ART 1517 Brighton Platform Combat Leather Ankle Boots Women Black

A combat boot that does not weigh like one

The ART 1517 Brighton is a mid-height ankle boot in black bovine leather, set on a cleated Softlight platform that The Art Company built for one purpose: height and presence without punishing the foot. Anyone who has worn a traditional combat boot knows the trade-off, because the look always came in kilos.

It is made for someone who wants the blunt authority of a lace-up boot — round toe, metal eyelets, toothed sole — but has to put it on every morning and genuinely walk in it. This is not a boot for a shop window. It is a boot for a long day.

Against the generic versions filling every large marketplace, three differences show up within a month of wear: real bovine leather instead of synthetic, 360-degree stitching instead of glue, and a removable insole instead of one bonded in that you cannot even air. There is more in our women's ankle boots section.

At a glance

Why you'll like it: the height and attitude of a platform boot, worn with the lightness of a trainer.

Best for: everyday autumn and winter in the city, long hours on your feet, a lot of pavement.

Stand-out features: the Softlight sole and the double fastening of laces plus side zip.

Choose it if you want: a black boot that goes with almost everything and does not make you choose between style and comfort.

Maybe not for you if: you prefer a flat, discreet silhouette, or you need certified waterproofing for heavy rain.

Quick facts

• Product: platform combat boot
• Who it's for: women
• Main use: everyday city wear, autumn and winter
• Comfort level: high, with removable insole
• Sole: cleated Softlight platform
• Fastening: laces and side zip
• Heel type: platform
• Sizes: 37 to 41 (approx. UK 4 to 7)

Everything you need to know

Design and style

The shaft finishes just above the ankle, the height that lengthens the leg without limiting movement. Six pairs of eyelets, flat woven laces and a rounded stitched toe give the military reading, while the cleated platform places the boot squarely in the chunky trend that has now lasted several seasons without wearing out. The black is total: leather, laces, sole and hardware all match, which in practice means the boot does not argue with anything you put above it.

Materials and finish

The upper is bovine leather with a nappa finish, soft to the touch and with a slight worn effect that keeps the first scuffs from announcing themselves. The lining is microfibre, which breathes better than a cheap textile lining and does not pack down. The insole, also microfibre, is removable: take it out to dry, or replace it with an orthotic without cramping the foot. The 360-degree stitching runs the full perimeter and is what makes it possible, when the time comes, to resole the boot rather than bin it.

Everyday comfort

This is the central argument. The Softlight sole is a lightweight compound that delivers the visual bulk of a platform at a fraction of the usual weight, and it absorbs the impact of the heel on cobbles and asphalt. The result is a boot you can wear for eight or ten hours without dragging your feet by the end of it. The side zip also saves you the ritual of unlacing and relacing every time you get home.

When to wear them

Work with a relaxed dress code, university, errands, a weekend away, a terrace in October. The sole pattern copes well with wet ground, though this is not waterproof footwear: for sustained rain you want a model with a membrane. Have a look through our women's footwear and filter for Gore-Tex if that is your winter.

How to style them

With straight or wide-leg jeans turned up to the top of the shaft, which is where the platform reads best. With tailored wide trousers, for that contrast of sharp tailoring and heavy sole that works so well. And with a midi dress or skirt over opaque tights, where the boot supplies the weight a fluid outfit sometimes lacks. Avoid the cropped skinny trouser: it bares the ankle exactly where the boot is widest and shortens the leg.

What we think at Calzados Vesga

The Art Company is a brand we know well and have sold for years. Its strength is not the eye-catching design, although there is that too, but that its lightweight soles solved a historic complaint about boots with character: they looked good and they were a punishment. The 1517 is one of the models most repeated by customers who have owned an ART before. And there is a practical detail no spec sheet mentions: being black throughout, it ages with dignity. A platform boot in a pale colour reports every kerb scuff; this one does not.

Before you decide

It will suit you if you want a boot with character for heavy use, you value being able to change the insole, and you would rather invest in stitched leather than replace footwear every season.

It may not suit you if you are after a flat, dressy boot, you need guaranteed waterproofing, or bulky soles make you uncomfortable.

Compared with the alternatives, a classic combat boot on a solid rubber sole will look similar and cost less, but it will weigh considerably more and will not let you take the insole out. It is worth comparing calmly among our new arrivals.

Technical specification

• Product type: women's platform combat boot
• Upper: bovine leather, nappa finish
• Lining: microfibre
• Insole: removable, microfibre
• Sole: Softlight, cleated platform
• Fastening: laces and side zip in recycled material
• Construction: 360-degree stitched
• Colour: black
• Sizes available: 37 to 41

Size guide

The 1517 comes up true to size on a medium-width last. If you are between two sizes, stay with your usual number: the laces let you adjust the instep and the microfibre lining gives just enough over the first few wears. If you have a wide foot, or you will habitually wear a thick winter sock, go up a size; the internal volume is generous, but not infinite.

As a rough guide, EU 37 is around UK 4, EU 38 around UK 5, EU 39 around UK 6, EU 40 around UK 6½ and EU 41 around UK 7. Treat these as approximate, since conversions vary between makers.

Frequently asked questions

Do the ART 1517 Brighton run small?
No, they are true to size. Order your usual number unless you have a wide foot, in which case go up one.

Are they comfortable all day?
Yes. The Softlight sole is the whole point of the boot: platform height at very little weight, with real cushioning on hard ground.

Can I wear them in the rain?
For light rain and wet ground, yes, thanks to the sole pattern. There is no waterproof membrane, so for heavy rain or snow choose another model.

How do I clean and care for them?
Lift the loose dirt with a soft brush or dry cloth, then go over it with a slightly damp cloth, dry in the open air away from radiators, and apply a leather-specific conditioning cream every few weeks.

What size should I order for a wide foot?
Go up a size. The last is medium width and the laces give some room to adjust, but a wide foot appreciates the extra number.

Can the insole be changed?
Yes, the insole is removable, so you can replace it with an orthotic or a cushioning insole without difficulty.

In short

The ART 1517 Brighton is a black leather combat boot on a lightweight platform. It is for someone who wants the blunt look of a lace-up boot without giving up walking comfortably all day, thanks to the Softlight sole and the removable insole. Sizes 37 to 41. From Calzados Vesga, with the advice of a shoe shop with more than fifty years of trade behind it.

If you are after something different

If you want more comfort for standing still for hours, look at flat-soled ankle boots with an anatomical insole. If you need it for a special occasion, a mid-heel boot in smooth leather fits better. And if you want more support for uneven ground, our hiking range answers that need more honestly.

Why buy from Calzados Vesga

We have been selling footwear on the main square of Burgos, in northern Spain, for more than fifty years, which means we have watched how every brand on our shelves ages. We do not carry endless catalogues: we stock what we know lasts and what we know wears well. If you write to us with a sizing question, the reply comes from someone who has had this boot in their hands.

Delivery, returns and secure payment

Delivery anywhere in Europe takes 4 to 6 working days. Shipping is charged by destination country and calculated at checkout; there is no free shipping outside Spain. Returns from outside Spain are at the customer's expense, so it is worth getting the size right first time — ask us and we will help. Payment is secure and advice is available before and after you buy.

Are these your boots?

Yes, if you want a black boot with character, height and a light sole, to wear daily through the cold season.

Perhaps not, if you prefer a fine, discreet silhouette or you need guaranteed waterproofing.

One last thing

If you have read this far, the model suits you. Order your usual size, try them at home unhurried, and if something is off we will sort it out. And if you are ever passing through Burgos, the shop is on the main square.