Menswear Style Podcast

Humans Are Vain (HAV) is a contemporary eco-sustainable slow fashion footwear, accessories and apparel brand that believes in sustainability now not tomorrow. All their products are designed and engineered in Sweden, putting sustainable materials at the forefront of the design process and bringing together all the latest advances in sustainable and recycled materials into one place. All production is carried out in ethical factories in Portugal and they use recycled materials throughout, with a key focus on using materials made from plastic trash salvaged from the ocean in collaboration with The SEAQUAL Initiative, as well as making sure that all products are 100% vegan. They also operate a circular economy, so any unwanted items returned are recycled into new HAV products.In this episode of the MenswearStyle Podcast we interview Humans Are Vain Co-Founder Chris Margetts and discuss his new life in Sweden, a country which takes sustainability and recycling seriously. Our host Peter Brooker and Chris also chat

In 2013 Jason and Karen Kirk launched an eyewear line for individuals. A line that is boldly expressive and proudly inclusive, with shapes that break boundaries. Kirk & Kirk frames are authentic, inspirational, and confident, just like the people who wear them. Jason Kirk grew up in optics, his grandfather Sidney and his great uncle Percy founded Kirk Brothers in 1919 when they converted an old sewing machine into a lens cutter. Karen Kirk studied design in London and was working for Saatchi and Saatchi when she turned to optics.Motivated by a strong family legacy and a desire to bring something new to the eyewear market, Jason and Karen Kirk started Kirk & Kirk as a line to innovate and inspire. The line was immediately a success and their frames are now sold in 30 countries worldwide. They believe every collection they create should bring something new to the market. Their Kaleidoscope collection offers an array of colours and dimensions that cannot be imitated, and the Centena collection is the onl

VYN is the first repairable sneaker in the world. The brand was founded by Catherine Meuter and Stefan Mathys in 2019. Their goal is to encourage the customer to re-evaluate expenditure and move away from a disposable mind-set, to one where they take care of sneakers, enjoying them for longer. Together they have designed over 40 collections for various brands in Italy, UK, and Norway. VYN came to life over a discussion about the sneaker industry being one of the most polluting in the fashion industry. Production costs are increasing, and the consumer is being asked to pay more, accept lower quality and less longevity. VYN is the footwear industry’s answer to creating a sneaker that is made to last a lifetime.With the combined expertise of over 15 years in the footwear industry as designers and developers of world leading footwear brands, Stefan and Catherine wanted to answer a burning question: ‘how do you create a sneaker that is made to last?’ They listened to friends, relatives and experts and based on tho

Genevieve Sweeney is a premium British knitwear label that truly emphases the high level of skills and quality of knitwear manufacturing in the British Isles. The brand fuses contemporary design with innovative technical processes and embraces heritage skills found in the Scottish Borders. Made exclusively in the UK, Genevieve is writing a new chapter for the knitwear industry, marrying contemporary design with exceptional hand finishes. Indebted to the time-honoured techniques of artisan makers, the brand has reimagined the possibilities of knitwear. While working in knitwear design and development for luxury brands across the globe, Genevieve gained a unique insight into the dialogue between designer and maker. Inspired by the relationships she built with local British mills and suppliers; the Genevieve Sweeney brand was born.Colour blocking, clean lines and unusual yarn blends define the Genevieve Sweeney aesthetic, while geometric hand intarsia jumpers have become a brand signature. This handcrafted techn

Bunker Mentality a golf brand for golfers with a love of the great game and who share a different mentality. They are inclusive rather than exclusive, pushing open the envelope whilst not compromising golf etiquette, but full on with their own style, creating a new wave of golf culture. Unlike traditional golf attire, Bunker Mentality’s clothing has a strong modern and fashion-forward spirit that can be worn from 'first tee to last orders'. Born in the UK, this family run independent company was founded by Tamasine and Robert, who gave up their corporate careers to follow a passion for creating something that mattered to them. They believe attention to detail in their products is critical in achieving their mission of 'creating new traditions' and 'future classics' in golf. The brand is known for its dynamic colour, graphic energy, attention to detail and an irreverent sense of humour.In this episode of the MenswearStyle Podcast we interview Bunker Mentality Co-Founder, Robert Ha

