PB: 0:11

Hello, welcome to another episode of the menswear style podcast. I'm your host Pete Brooker. Today on the show I'm talking to the founder of foot. So, Nicholas Wilson, but so spelled fut S O L is a premium, stylish, sophisticated football apparel for on and off the pitch. They draw inspiration from the simple pleasure of playing with the ball. They see beauty in the ball, in the places where games of football are enjoyed around the world and those moments of shared connection and joy. And you can check out the apparel at foot so.co. We'll leave all the links in the show notes over at Menswear. style.co.uk And you may have noticed it's been a while since we've had a guest on the show. And of course, as a result, the default mic was set to my laptop and not my Rode microphone. So my audio is a little thin but that's okay. Nico comes through just fine and let's face it. It's only Nico we want to hear today. So I'll get that fixed for next time around. And if you're interested in coming on the show, to talk about your brand, email us here at info at Menswear. style.co.uk. In the meantime, here is Nicholas Wilson to tell you about himself and footsore.

Unknown: 1:27

Sure. So I was born and raised in London, always a big sportsman, keen sportsman, whether football, rugby, tennis, cricket, skiing, etc. A big part of my life and growing up. I moved to New York for college undergraduate, and then did a graduate degree in journalism in New York. And as during that period, where I was sort of entering the world of digital media content marketing, journalism, and when brands, the sort of DTC brands of our generation, the caspers, etc, were creating digital content and sort of publishing their own magazines and storytelling. And was when I really started to think about brand building and the brand that I really was attracted to at the time, mainly through their sort of YouTube videos and amazing aesthetic was refer this liking brand from London, which I came across during that period and spent a lot of time in the coffee shop, and was a big inspiration for me and what they've created.

PB: 2:32

I see. So, going from New York, coming back to London is that when you've discovered footsoldiers, it kind of on the plane on the way over.

Unknown: 2:41

Yeah, it was a sort of, I was playing a lot of amateur football after work on a sort of Wednesday, Thursday night in New York. And I recognise that, you know, the experience of playing football hadn't changed for me for 20 years. You know, all around me, there were these experiences from yoga studios and Pilates. And whether it's Barry's Bootcamp or you know, we captured a community and people stayed and hung out at the bar afterwards and had a shower and got changed and went back to work. Football was still you know, you turn up you pay a fiver to the organiser. It's all done on WhatsApp, all very manual, someone's dropping out last minute, you've got to find a ringer from the side of the pitch. And I was always just a bit disappointed that this experience that obviously so many of us loved, and was a huge highlight of our week, was often badly organised and sort of hadn't really evolved. You know, in the past 20 years or so I've always thought there was an opportunity to bring the football amateur football experience to another level, which is something that we were aiming to do first your product and then through experiences and community. Maybe we

PB: 3:53

should also just describe futsal is and perhaps even the best place to do that. How do you how do you to show it to your friends? Sure. So

Unknown: 4:03

we call it a sort of lifestyle destination for football lovers. We produce primarily football apparel that suitable both on an offer pitch that isn't tied to any professional team or clubs. I always felt as a big football fan myself I would never wear or I would rarely buy any football kit. People I was playing were often wearing you know Lululemon shorts or old cotton, rock'n'roll T shirts to play, there was rarely any sort of new Nike, Adidas, Man United or Chelsea gear. And I started making me think as a consumer, you know, there weren't many options for me. And I was you know, wasn't buying football specific apparel. So, you know, I thought there was an opportunity to create something that is obviously football in its design aesthetics, but it may be a bit softer in terms of graphic xx without sponsorship and garish Chevrolet logos and bright, brighter colours suited for the television. I thought there was something possible a bit softer and and I guess a bit more stylish.

PB: 5:15

And also without a name on the back with a player that's gonna get sold in the transfer window that maybe any laughs stuck with 108 you can top that you can't wait because he's gone to your rival team or their shirts athleisure in terms of can you play football? And these? Are they designed for playing football in the park? Or are they designed for more kind of social events and going out?

