In 1817 The Duke of Wellington unintentionally started a new fashion trend that has lasted centuries when he instructed his shoemaker to modify his 18^th century Hessian boot to be suitable for battle and appropriate for the evening.

What was created was the Welly, named after The Duke himself, and used by everyone young and old today, including the royal family.

The most notable brand to come from Wellington’s accidental invention are Hunters, a brand which was established in 1856 by American rubber factory owner Mr. Henry Lee Norris under its original name, The North British Rubber Company.

The company originally focused itself on other rubber products until World War I when the War Office commissioned them to construct sturdy boots suitable for soldiers braving the flooded trenches. The same thing happened in World War II.

By the end of both Wars, the Wellington had become popular among men and women for wet weather and everyday work and the popularity of the Hunter brand led to the introduction of two new boots, the Green Hunter and the Royal Hunter.

Over the years, Hunter has received much recognition, including two Royal Warrants of Appointment for supplying waterproof footwear from HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, a highly prized mark of recognition, excellence and quality.

Today, Hunter’s remain the preferred welly brand for those who like to look fashionable while being practical and for kids’ who enjoy adventure in wet weather.

To introduce the Hunter Kids’ Collection to our Alexandalexa.com customers, we are offering 10% off your Hunter purchase until Monday, October 18, 2010, just enter TLWHUNT during the checkout process!

Shop the Hunter Kids’ Collection