With the Tony Biopic Coming Out, We Walk a Mile in Anthony Bourdain's Favorite Shoes

Everyone is still hyped on the Michael biopic (as they should be, it’s a solid film), and it’s continuing to crush the box office with over $430 million as of this writing, but there’s another highly anticipated biopic on the horizon. No, not Sam Mendes’ four-movie series covering each member of The Beatles, we’ve still got two years until those hit the silver screen. We’re talking about the recently revealed film Tony, depicting a very formative early adulthood Summer of the late chef, writer, and documentarian Anthony Bourdain.

The trailer got us thinking over here at the Sole Retriever offices about Bourdain’s life, the legacy he left behind, his mindset, and, of course, footwear. We’d be remiss to try to deep dive into every aspect of Anthony’s being; we’re a footwear blog first, and there are plenty of places that have more authority to cover what the man means to the world than us. But still, we can all learn something about how to live life thanks to Bourdain’s favorite footwear choice–and his foolproof hangover cure, of course.

Bourdain’s Love of the Clarks Desert Boot

Anthony wasn’t a man who needed 1,000 pairs of different silhouettes, colorways, and limited releases. Just throw him a pair of Clarks Originals Desert Boots and they would touch six different continents before you knew it. During his time on this planet, Bourdain made it known just how much he loved the silhouette, often having an ever-evolving rotation of four or more pairs. In an Esquire article from 2013, Anthony said: “Comfortable shoes are important — I like Clarks Desert Boots because they go off and on very quickly, they’re super comfortable, you can beat the hell out of them, and they’re cheap.”

That no-frills ethos was a driving force in how Bourdain lived his life, whether it meant eating at a hole-in-the-wall in some random city in Asia or taking his cigarette and coffee break between meals (don’t smoke, kids). Sometimes, we’re all too caught up in the fast-paced nature of internet culture and the consumerist mindset that drives us to buy every colorway of a Jordan retro. If we could momentarily break out of that, we’d realize that the way Anthony Bourdain looked at footwear is a mentality we can adopt not only to our sneaker collections, but to our lives as well.

We’re all sometimes too afraid to wear a pair of shoes outside of the house because they’ll get scuffed or damaged, and that would ruin their perceived value. Bourdain wouldn’t give a damn. The Desert Boot is clean, versatile, can be dressed up or down, and the classic look goes with virtually any style, which only further explains why he loved the model so much.

History of the Desert Boot

So, now seeing that the Clarks Desert Boot is relatively inexpensive, comfortable, durable, and was worn by one of the late-great culinary minds of our time, you’re in the market for a pair, aren’t you? Let’s go over some different versions of the silhouette and notable collabs.

The original Desert Boot was released by Clarks in 1950, and it was largely unchanged for 70 years until the 2020s. Clarks dropped the Desert Boot 221 and the Desert Boot 2 in 2020, the former updated the shoe to feature a bespoke OrthoLite and Cushion Plus insole that combined with the triple-layer of natural crepe sole and an updated last for a much more comfortable fit. The Desert Boot 2 slightly adjusts the original Desert Boot last and gets rid of the Crepe sole for modern foams.

Alongside these two other versions, which are a bit harder to find than the original Desert Boot, there are a variety of offshoots. There’s the Desert Boot Evo, a Chelsea boot-esque style, the Desert Hunter, which was originally released in 1966, and Desert Trek, which dates back to 1972.

The Desert Boot has remained a classic in the eyes of menswear enthusiasts, but also in the world of hip-hop and reggae. Jamaicans love the Desert Boot, and Clarks in general for that matter. That history runs much deeper than you’d think, but there’s a great article from The Guardian that touches on the backstory of how Clarks became so popular in the island nation. Those who immigrated to England and the United States brought these styles with them, influencing the likes of Slick Rick. From there, Clarks became a style icon, being worn by tastemakers like the Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, and other NYC hip-hop legends.

Desert Boot Collabs

Before we get nostalgic and dive deep into the ‘90s hip-hop fashion scene, let's get back on track and talk about the collabs seen on the silhouette. Now, Anthony Bourdain would never be caught rocking some ultra-limited collab. He’d prefer the original earthtone colorways, but he’d also want you to be you at the end of the day. So, wear what you like.

From the likes of NEIGHBORHOOD and BEAMS to more mainstream brands like Levi’s, Supreme, Todd Snyder, BAPE, and OVO, the Desert Boot has been a canvas for reimagining for decades. Everyone’s favorite streetwear titans from NYC, who slap a red box logo on many projects and call it a day, went all-in on their Desert Boot project in 2013, adding a premium nubuck suede upper that contains a printed map pattern in tonal hues.

BAPE kept it a bit more traditional, albeit still plastering logos on the upper, and helped celebrate the 70th birthday of the model with two different colorways. One pair is done in the traditional oak shade and the other in a sandy tan, but both feature large debossed APE heads and BAPE logos throughout the upper.

For Drake and his OVO label, while he did have a deal with Jordan Brand in 2017, he reimagined the Desert Boot with three colorways. One was in an eggplant purple, another in a sandy tan shade, and finally a black rendition. A monogram “OVO” print comes debossed throughout the uppers, and the inside of the tongue features “Know Yourself,” a reference to the track from Drizzy’s iconic 2015 mixtape If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.

Back to Bourdain

“If I'm an advocate for anything, it's to move,” Bourdain famously said. “As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. The extent to which you can walk in someone else's shoes or at least eat their food, it's a plus for everybody.

Open your mind, get up off the couch, move.”

Your new Clarks Desert Boots are going to wow you in-hand, the brand does a tremendous job procuring lovely materials. But don’t let that stop you from absolutely destroying them as you check adventures off of your bucket list. There will always be another pair.

Nicholas Vlahos

Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy attending concerts, catching the latest movies, and trying new food. For tips, reviews, or any shoes in a size 13, email nick@soleretriever.com