02 Intro

09 Editor's Letter

12 Spotted
Danner found on SNS

16 Airport Way Store
Airport Way Store, showcasing the brand's heritage

20 Opinions
Alfredo Contreras, Danner's longest-serving pattern engineer

24 Origin
Archive model showing the evolutionary process

26 Manufacturing
Danner's Portland factory, a condensed version of American craftsmanship

36 Lineage
Representative models by category

38 Inner Space
The details that make Danner unique

46 Recrafting
Danner's Recrafting: Restoring Old Boots to Their Original Look

50 Opinions
Danner Product Designer David Ledbetter

54 Portlanders' Essentials
Portlanders from various professions talk about Danner

64 Union Way Store
A store within Union Way with a lifestyle concept shop concept

68 Opinion
Shinsuke Nakada, General Director of Beams Men

72 Belongings
"Well-crafted items" as described by Danner users

82 Network
The style and perspective of our collaboration partners

90 Going Out
Oregon's outdoor environment, where Danner grew up

102 Brand Story
The birth and growth of Danner

108 Anatomy
The strengths of Gore-Tex and Vibram applied to Danner chives

112 Structure
Danner's lacrosse footwear

114 Epicenter
Portland's Rebirth as a Hub for the Sneaker Industry

116 Thank You Notes
Messages from Danner users

118 Interview
Danner Marketing Director Lori Thomas and Danner Vice President Steve Bellatti

122 Figures
Numbers that show the outdoor shoe market and Danner's current status.

125 References

127 Outro

Magazine <B> is an ad-free monthly magazine that introduces one well-balanced brand from around the world each month, discovered from JOH's perspective.
A serious yet readable magazine for everyone interested in brands, from brand executives contemplating new business opportunities to those seeking to develop a sense of branding.


This is the fifty-ninth magazine, “B.”

The 〈B〉 reporting team visited Portland once again for this issue.
It's been less than a month since I introduced the city of Portland in the last issue, and I've revisited it.
Departing from Incheon, Portland, a 12-hour flight with one transfer, welcomed me warmly even on my second visit.
Enough to make you forget the chaotic world situation and the dizzying pace of the city of Seoul for a moment.
If Portland Issues gave us a glimpse into the entrepreneurial spirit of Portlanders, this time we're focusing on brands that have taken root in Portland.
Danner has been making leather boots since 1932.
Danner's leather boots are as iconic to Portland as coffee and craft beer, and more broadly, they are a staple when discussing American craftsmanship.
Danner, which settled in Oregon over 80 years ago and gained the trust of the locals by making work boots for loggers, has gradually expanded its scope to include hiking and combat boots, and more recently, lifestyle boots, establishing itself as a model of 'well-made leather boots'.

There are many brands that emphasize handmade and craftsmanship.
Here, the value of 'local production' is consumed as a trend, and the media and consumers' attitudes toward those who create things in their own factories, whether small workshops or large ones, are more favorable than ever.
In this atmosphere, it is easy for Danner to talk only about his 'sincere' attitude of wanting to make good things.
However, the success story of being recognized as a good brand through 'sincerity' is like a dramatized fairy tale.
A brand's sincere attitude is the root of a business that bears the fruit of growth through a solid system and a process of continuous improvement.
Before covering Danner's Portland headquarters, I, too, had only ever understood the Danner brand in terms of its "roots."

The craftsmanship that Danner speaks of encompasses many things.
One of them is a high level of self-censorship.
Self-censorship here means high standards for quality.
From selecting the leather to be used for the boots to testing the finished boots.
They apply their own set of standards to every process and pass a series of hurdles.
It's a kind of 'Danner standard'.
Everyone I met at Danner's factory was proud of this Danner standard.
Even the repairers at the Recrafting Center, who repair old boots sent in by customers, were held to high standards.
“Est.,” written in small letters beneath Danner’s logo.
“1932” is more a story of a time of unwavering self-censorship than a long history.

It doesn't end here.
Danner has constantly been thinking about how to make this skilled craftsmanship function in a productive way.
Perhaps their constant pursuit of cutting a single piece of leather without wasting a single piece has honed their sense of productivity.
For Danner, productivity is a top priority and a source of creativity.
It is no exaggeration to say that Danner holds the exact opposite view on the term 'creativity', which is defined as the long-term talent of an outstanding person.
They believe that creativity arises from the process of reducing production time and reducing costs—in other words, improving the way we "operate."

In fact, Danner's designers spend more time traveling to the factory and communicating closely about product production than they do creating image boards or sketching products.
A product designer interviewed by magazine B goes so far as to say, “If something is functioning properly, there is no need to reinvent it.”

I think the reason I still feel the extraordinary comfort of the leather boots I wore while hiking in Portland's local nature is because I witnessed such a modern craftsmanship that adapts so nimbly to the times and the environment.
I hope that the experience behind it will be well-received by those who want to consume good products or those who want to create good products.

Editor-in-Chief Park Eun-seong