Unknown: 5:41

Definitely. So something we noticed early on in doing bit of research amongst players and friends is, as I said, you know, people were playing in cotton T shirts in old vintage gear from the 80s. And it didn't seem to affect their performance. So we realised you know, the newest Nike Dri Fit and added as, you know, extra tights the Spurs Jersey doesn't make it doesn't make your fibre site performance much better. So yeah, we realised that there is a possibility to use these fabrics that are obviously sweat wicking and have the performance of athletic fabrics, but they're also more suitable for leisure wear. Something we're looking at is a lot of fabrics are sort of PK polyester, which is as old cotton style, we have a bit of a sort of variation in the fabric is not totally flat. And we're looking at bringing in, you know, older fabrics that were used in the 80s and 90s, such as Merino and was into our performance based so it's a mix of modern polyesters and old, traditional sports fabrics.

PB: 6:56

are you designing these yourself? Are you kind of recruiting we

Unknown: 7:00

have? Yeah, we have. Yeah, we have a design team. Luke and the Tom's Luke is a sort of advisor slash sort of creative director, who was x Rafa and track Smith. I'm not sure if you know, the running brand out of Boston. But yeah, he's been helping from the early days, setting the positioning and trying to find a space where we are definitely not competing with the Nike and Adidas is of the world because it's pretty impossible.

PB: 7:30

What's the point? Yeah, So how old is the brand now then. So it's,

Unknown: 7:35

it's definitely a COVID COVID story, launched late last year, sort of this time last year, actually, with our first collection of four jerseys, different colours. And we quite consciously decided from the get go that you know, we would stick to perfecting the football jersey and our take on it first. So we've done a few different designs, collaborations, some more sort of graphic influenced some more understated, just to get a sense of you know, how we can produce these what how the supply chain works, who are different suppliers, our timelines, etc. And now we're looking to sort of expand that we've landed our first retail partner launching in for the World Cup. And we are expanding the product range to sort of create a capsule collection, which we'll be presenting early next year.

PB: 8:32

And was the World Cup always like a destination in your mind when you are starting the brand as to will soft market but then really hope to get on the on the jet flames of the World Cup and catapult the brand?

Unknown: 8:45

Yeah, it's a good question. I mean, I think in general, there's so much noise around the World Cup, every brand is obviously trying to do something football oriented. So you know, maybe it was a strategic decision to actually stay away from it until, while we're so small. And you know, we don't want to compete on keywords in such a popular moment, although we're not doing much digital ads. But it wouldn't really make sense. But it does definitely make sense as a sort of what we'll be doing later this month is sort of our first test events for community building, to bringing people together in an environment where, you know, we can share the brand story and sort of test our assumption of people wanting to watch football in a nice environment. Not the sort of standard lager filled pub where you know, you don't know who you're standing next to and what they're going to be sharing.

PB: 9:40

Which is great, by the way when you're in your mid 20s. I've discovered the middle of Wetherspoons but but also, I mean I remember doing that was in one of the World Cups of South Africa World Cup, so I guess I'm early 40s By that point, but it was a real convivial atmosphere, all my mates everyone from cars struction and we're all just waiting for a girl. But the tournament was so miserable. I mean, that was the one where we absolutely got dumped by Germany as well, I think for one somewhere. But us all you want to do when you're a fan in the pub is for us to score a goal. Like when it's when it's a druggie nail now or like, you know, there's, there's nothing going on the game and we're crap or we get talked for one. The pub is actually the worst place because people have just been there pretty much all day. And now they now they can't get all of a can't fend, can they? They can't get all of that stuff out by cheering on anything. So they kind of take that and trailblaze out into the streets afterwards, and it becomes something else.

Unknown: 10:42

Yeah, yeah, the atmosphere is pretty sour quite quickly. Yeah. Yeah.

PB: 10:48

Sorry, I digress. I've just, I've just recapped a load of my days in the pub. So yeah, much more. Now. I'm in now number four is very much got to watch it on the telly at home and put my tops on. Invite the guys around and have that kind of Yeah, that atmosphere at home and safe course. Yeah. But yeah, sorry, just going back to what you're saying about having something. I mean, you didn't plan it to be on the back of the bowl cup. But something that could also get swallowed up. In that time. I remember I had booked a launch with my book about James Bond style. And the film, no time to die was coming out. For all this would be perfect, you know, released a book film comes out. And then we just discovered, oh, this is just gonna get swallowed up. And you want to release a book around this time and compete with like trailers on TV and brands bringing out their own stuff like jumpers and

Unknown: 11:40

anyway, so yeah, well, yeah.

