To celebrate Halloween, I wanted to review a recent purchase that comes from the fashion world, but now has a great costume connection too – Po-Zu’s Piper V boots. These are not a licensed Star Wars fashion item, but instead they were used by The Force Awakens costume department for Rey’s costume!
It’s very exciting when an existing item is used in films as part of a costume, as fans can also own the same item! At Celebration Anaheim earlier this year, a screen used Rey costume from The Force Awakens was on display, which I was lucky enough to see in person (see my photo below). Fans quickly found the source for her boots – a shoe company in Portugal called Po-Zu. The specific colour/style was an older one and sold out – but due to fan interest, the company reissued the shoes! I placed my pre-order as soon as I could, and they’ve finally arrived, direct from Portugal.
The style is called ‘Piper V Dark Brown’ – it is made in women’s European shoe sizes 36 to 42 (approximately US sizes 5 to 11), and are priced at £125.00 (approximately US$193). They are currently out of stock in all sizes, with more due in the first half of November. Using the very helpful fitting guide, I ordered mine in size EUR 37 – and they fit great!
Po-Zu’s slogan is ‘Shoes with a good sole’ – the company is ranked #1 for ethical shoes by The Good Shopping Guide. The Piper V boots are made from a variety of materials – the overall feel and appearance work so well for Rey’s character. The box notes the coconut fiber foot-mattress ‘gradually moulds to the shape of your foot, provides excellent breatheability to keep your feet dry and good insulation for both hot and cold climates’. Considering the desert environment of Jakku where we see Rey, these boots sound perfect for her.
Having only tried them on so far, I found them very comfortable – not surprising based on their description, but it’s not always the case when ordering footwear on-line without trying them on first. I’m no stranger to wearing uncomfortable shoes for the sake of style – but it’s fantastic to find footwear you love that love your feet back!
The boots are made from unique materials – the main body material in particular is fascinating in person.
- Upper – Chrome-Free Leather and British tweed
- Lining – Unbleached and Undyed Pure Wool Felt
- Footbed – Chrome-Free Suede
- Foot-mattress – 60% Coconut Husk, 40% Natural Latex
- Sole – Natural Latex
The sole features Po-Zu’s distinctive butterfly pattern – as also seen on the shoe box. The boots have a little tag with the Po-Zu symbol on it which has been removed on the actual screen used versions – I am not sure if I want to remove that tag on my own pair. The soft boots lace up behind the ankle, with a dark brown cord that loops around the back of the ankle and up to the back of the calves. This allows you to adjust their fit as well, which is particularly useful if you have larger calves.
While these are not my usual style, I love Rey’s character so much already – it is very exciting to own an item from her outfit. They’re a fun fashion item for any Star Wars fan – a subtle touch to an outfit, or a screen accurate addition to a Rey costume. I am hoping to create a Rey themed ensemble with these boots, with a BB-8 accessory or two – I’ll have to practice her hairstyle too!
