Palladium, founded in 1920 with the hope of tapping into seemingly endless profits from the freshly birthed aviation industry, originally produced aircraft tires made from vulcanized rubber covered canvas bands. Following the devastation of World War II and the resulting halt in aircraft manufacturing, Palladium was forced to shift focus. Rather than wait and hope for the revival of its old business, the company opened a plant in France. Here, it began producing footwear with the functionality and long lasting wear of its military-grade aircraft tires.

This Fall/Winter 2014 sees the brand consulting the archives and revisiting the World War II era. Inspired by authentic military textiles, Palladium’s Military Blanket Collection is a two-boot capsule that pays homage to history while retaining a contemporary aesthetic.

The pricier of the two styles has been dubbed the Tactical Plus and is available for $150 in a single colorway. True to the collection’s name, the Tactical Plus features a striped felt-textile collar inspired by military surplus blankets. The main body is comprised of heavyweight vegetable re-tanned leather with a pull-up tab that promises to wear with character over time. A gripped single-unit rubber outsole provides traction and a nice finishing touch.

Also available as part of the capsule is the $135 Pallabrouse Baggy Plus boot. Similar to its slightly more expensive cousin, it features a striped military blanket-inspired accent collar and rubber outsole. The Pallabrouse also has a clever fold-over construction for two-way wear: Unfolded, it can be worn as a high-top utility boot with an all-leather appearance; Folded, it can be a lower rise which will also display the felt-textile collar.