours aside, if neutrals are more your style you will be surely smitten with the addition of the ‘Pier’ deck shoe. This is a moccasin deck shoe crafted with tan nubuck, simply guaranteed to complement any outfit you pair them with. We can picture it now, a beautiful pair of crisp white trousers; a simple yet elegant blouse loosely tucked in; secured with a tan leather belt and beautifully rounded off with the neutral tones of the Pier deck shoe.
For the men in your life, the collaboration offers ‘The Boardwalk’, a moccasin nubuck deck shoe, available in both tan and navy colourways – sure to be a hit with any country gent. The Boardwalk is the perfect addition to any man’s wardrobe with its ability to boat, beach and BBQ all in the same day or simply provide support from Chathams ‘sole spring poron performance cushioning, which offers maximum comfort and shock absorption’ to make the walk to your local pub garden even better.
Having witnessed the launch of the collaboration collection first hand at Badminton Horse Trials 2024, we couldn’t pass on the opportunity to celebrate the success of Joules X Chatham. To do just that, we thought we would take the opportunity to find out just what goes on behind the scenes to make such a collaboration possible.
We were fortunate enough to interview both Tom Joule, Founder of Joules, and Phillip Marsh, Managing Director of Chatham Footwear.
We just want to point out that these interviews were conducted separately, yet the two leading men produced extremely similar answers. If that doesn’t demonstrate just how perfect this British brand collaboration is we don’t know what does!
From our own Emma Warren’s experience of the Country and Equine Show Circuit we know just how close knit the community is, especially when it comes to the brands who exhibit at them. So, it was no surprise that when asked how the idea of the collaboration first materialised we learnt that it was largely facilitated by the relationship Tom and Phil had built from all their time spent on the show circuit. “We’ve known each other for a long time from the show circuit, so we just started chatting about the possibility of a collaboration” said Tom. During said chat, both Tom and Phil realised that both Chatham and Joules were founded in 1989, are celebrating their 35th anniversaries this year, and both “heading in new directions for 2024”.
Resulting in what felt like the perfect time for such a collaboration.
From the initial show circuit chat the collaboration ‘moved on quite quickly’. Phil mentioned their first official meeting was held in March 2023 and just over a year later the collection was launched at Badminton in the May of 2024! Tom commented that the “turnaround was quite fast” as “often collaborations of this nature can take way over a year, and in some cases years”.
Arguably the factor that appears to have resulted in such a quick turnaround was the common values that both brands share. Chatham and Joules both pride themselves on their “shared passion for craftsmanship and stylish design” alongside their “country and coastal heritage” and matching ‘“love for the outdoors”. If you have followed CWG for a while, you will know we are big believers that two brands will align well when they possess similar values. This is most certainly the case for Joules X Chatham, it has undeniably resulted in a collaboration that “marries both brands together” seamlessly.
Tom Joule expressed how the two brands “immediately understood each other’s values” with Phil also mentioning how the two brands already had “so many similarities, from the heritage of the brands, to [their] core demographic”.
During our interviews, one part of the process we were really intrigued to learn about was the design process and exactly what was involved when determining the choice of designs. It was key for both brands to finalise a design that not only respected and encompassed each brand’s individuality but also highlighted their all important similarities and values. Phil commented that “the initial concepts were led by Tom and his design team” with Chatham coming into its own when “the concepts were turned into a reality”. Tom mentioned that when designing each new item the Joules team approached it as they always do – by “adding little details to a classic style that people will love to wear”.
The end result (as we have witnessed) was a perfect design with “each pair carrying carefully considered details” that embody the very best of each brand. The classic style and heritage of a Chatham deck shoe with the colourful playful flare of Joules elevate the original designs – what more could you want?!
The collaboration between Joules and Chatham seemed to be an almost natural progression for both companies, with their shared values, heritage and even anniversaries! But with natural feels aside, we wanted to get Tom and Phil’s thoughts on what they believed to be the hallmarks of a good collaboration – especially for brands who perhaps don’t have such a strong pre-existing relationship with their potential collaborators. Tom highlighted the importance of “honesty and [the] willingness to learn from each other”, he went on to acknowledge (just as Phil did) that each brand was an expert in their field and that “when an expert in their field talks, it’s important to listen”.
When asked the same question, Phil stated that of course the “shared heritage of the brands and core demographics” were helpful but the most influential hallmark was that the two brands “don’t compete“. He went on to say that “Joules are absolutely fantastic at producing clothing and accessories and we [Chatham] are market leaders in producing deck/boat shoes, so it’s a perfect fit” – we couldn’t agree more!
After just over a year, the physical process may be finished but now comes the ultimate test – how you, the lovely customer, receives the product!
Of course, we were in no doubt that the collaboration would be as well received as it has been, Phil said the “feedback has been fantastic” with everyone “loving the colours of the canvas” and how “the leather versions are super soft”. Tom noted that the ‘Pier Deck Shoe’ has been one of the most popular designs in the collection, he put this down to their ability to perform as “perfect boating, beaching and BBQ-ing attire”. Both mentioned how “everyone [has] absolutely loved the detail” of the “dual-branded unique embossed logo” featuring the Joules Hare sat neatly in the centre of Chatham’s instantly recognisable sailing rope knot.
So there you have it, a complete rundown of the brand new Joules X Chatham collaboration. You can get your hands on your very own pair via the Joules or Chatham websites, selected Joules stores and on both Joules and Chatham’s stands as they travel our much loved show circuit.
To top it all off, we are delighted to bring to you an exclusive giveaway between The Country Woman’s Guide and Joules X Chatham. All subscribers will be emailed on July 1st 2024 with details of how to win.