JustWears is on a mission to reinvent men's basics using premium, sustainably sourced fabrics and ergonomic designs. Since running the most backed apparel campaign on Kickstarter in the UK, they’ve sold 40,000 pairs to 10,000 customers in 73 countries and have been featured on BBC Dragon's Den. Made from soft cellulosic fibre, MicroModal Air, all underwear is manufactured using a natural, high-performance fabric that is sustainably-sourced from Austria and feels 5x softer than cotton. It all started when Alexander met Yang Liu in a Bangkok hostel, and they lived on opposite sides of the world. After years of long distance, they decided to meet in the middle and make the UK their new home.While working in finance, Alex regularly complained about his underwear not fitting properly. When he couldn’t find a solution in the market, he decided to do something about it. Together they travelled around the globe, testing thousands of fabrics and prototypes. What began as an idea quickly took off on Kickstart

With a history of working in the textiles industry and other manufacturing industries, Simon Cotton is proud to be currently heading up the most exciting company in the UK textile industry. Johnstons of Elgin partner with most of the world's top luxury fashion brands as well as produce under their own label. The company is a truly vertical producer taking raw fibre through to finished product, allowing them to achieve the very highest quality for the most discerning customers across the world.Johnstons of Elgin has over two hundred years of tradition and experience in textile manufacturing. Since 1797 the company has produced the finest woven products from the finest of fibres. The original mill, on the banks of the river Lossie in the historic town of Elgin, remains the headquarters of their renowned brand. From luxurious cashmere scarves and throws, to historic Estate tweed, the experience and craftsmanship rooted in their history has been passed down the generations. Visitors to the mill see experienc

In 2013 Kasper Brandi Petersen quit his corporate job at the world’s largest shipping line. He went from wearing a suit and tie to sitting on cardboard boxes in an old apartment. 3 years later he had raised €3m from investors and scaled to 50 people. Today he fights fast fashion by using technology to make a new generation of life-proof minimal menswear consisting of premium cotton shirts that repel stains, odour, and wrinkles. The brand first launched on Kickstarter in 2017 and by 2020 it had customers across 98 countries.Lotte Vink and Kasper Petersen are the Co-Founders of LABFRESH. In contrary to most fashion houses, they want you to buy less and wear their products longer. They apply exclusive FreshCore technology to premium cotton fabrics. After their brand became the most backed European apparel project in crowdfunding history, they quit their jobs, found an office in Amsterdam, and started building a business from scratch. Over the past 2 years they've built a supply chain, a website and a brand

In a world of hyper-convenience and overconsumption L’Estrange London wants to strip away complexity from your everyday, allowing you to do more with less. Their modern clothing system comprises comfortable, timeless, versatile pieces that can be worn in multiple scenarios. They make clothes to look effortlessly smart for life - whether it be a coffee, a meeting, or drinks - never overdressed, never underdressed. This menswear brand believes the future of retail exists in creating more than just a regular store experience. With 'The L'Estrange Apartment' they collaborated with several different brands that reflect their aesthetic and ethos to create a home-from-home experience - a more relaxed space to explore their world and clothes.The world is over producing, and the output of the textile industry has doubled in the last 15 years to 100 billion units per year. Most of this will end up in landfill and it’s being accelerated by our disposable mindsets and rapidly decreasing times garments are

Atterley is a fashion destination that celebrates and redefines the boutique experience with one seamlessly stylish online platform. Working in partnership with an inspiring global community of independent fashion retailers, they bring you bespoke access to a covetable mix of premium, emerging, and undiscovered labels expertly curated by some of the world’s most talented fashion buyers. Customers can shop a mix of new and established brands from around the world, from your device to your doorstep with worldwide express delivery as standard. One of the independent retailers partnered with Atterley is Roulette Clothing, owned by David Cullen. This menswear store is where style-savvy shoppers on the Island of Jersey go for their fashion fix. David is also the founder of Atterley stocked brand, Unseen Footwear, which is a relatively new sneaker brand designed for the modern-day gentleman.A reaction to the brand driven logo obsession of today’s fashion landscape, Unseen footwear is designed for those that recognis

