Back in fashion: Gumboot sales rocket in the rain

Hunter boot sales at e-tailer The Iconic are up 1000 per cent compared to this time last week. Sales started to spike at 11am on Monday.

Model splashing about in rain, wearing red gumboots

Gumboots are the item du jour in the wet.

Hunter boot sales at e-tailer The Iconic are up 1000 per cent compared to this time last week.

Sales started to spike at 11am on Monday.

The tall black gumboots, also known as Wellington boots, were the top seller, while the short style sold out yesterday and 20 per cent of all Sydney buyers selected the three-hour delivery option.

The Iconic head of womenswear, Toni Baston, attributes it to the convenience factor.

“Wellington boots are not a traditional winter item in Australia, but they are a core necessity when the weather is the way it is. No one wants to ruin their shoes and get their feet wet,” Baston said.

“One drop of rain and the sales skyrocketed, it is the buy now, wear now appeal. Last week it was so hot it felt like spring, but now people are paying a premium, $12.95, for faster delivery because they need them.”

E-tailer Hard to Find said the most popular search terms this week were wellies and umbrella.

Gumboot sales increased by 300 per cent compared to the same time last week, while Blunt umbrella sales were up by 135 per cent.

Amy Petrolo, 22, from Stanmore wouldn’t dream of ruining her shoes in the rain.

“I’m obsessed with my gumboots, they are my rainy day saviour,” she said.

Originally published as Back in fashion: Gumboot sales rocket in the rain