PB: 11:43

50 really, with what to do with that? It's tricky.

Unknown: 11:46

Ya know, always seems like the a good idea. And then you realise, actually, maybe it's best to just sit this one out and wait to hear there's a bit more power behind you to actually have an impact.

PB: 11:58

But did you find when there was pandemic and locked down that people had more time on their hands anyway. So in order to get hold of people that might be hard to reach like that? Perhaps were too busy to pick up the phone, they had almost a lot of downtime. So it was quite good to create a project like this. Because it was people more accessible. Did you find that? Yeah,

Unknown: 12:20

I think I mean, I think I think what was really noticeable was how we were all remote. I was in I was in the UK, another was in Spain. Two others were in Margate. So it was really started online, this brand and through zoom, which is fascinating to see. And what did get difficult was as soon as sort of products to touch and feel and fabric choices, sending that round the world four times in getting each person to touch and feel it gets a bit more difficult. That's where you really want everyone in the same room where you can pin stuff up and sort of just make decisions quickly. Thankfully, now, we were able to do that, and can move a bit faster. But yeah, that was definitely a learning.

PB: 13:07

And you mentioned that you got a retail partner now. So how's that shaped?

Unknown: 13:11

Yeah, we're, we're excited. We don't really they're about to launch in the next two weeks. I think sort of still under wraps. But yeah, we'll we'll see. It's a big store on Oxford Street. So we'll set a bit of a different target audience to who we had initially imagined. But you know, they approached us we're excited to come through.

PB: 13:35

Oh, that's, that's much better. I mean, I know. Yeah. You must be pitching it around as well. And hoping that, you know, people, people become aware of the brand, but for them to come to you must be quite quite fun. Definitely. Yeah.

Unknown: 13:45

I mean, I think yeah, it's, it's always nice to have that. And, you know, come January we'll, we'll be pitching to others will hopefully get a few more on board. Yeah, definitely.

PB: 13:56

So I'm always intrigued. The Ico when I'd much rather start talking to brands at startups. And they're in their kind of infancy as it were, I know you've been going a couple of years, but rather than, like the household name brands and getting people on like designers and stuff, because I feel like a lot of people are in your position that want to start a brand, maybe don't know how, but also don't really know how to raise capital. So that's something that's always my most. For me, my most interesting point of discussion is how you got the capital to raise it. Get the brand off, like definitely.

Unknown: 14:31

You know, now it's not an easy time, in general, especially for consumer brands, and the days of the Warby Parker's and the caspers and DTC brands out in New York where there's sort of big differentiation, those days are finished. And I think people are aware that the growth trajectory from a consumer brand is very different than that of a sort of software, SAS startup. So Uh, yeah, I mean, we started with a very small friends and family round. And we're sort of still sort of relying on that we don't have major plans to go to VC or that kind of route, potentially, you know, we would be looking at more strategic investment from an ex footballer, or someone who celebrity a big fan of big fan of the sport to, you know, could become an ambassador for the brand. That would obviously be a more clear route for us. But also, we want to build something that's sustainable from the start. So hence, the wholesale model for us has become quite important. And that's something where we're sort of pivoting towards with the idea to grow the direct to consumer side with the wholesale side. So we can actually have retail partners who are who are showcasing the brand and finding our audience through them as well as sort of playing around on the on the DTC side and figuring that out.

PB: 16:04

Yeah, must be quite interesting to have an ambassador, that's an ex footballer. I'm trying to think of someone that's more suited. I mean, linic is always a safe bet, isn't he? I mean, because you also have to think down the road like what, what football and might get embroiled in a scandal and all those things. So yeah, trying to pinpoint someone that also that's not so divisive. Sounds like you throw it on Gary Neville, no, Liverpool fans going to be buying your Yeah, yeah. Right. So trying to find that balance.

Unknown: 16:37

I think that's that's also why we're looking at, you know, not only, I think, the nostalgia aspect to our sort of target audience, maybe feel closer to x players and current players. But also, obviously, the current players are associated with their clubs, predominantly. And so I think that's something we, I mean, like, we wouldn't say no to Harry Kane. But certainly we would, we would, not necessarily,

PB: 17:05

yeah, I'm sure you'd be picking up the phone, even if you have to, you know, say goodbye to a lot of Ghana supporters that might be buying your brand new. Cool. The brand looks terrific. I was just showing a couple of screen grabs here. We'll be putting this on YouTube. So people will have an idea. And flame, obviously, you can check out the brand@football.com. I'll put all the links over in the show notes. But did you do all the photos yourself? Was it all kind of in house? Because they look look fantastic?

