Perhaps Graham Hill who won the F1 world championship twice ( 1962 and 1968) as well as being runner up in other years is wearing a pair of the leather “GP Boot” by Edward Lewis in this photo.
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Hard to be certain since the angle doesn’t clearly show the distinctive tan-coloured heel cup of Westover but there are similarities to the boot in centre of advert in my prior post such as the two lace holes, slim rather pointed shape and the boot cut.
An advert from 1970 — note it mentions the Nomex version like in my original
post
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The Graham Hill photo in 60s is yet more evidence specialised GP boots with thin soles ans other features specifically for driving were available and worn — not just regular “clodhoppers” shoes as some would have us believe — years before an Italian brand came along dod a few race in 65 but claim to be the originator of racing boots. Rather unfair sonce Edward Lewis was clearly making and advertising specialist boots and driving footwear before this one of at targa event. The article abive mentions adverts appearing in motorsport. Not knocking the Italian boots as no doubt good quality but the chronology of such innovations should be kept straight!
However, if though the owners own racing they were promoting how these Westover boots helped give better feel and car control then this crash at Crystal Palace circuit maybe didn’t help that messaging — although not named by commentator regarding the crash just before the 1 minute mark, Edward Lewis was listed as the driver of car 77 in the programme.
https://youtu.be/bWp-0TuY4Sk?si=3NePfJLb8rffXt37
However Jim Clark (that photos above show also wore Westovers at that time shows have it should be done.
Bit later in 70s when my old comfy pair hail from they were applying a more prominent branding compared to the discrete mark just visibje in the advert of 70— the sown in label looks crude by today’s approaches but hardly surprising to see the light label given it was the how sportswear and advertising was moving.
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Wonder what Edward Lewis made of how things have progressed on specialised sportswear and its marketing — particularly footwear. He only died in 2015 so would’ve seen the sector transformed and the cult like interest in sports shoes. He was on to something — a decade too early and a focus on the wrong sport but seems he had an idea there was something afoot based in his own hobby motorsport and his work experience in the evolving footwear industry so went for it even parenting some features of the shoe design..
Steve
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