Vintage Portland Shoes Ad – 1940s British Comfort Footwear Print Ephemera

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Item ID: 297240892215
eBay Seller ID: britishfareasttraders
eBay Store Link: View this item
Category: Collectables:Advertising Collectables:Other Advertising Collectables
Condition: In decent condition. Please check our images.

Vintage Portland Shoes Ad – 1940s British Comfort Footwear Print Ephemera

An elegant glimpse into wartime-era British fashion and foot health innovation — ideal for collectors of vintage shoe advertising, Leicester-made footwear history, and classic department store ephemera.

Measurements: approx. 1 7/8 x 5 1/8 inches
Dates: n/a
Condition: In decent condition, please see images. 
Internal notes: QC passed

Step into the world of 1940s Britain, where every purchase was practical, every design intentional. The streets may have echoed with the stirrings of war or recovery, but inside the pages of women’s weeklies, elegance persisted. This advertisement for Portland Shoes, produced by T. Roberts & Sons Ltd., offers a beautifully understated promise: â€œWalk in Freedom.” With their cleverly concealed extra width, these shoes ensured not only style but vital comfort for women who stood long hours — whether at work, at home, or in service.

This advertisement, measuring approx. 1 7/8 x 5 1/8 inches, reflects the post-war shift toward accessible, wearable fashion. Published during a time when foot comfort was no mere luxury, the ad subtly highlights the technical innovation behind the brand — the kind of smart design Leicester’s shoe industry was known for. The Portland Shoe Works had a proud heritage, and this ad’s straightforward message and clean layout make it a fine example of British utility-meets-style advertising from the mid-20th century.

Owning a piece like this is more than acquiring an old ad — it’s preserving the voice of everyday working women, of British industrial design, and of fashion that served both beauty and function. For collectors of vintage footwear ephemera, Leicestershire industry memorabilia, or wartime lifestyle advertising, this is a charming and meaningful addition to any archive or display.