When Skyfall leaves London for the Scottish Highlands, Daniel Craig’s Bond trades his town shoes for a heavy brown boot. The Crockett & Jones Islay boots are, in our view, among the most useful pieces from his wardrobe to own: a full-brogue country boot on a Dainite rubber sole, made for wet ground and hard weather.
In the film
Bond wears the Islay in the Scotland scenes of Skyfall (2012), with a Barbour jacket, as he faces Raoul Silva in the Highlands. Crockett & Jones supplied four styles for the film, and the Islay is the one for Scotland. The boots on screen appear to be the dark brown version, which is also the one we would choose.
The details of the Crockett & Jones Islay boots
A full-brogue derby. The Islay is a derby boot with a wing tip and bold punching across the toe and vamp. The open lacing is easy to adjust over a thick sock, and the decoration is robust rather than dressy.
Dark brown scotch grain calf. Crockett & Jones uses European calf skins with an embossed grain, a finish it describes as supple but strong. The dark brown reads as a deep, plain colour that does not draw attention to itself.
Dainite rubber sole. Rubber grips wet ground better than leather, and it wears slowly. It is why the Islay can be worn through a damp English winter without a second thought.
A high leg. The Islay is cut higher than a shoe or a chukka, which is the point of a boot for the country. It keeps the weather out of the ankle and gives a thick sock room to sit comfortably.
Made in Northampton. Crockett & Jones makes its shoes in its own factory in Northampton, each pair taking up to eight weeks and more than 200 operations.
Wearing it now
This is a boot for autumn and winter, and for any day when the ground is wet. We would wear it with a waxed jacket or a field coat, heavy knitwear, and cord, moleskin or mid-weight wool trousers. Dark denim works too, turned up once so the boot shows. It is not a boot for a suit, and we would not try to make it one.
Which version? Crockett & Jones makes the Islay in dark brown and tan scotch grain and in several rough-out suede options. We would choose the dark brown scotch grain: it is the nearest to the film, and the least fussy to look after. If you spend a lot of time on soaked grass or shallow water, the separate Islay Dark Brown Waterproof Sides has a cleated rubber sole and a half-bellows tongue for that purpose.
Care. Brush off mud once it has dried, let wet boots dry slowly and away from direct heat, and use a good leather cream or wax when the grain starts to look tired.
Fit. Try them on, or size them, with the socks you will actually wear in the country. A boot like this should be comfortable over a thick sock without the heel lifting.
Specifications
| Model | Islay |
|---|---|
| Style | Full-brogue derby boot with wing tip and punched detail |
| Upper | Dark brown scotch grain calf |
| Sole | Dainite rubber |
| Made in | Northampton, England |
| RRP | See the Crockett & Jones page for the current price |
Full details and current sizes are on Crockett & Jones’s own page for the Islay.
Questions
Did Bond wear the Crockett & Jones Islay in Skyfall?
Yes. Bond wears the Islay in the Scottish Highlands scenes towards the end of Skyfall, and Crockett & Jones itself credits the boot with that appearance.
Are the Islay boots waterproof?
The dedicated waterproof version is the separate Islay Dark Brown Waterproof Sides, with a cleated rubber sole and a half-bellows tongue for wet grass and shallow water. The dark brown scotch grain is a leather boot on a Dainite rubber sole.
What other versions of the Islay are there?
Crockett & Jones makes it in dark brown and tan scotch grain, as well as several rough-out suede options and the waterproof version.
What else did Crockett & Jones supply for Skyfall?
Four styles in total: the Alex with the tuxedo, the Highbury in London, the Islay in Scotland and the Tetbury in Turkey.
More of Bond’s footwear is in our shoes section, and Craig’s Bond is covered across all the films.
