Britpop to Breaking Bad: This book proves just how culturally iconic the Clarks brand is

In From Somerset to the World: Clarks A Visual History 1825–2025 by London-based cultural historian, publisher and DJ Alexander Newman, the intersection between culture and shoewear is explored in its fullest. Yes, you’ve seen books on the histories of Nike and various sports trainers, especially collector’s items, but when was the last time you saw a book about Clarks? In the past decade or so, Clarks Wallabees have found a large audience with millennials, and the brand has been a staple of children’s shoe wear for decades. The family-run shoemaking business has even debuted in the metaverse, with collaborations with Roblox.

But this book is about Clarks’ past, as you’ve likely lived it. “Bringing together more than 1,200 images, it ranges from Clark family portraits and Quaker history to ephemera, and of course, the shoes themselves,” says Alexander. Featuring a forward from longtime Clarkes enthusiast Sir Jony Ive, the book is image-led, drawing on the ever-shifting visual identity of the versatile brand, from advertising and packaging to photography and pop cultural moments.

The Clarks shoe has roots in the Quakers – which is why they were “relatively late to embrace display and advertising”, but once the company recognised its potential, visual communication became a defining part of the brand, going onto the work with the Baynard press and later with Pentagram. One of the most surprising discoveries was a point-of-sale item from 1973: a Clarks-branded record deck in the style of the classic Technics 1200, designed for shop display and complete with speakers and mock-up LP sleeves showing the Clarks name in different typographic styles. As a DJ, it connected with Alexander, as it went beyond functional displays – it goes to show that Clarks were not just shoes, but as far-reaching as any other trendy shoe.

Alexander previously wrote a book called Clarks in Jamaica, which explored the prevalence of Clarks in the country – this is when Alexander became more aware of the breadth of subcultures that have adopted the brand, such as the mods, Tokyo tastemakers and rudeboys. “I developed the book’s grid and typographic style in collaboration with designer David Carroll, then laid out the book myself, focusing on clean design that allows the imagery to breathe,” says Alexander. “The aim was to create something that feels timeless and functional, rather than overly stylised.” Rather than imposing a single visual language across the book, those cultural differences come through naturally, as Alexander says: “The mods’ sharpness, Ivy League style, rave and Britpop, the precision and restraint of Japanese styling and the raw energy of Jamaican and New York street culture all sit alongside one another.”

Because the book spans two centuries, Alexander experimented with historical design choices to match the eras being discussed, such as Century Old Style, which was used extensively during the 70s and 80s in landmark print advertisements produced by Collett Dickenson Pearce. “I didn’t want the book to feel like a pastiche of different periods. Instead, I let the imagery speak for itself, reflecting the graphic language of its time – whether early 20th century print traditions or late 20th century advertising,” says Alexander. “The challenge was to acknowledge the passage of time while keeping the book cohesive, so it reads as a single visual journey rather than a series of disconnected eras.”