R.M.Williams has enlisted Australian actor, writer and filmmaker Joel Edgerton for a new campaign built on wear and repair, landing as the bootmaker doubles down on local manufacturing and pushes harder into offshore markets.
Titled 'Worn Well', the campaign features boots from Edgerton's personal collection alongside new season Craftsman, Yearling, Rigger and Gardener styles. The through line is that character is earned over time rather than applied, with marks, creases and patina positioned as part of a product's story.
"There's something I really value about things that are made to last. Whether it's a pair of boots, a piece of work or the relationships you build along the way, time gives things meaning. That idea really resonated with me when it came to Worn Well," Edgerton said.
"I've always respected what R.M.Williams represents, great craftsmanship, longevity and a very Australian sense of identity. Worn Well felt like a natural fit because it's really about celebrating experience and the character we build over time."
The campaign lands as the brand accelerates offshore. R.M.Williams expects UK turnover to exceed £15 million this year following three consecutive years of double-digit growth in the market, anchored by a Jermyn Street flagship in London carrying 73 boot options, the largest range anywhere.
Stores in Bath, Edinburgh and Guildford round out four openings inside 12 months, taking the global portfolio to just shy of 70 doors. Online, global sales are up more than 30 per cent year-on-year with the United States now the brand's second largest digital market.
That expansion follows a commercially significant shift at the 94-year-old business. Tattarang acquired R.M.Williams from LVMH-backed private equity firm L Catterton in 2020 in a deal reported at $190 million, returning the label to Australian ownership for the first time since 2014.
The company says more than 350 jobs have been created across manufacturing and retail since.
Production has scaled with it. In October last year R.M.Williams opened a second workshop at its Salisbury site in Adelaide's northern suburbs, named Bushman's Base, lifting production capacity by approximately 90 per cent.
"Joel was a natural choice for 'Worn Well'. He brings an authenticity and quiet confidence that strongly reflects the spirit of R.M.Williams. His career has been built on craft, longevity and following his own path, qualities that sit at the heart of this campaign," R.M.Williams CEO Paul Grosmann said.
Comfort Craftsman boots retail for $699. The range is stocked across 55 R.M.Williams stores in Australia and six in New Zealand, through David Jones and The Iconic, and online globally.