There’s an undeniable legacy to the wardrobe of iconic actor Steve McQueen, whose influential style is at the heart of a new Red Wing Heritage campaign hyping their latest boots.
The Bullitt star helped make pieces like Tag Heuer Monaco watch and the Baracuta G9 Harrington Jacket in cultural icons. As luck would have it, the actor was also a devout fan of Red Wing boots, specifically a pair finished with distinctive embossing in Oro Legacy leather. His influence drives the new “Will Your Wings” campaign, devised by the legendary bookmaker with McQueen’s granddaughter, Molly. It’s a fitting nod to the past and the present from a brand that often nods to its own legacy with rugged leather boot designs.
The bookmaker is encouraging customers to buy a customizable boot tag, one meant to be affixed to Red Wing boots with both the name of the current wearer, along with the future recipient of these made-to-last boots. “The Will Your Wings campaign isn’t just about passing down a pair of boots—it’s about passing down a legacy,” Molly McQueen said. “Just like the boots, it’s about handing over something meaningful and built to last.
McQueen added that the campaign, much like Steve McQueen’s own cherished pair of hard-wearing boots, is “about receiving a piece of history to cherish, uphold, and make your own. Molly McQueen and Red Wing emphasized that “Will Your Wings” is also “not just about what’s worn, but about what’s carried forward.”
The campaign also includes the chance to score a pair of limited-edition Classic Moc Boots (inspired by Steve McQueen’s original Red Wings, of course). The boots boast the same Oro Legacy Leather as the iconic actor and driver’s preferred pair, this time outfitted with a black Traction Tred outsole and leather laces. For good measure, the boots are rounded out with embossed detailing of McQueen’s famed racing number.
Of the limited-time offering, the company noted the goal was to produce “something he’d still wear today,” while Molly McQueen added that her “self-assured and confident” grandfather “had the unique ability to make everything he did look effortlessly cool.” It’s hard to argue with that sentiment, or with the need to carry on your own legacy via a new pair of Red Wing boots — the kind Steve McQueen would wear, and the kind made to be worn with pride and passed down.