Unknown: 17:37

Yeah, so it's something we were thinking about. And I think the pandemic sort of started this, they will. Each project is sort of, let's call it a capsule. So this one you're sharing now is a printed goods collaboration that was with a specific photographer was introduced by the two guys a friend of theirs. And you know, we always think that a connection between the subject and the photographer is always helpful. There's a there's a general, relaxed atmosphere around the subject, they don't feel tight and uneasy. So at the moment, it's all been with a few different people here. But we do feel longterm, having a sort of in house style that's immediately recognisable, is probably beneficial for that consistency. We look at brands like Emily on door, which is, you know, one of our favourite pin ups, and you know, what they just do so well as their styling and consistency. And look, you know, they've been copied everywhere, but you still know which one? Which one's the authentic one. So yeah, I think that that's important moving forward. But yeah, we did a shoot in Rio. And that was really just finding local photographers who we could send some product to, and have them shoot it in their own style and way. And that, yeah, that turned out really well.

PB: 18:55

The cat just jumped on the laptop and press the load. So that doesn't mean anything to it. Just still recording the recording. I think I didn't completely sabotage it. Yeah. And so any plans to get into bricks and mortar outside of the concessions that you might have with a retailer that are going to do anything like a pop up to test them out?

Unknown: 19:16

Yeah, I think yeah, definitely down the line. Our vision, you know, much like the rapper style is to have these sort of clubhouses, where people could come and watch games have a retail floor where people can browse and speak about product and speak about football with like minded audiences, have a space where you can watch games in a nice environment with, you know, familiar faces and even have your leagues and games organised through the brand. You know, I've always felt, you know, if I were to go to New York for business now, and I wanted to play a game of pickup football on a Wednesday night, it'd be pretty much impossible. I'd have to sort of text around old old groups and probably getting gnawed. So I ended up sort of standing at pitchside her like with my hand in the air hoping for someone to drop out and get in. But you know, I ideally, I could just book a book a slot and turn up and you know, play with some people and that would be the dream. So that's hopefully something where we can get to in the near future.

PB: 20:19

So, what's your position? I mean, five aside, is it fine besides just kind of like a free for all? Like, you don't really have defence made an attack? Or am I not doing it any justice?

Unknown: 20:31

Yeah, literally. Yeah, maybe? Yeah, I think probably smaller it is, the more the more loose the positions are. But yeah, I've graduated from being at the top of the pitch to slowly glide back to the goal. As I've gotten older,

PB: 20:49

you're still on the pitch though. Oh, Nico. Thanks for jumping on. I really, really dig the brand. Some I kind of liked the idea of wearing something that's fun and being around football, but not so on the nose. Like you say that you have to wear something so logo heavy, because I mean, even though I've follow a team, I don't follow logos as such. I don't wear any logos outside of what I might wear on my football tops or having something like you guys, actually, actually does a fix for me. So yeah, great. Where do you like to hang out with your social channels and people can find it.

Unknown: 21:28

Yeah, we're on Instagram at footsore. Dotco. Fu T. sol.co. That's the website. And yeah, we're only on Instagram right now. But if you subscribe to the newsletter, we'll be sending updates about any events that are happening in London. And yeah, hopefully see some people at some World Cup events and screenings.

PB: 21:53

Where are you going to watch it? Have you got your seat booked? Anyway,

Unknown: 21:56

as difficult around me, all the pubs have sort of given up on showing football on TV. So I think it's, you know, everywhere, everywhere sort of reduced. They will become gastro pubs in sort of given up predominantly at home or with friends. But yeah, we've got a few places in mind, where I'll book a table.

PB: 22:19

Nico from me, and from the cat. It's been great talking to you and I hope to catch up we can see you've been listening to the menswear style podcast, be sure to head over to menswear style.co uk for more menswear content and email info at menswear style.co.uk If you'd like to be a future guest on the show. Finally, please help support the show by leaving a review on iTunes or wherever you're listening to this podcast. Until next time,