Proud Yorkshireman, Kevin Ellis, spent much of his childhood playing rugby in his local field with his elder brothers. After first giving Rugby League a go he then switched codes to rugby union, enjoying several seasons with Headingley in Leeds, before signing professional. Kevin’s passion for sport, combined with a love of design and fashion, are the driving force behind rugby heritage brand Ellis Rugby. The appeal of the Ellis Rugby brand lies in the striking designs, stylish colour choices and the exceptional quality of the fabrics. The loyalty of customers and the businesses commitment to retaining the heritage and traditions have enabled the brand to grow rapidly. Ellis Rugby are committed to producing quality garments which are inspired by similar like-minded individuals from the rich history of the game of rugby. The brand also creates bespoke fashion collections for professional sports clubs such as Bath Rugby, Saracens, Harlequins, Worcester Warriors, Gloucester, Leicester Tigers, Northampton Saints,

Myrqvist wants to make Goodyear Welted shoes accessible to everyone. The brand was born after a successful Kickstarter Campaign which reached its goal after just 24 hours, before closing as the most successful Swedish Kickstarter Campaign in the fashion category 30 days later. The brand designs and produces high quality shoes in the Direct-to-Consumer market, aiming to keep prices affordable without compromising on quality. With Scandinavian minimalism at heart, Myrqvist shoes are designed in the Swedish capital and are manufactured by experienced craftsmen in Portugal. They sell their shoes via a flagship store in Stockholm on their eCommerce website. Instead of an inflated mark-up that comes with traditional retail-based brands, they offer top of the line quality at less than half the price. Goodyear Welted shoemaking is a labour-intensive shoe construction which stops water from leaking through and enables the possibility to replace the outsole when required. Their finest cuts of full-grain leather are sou

ASKET is an independent online-only menswear brand founded in 2015 with the mission to slow down the fashion industry and change the way we manufacture, market, and consume clothing. Based on honest production, transparent pricing, and revolutionary sizing, they're perfecting a single, permanent collection of timeless essentials and restoring the meaningfulness of the garments men use the most.ASKET believes the world doesn’t need another fashion brand. Garments, products of delicate labour and precious resources, have lost their value. We buy more and use them less than ever - packing our wardrobes, filling landfills and fueling incinerators. Their promise is to restore the value of garments by creating meaningful essentials: A permanent collection of zero-compromise pieces, their stories uncovered and told. ASKET doesn’t design for seasons, they create for forever. When something isn’t perfect, they improve it. When something is broken, they mend it. Their definition of progress is reduced clothing own

Oliver Spencer the brand is the vision of Oliver Spencer the man. Self-taught tailor and shopkeeper, his eye is the starting point of everything they do. Frustrated by the limitations of art school and impatient to strike out alone, Oliver abandoned studenthood in favour of a stall at Portobello Market. Working that market stall ingrained his enduring love of garment and cloth — shop and shopkeeping. Having spent the previous decade creating and expanding formalwear brand Favourbrook, he wanted to create something new: a range of clothing with all the quality and craft of premium tailoring, but with a relaxed modern style. The philosophy? Quality needn't mean formality; casual needn't mean careless.That philosophy found plenty of adherents, and from a single shop on London's Lambs Conduit Street, Oliver Spencer has gone on to open several more shops, and an international online business — as well as being stocked in many of the world's leading department stores, from Harvey Nichols to Libe

Percy Stride is not another corporation or money-making machine, it's a family. A notable Northampton Brand, their handmade shoes are brought into life in a family run factory made up of a designer, photographer, copywriter, and friends. The brand is striving to become the best handmade English shoe brand around. After a 3-year footwear design degree at De Montfort University, Founder Danielle Wathes decided to put all the skills she had learnt to good use by starting her own footwear company, Percy Stride. There were only two main criteria she wanted to incorporate: English manufacturing and unique design aesthetic. Taking an active role in the business Danielle attended every show and met every client she could to help grow the brand to what it is today.In this episode of the MenswearStyle Podcast we sit down and speak to Danielle Wathes, Founder of Percy Stride. Our host Peter Brooker speaks to Danielle about her graduate footwear design course at De Montfort University before starting her brand. She

