You bet your boots!
David Robinson OBE, CEO at high-end boot brand Le Chameau, explains how his family tests the product
David Robinson, an experienced senior executive, has been with Le Chameau since June 2017. Before arriving at the iconic boot brand he spent eight years as president of Speedo International, helping to transform the business into a global brand leader. He lives with his wife and five children in Nottinghamshire and is a passionate fisherman and keen shot.
Do you get to spend time in the field with your products? I have worn Le Chameau boots for many years, fishing and shooting, looking after horses and sheep, and walking the dogs every day. So it’s safe to say I put our products through their paces. My wife rides and I have five children, two of whom are in agriculture, so my whole family really use and test our boots.
What does the Le Chameau convey through both product and brand? It is simple. We create good, comfortable, durable products that stand the test of time and weather. We also know that this can only happen if we continue to listen, grow and adjust with the market and its requirements. For example, we consistently improve our boots by adding zips, adjustable calves, leather and neoprene linings. David Robinson says Le Chameau offers a fantastic range of products for everyone In your time with the company, have you seen many changes? At Le Chameau we value both tradition and progress. Our bestselling boots have been in our range for many years, proving their durability, quality and ability to endure the extremes of country life. We do, however, like to innovate. Our new Chameau-lite leather boots have been designed to be comfortable, durable and incredibly lightweight, making them more enjoyable to wear all day. We were also excited to launch a range of accessories; our new hats, scarves, boot liners and socks have been expertly crafted to complement each other and any cultured countryside wardrobe. Head to the website and have a look.
Talking of your website, what can our readers expect to find when they visit www.lechameau.com? We modernised the website recently and obtained beautiful campaign imagery to increase brand awareness for Le Chameau. It is important always to keep enriching and strengthening who you are. We are a business that is still producing high-quality products successfully after 90 years. This doesn’t happen unless you stay relevant to the way your customers live their lives.
We now offer a fantastic range of products for everyone, from quality leather boots for women, men and children to a stainlesssteel branded dog bowl for your four-legged extended family member.
Tell us something surprising about the brand that we won’t know? Every single pair of Le Chameau boots is made by hand, by one master bootmaker from start to finish. The code on the inside of the boot is that bootmaker’s number and tells us by whom and when it was made. When you put your name on something, you really care about its quality. That’s why we are happy to provide a two-year manufacturing warranty on all our boots. We are launching into the apparel market. We are currently at the testing stage, putting our designs through their paces. They are receiving the same considered, quality approach we use for our footwear. Having listened to consumers, and undertaken thorough research, we believe the range will be very well received and we are really looking forward to launching it next year. Sign up to the Le Chameau newsletter via our website and you’ll hear all about it from us first.
“We stay relevant to how our customers live their lives”