A great autumn boot does more than finish an outfit. It becomes part of the way we move through the season from country walks and weekends away to busy city days and evenings out. For AW26, Penelope Chilvers returns to what it knows best, bringing together Spanish craftsmanship, distinctive leathers and new silhouettes designed to be worn well beyond one season.
From the new Inclement tassel boots to the Rove Suede Boot and the returning favourites that have become part of the brand’s story, Penelope Chilvers’ latest footwear collection makes a strong case for investing in boots you will want to wear for years.
Autumn begins with the right pair of boots. This season, Penelope Chilvers’ Autumn Nomad collection puts footwear firmly at the centre, with a line-up that feels rooted in the brand’s equestrian heritage while introducing fresh shapes, textures and colours for the months ahead.
The collection takes some of its visual inspiration from Morocco, with rich reds, earthy browns and flashes of Klein blue informing the wider autumn mood. But it is the footwear where the character of the collection really comes through. Suede, leather, embroidery, tassels and carefully considered details give familiar boot shapes a new-season feel.
Among the new arrivals is the Rove Suede Boot, available in peat and bitter chocolate. Its uncomplicated shape makes it the kind of boot that can become an everyday favourite, while the rich suede tones feel particularly at home in an autumn wardrobe.
The Inclement styles bring something more distinctive. The new Inclement Cropped Tassel Boot comes in navy and dark brown, while the Inclement Long Tassel Boot and Long Leather Tassel Boot offer longer silhouettes in suede and black leather. The Inclement boots are also waterproof, making them particularly suited to autumn days when practicality matters as much as style. Tassels have long been part of the Penelope Chilvers vocabulary, and here they feel less decorative than characterful a detail that gives the boots their own identity.
The brand’s new arrivals also include the Goldie Embroidered Cowboy Boot in peat and the Cassidy Suede Cowboy Boot, bringing a Western influence into a collection otherwise grounded in the brand’s Spanish equestrian roots. The result is not a costume-like interpretation of the trend, but footwear with enough personality to stand on its own.
For those who prefer a more classic approach, the Camino Chelsea Boot offers an easy everyday option. Chelsea boots have earned their place as one of the most reliable autumn styles, and Penelope Chilvers gives the familiar shape its own material-led character.
From Footwear to Clothing
While footwear remains at the heart of Penelope Chilvers, the brand’s offering extends into clothing, bringing the same sense of craftsmanship, practicality and everyday adventure into the wider wardrobe. The move into clothing adds another layer to the Autumn Nomad collection, allowing the boots to be styled as part of complete looks rather than as standalone pieces.
All the looks featured in this article are available to buy from Penelope Chilvers, making it possible to explore the collection beyond individual footwear styles and build a wardrobe around the brand’s distinctive approach to dressing for town, country and everything in between.
The appeal of these boots becomes clearer when you understand where the brand began.
Penelope Chilvers was born and raised in England and originally trained as a painter at the Byam Shaw School of Art in London. Her relationship with Spain began during childhood, when she spent school holidays in Girona and discovered rustic, handmade alpargatas. That early fascination with Spanish craft stayed with her as her career developed.
Later, while living in Barcelona as a painter and designer, Penelope collaborated with artists and artisans and spent her lunch breaks riding in the hills of the Collserola national park. She wanted a riding boot that combined the practicality she needed with the character of traditional Spanish footwear. The answer was to work directly with local artisans and create one herself.
That first experiment became the Long Tassel Boot, one of the defining styles in the brand’s history. When Penelope returned to the UK, she began working from her kitchen table and sold more than 100 pairs to the Notting Hill boutique The Cross. The following years saw the collection grow, with its first comprehensive range launching at Paris Fashion Week in 2002.
More than 20 years later, that original connection between Spanish craftsmanship and everyday adventure remains central to the brand.
The company describes itself as a British heritage, founder-led brand creating purposeful footwear inspired by adventure and designed to be worn for life. Its boots are made to move between town and country, with traditional techniques and skilled artisans remaining an important part of the process.
That approach is particularly relevant to the current collection. Penelope Chilvers says its footwear is made in Spain by expert bootmakers, with leathers sourced from Gold Rated tanneries. The brand’s website similarly places craftsmanship at the heart of its footwear, describing its pieces as timeless designs made by Spanish artisans using heritage techniques.
There is also a sense of continuity in the way the brand treats its most-loved styles. Penelope Chilvers has long described its footwear as pieces that can become “wardrobe staples” or “old friends” boots worn for dog walks, country escapes, everyday errands and years of adventures.
That idea feels particularly right for autumn 2026. Fashion may encourage us to think about what is new, but the most valuable pieces are often those that become familiar. A good boot should soften with wear, travel with you and become more personal over time.
That is ultimately what makes the new Penelope Chilvers collection interesting. It is not simply about introducing another season of footwear. It is about taking a design language built around Spanish craftsmanship, equestrian heritage and adventure and finding new ways to wear it now.
For AW26, the result is a collection of boots with plenty of personality, but also a practical reason to exist. From suede ankle styles and tasselled long boots to embroidered cowboy silhouettes and classic Chelsea shapes, there is a common thread running through them all: they are made to go somewhere.
And perhaps that is the most appealing thing about them. These are not boots waiting for the perfect occasion. They are made for the everyday places that become memories.
