Hunter Boots Teams Up With Dallas Fiber Artist Sam Lao for a One-of-a-Kind Shoe

Many have tried but none have prevailed in making a rain boot as iconic as Hunter. The stalwart British footwear brand’s seamless blend of fashion and function is instantly recognizable. And though its style doesn’t falter (one of the many reasons Hunter is such a great investment), the brand has offered a clever way to play with its slim silhouette for a more bespoke boot with Hunter Creators. The limited-edition series sees the 160-plus-year-old Brit brand teaming up with talented modern artists for an extremely limited run of one-of-a-kind Hunter boots.

Ahead of the latest Hunter Creator boot drop on Thursday, April 6, we spoke with artist Sam Lao, a talented fiber artist and muralist based in Dallas, Texas. One of just a handful of artists chosen for the series (including New York City-based Club Bum and Oakland, California’s Malcolm Stewart), Lao was literally lacing up her boots as we spoke.

I know this is an extremely limited run of bespoke boots. How many will be available?

There are only 30 pairs. Every single one I have touched. Each individual boot takes hours but I’m really happy with the end result.

What was the vision for your Hunter boot design? 

I predominately work in fibers, so when they contacted me it was very much a case of, this seems cool but I don’t know how I’m going to do this. But I did end up finding a technique and design that I feel still has the essence of my work in it while also being a wearable piece of art that people can collect and really love.

Someone found you for the Hunter project on Instagram. Would you say that’s crucial to your career today?  

For sure. I think that’s the case for most artists these days. It’s like a living portfolio and it’s a more accessible way for the everyday person to view art and not be intimidated by it.

There is a really strong scene of artists who live and work in Dallas and they’re super amazing. But there is something to be said for having your work out there for people that won’t run into you down in Deep Ellum or can’t physically go to your show in the Design District… they can still get a chance to be a part of your journey or contract you for a project.

The Sam Lao boot will be available on the Hunter website starting this Thursday, April 6 at 10 EST.