The Sole Supplier was founded in 2013 with the aim to provide accurate trainer news and release information for the UK and European market. Their community of partners (brands and enthusiasts) provide them with new and exclusive content daily alongside a dedicated in-house team of sneaker experts. Curation and selection are key processes for The Sole Supplier. Each item on site is handpicked with insight into legacy, fashion trends, audience, and heritage considerations. Through working with over 50 different retailers online, they provide up to date release information on the most coveted footwear from across the continent. The release dates section to their website has become a pivotal destination for the sneaker and streetwear community, especially those looking to stay up to date with trends.In this episode of the MenswearStyle Podcast we sit down and speak to George Sullivan, Founder of Sole Supplier. Our host Peter Brooker speaks to George about the history of the website and how they grew their communi

When Co-Founders Will and Adrian became increasingly aware that losing their hair was a possibility it led them to look into treatment options. They didn’t feel ready for a short buzz cut but were left confused and frustrated at what else to do. Over a pint, they realised – with Adrian’s background in clinical research and Will’s in all things business – that they had the right experience to start a company that would help other men understand the facts and solutions about hair loss. Reliable and honest information just isn’t easy to find, and after booking days off for expensive appointments with unrelatable clinicians, the two Sons co-founders knew there must be a better way.Sons offers consultations and treatment plans that are reassuringly safe. They’re a registered pharmacy and accredited by the Medicines & Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency. It is very common for men to start losing hair at some point, and the majority of men will lose their hair at some stage in their lives. However, many men don

Whilst studying at University in 2012, Co-Founders Lucy Ross and Jamie Bartlett found the university’s optical clinic which became an integral source of inspiration for the development for their first spectacle frames. Thanks to the kind support of technical officer Gavin Hill and head lecturer Glyn Walsh, they were gently introduced to the technical and practical aspects of optical frames. Fortunately for them, the on-site optical clinic became a hunting-ground for the mechanical workings of spectacles. During many “pestering sessions” the optical staff and lecturers were kind enough to demonstrate the handling and dispensing of glasses frames. It was a curious endeavour which provided a first-hand understanding of both the design and optical elements of eyewear.Having studied Product Design together, they both had experience in 3D modelling, prototyping and manufacturing processes. After graduating, they swiftly built a small workshop at the bottom of Lucy’s garden where they continued to practice and hone

Universal Works was inspired by David Keyte’s formative years growing up in a provincial midlands town in the seventies, part of a working class family that loved to dress well; seeing his Dad and Uncles in their work-wear and also when dressing for the weekend. Next, working as a sign-writers apprentice, whilst experiencing the development of eighties sporting and music subcultures. And finally, a thirty-year span in the fashion industry. From Paul Smith to Maharishi he gained an education from and worked alongside some of the best in the industry.With David’s life work reading like a description of the company’s DNA, Universal Works is about the mixing of ideas; understanding heritage and context underpinned by contemporary needs and aesthetics. They champion skilled, small-scale production and produce garments in the right place, both in the UK and overseas, working only with factories they trust, admire and are proud to be associated with.In this episode of the MenswearStyle Podcast, we sit down and speak

Walker Slater opened its first store in Edinburgh offering unstructured suits, in Tweed and linen together with their rugged style of knitwear. The brand utilises local fabrics and yarns into menswear items that are soft but also have a seriousness to them that renders it suitable for formal use whilst avoiding the stiff construction of the past. Walker Slater pioneered the unstructured suit whilst at the same time following a very traditional formal range of worsted suiting. Today they have an impressive list of ongoing brand partnerships which includes the Ryder Cup and the Scottish National Team.In this episode of the MenswearStyle Podcast, we sit down and speak to Paul Walker, the Co-Founder of suit and tailoring specialists Walker Slater. Paul talks about his background, inspirations and how the idea for his business was born from a discussion in a pub in 1989. He highlights his love for Scotland, how the brand first started using Tweed fabrics and when they first opened a bricks and mortar store and eCo