Browsing category: Look who’s wearing

George Banister and Will Vickery are cousins with a passion for high quality craftsmanship. They appreciate the care and skill that goes into every pair of Herring Shoes, particularly the Gosforth you can see them wearing.

We met with them at their workshops in Somerset where they create stunning Shepherd’s Huts to bespoke designs.

Originally conceived hundreds of years ago, Shepherd Huts first hit popularity in the Victorian era. The huts were made up on farms with whatever was to hand, if there was a resident carpenter then it would have involved mainly wood, if you had a blacksmith then it would have been more metal.

Today George and William are breathing new life into this traditional market, in much the same way we are helping new generations to discover the joy that traditionally crafted shoes can bring.

Kev Twigger is a veteran of the British Army who left in 2001 after serving 22 years with the Royal Signals. Kev and his fiancé Jo got married in the Autumn of 2016. Kev wanted to design something special and unique for their special day. So, as a customer of Herring, Kev made an enquiry about purchasing 5 meters of the same tweed we use on our Herring Dartmoor shoes for his special project. We were happy to oblige. Kev then had a bespoke three piece suit made in Herring tweed. As you can see from the photos Kev and Jo looked stunning on their special day and we are delighted to have been of help.

Marcus Trescothick is all about cricket. He grew up with it, plays it, he commentates on it, he coaches it, and he scouts for new players. In short, this is his passion…there is little time for anything else!

To say he just ‘plays it` seems rather dismissive. He made his debut for Somerset Cricket Club aged just 17 going onto clock more than 26,000 first class runs, including a club record of 66 centuries.

Already signed up for his 27th season for Somerset, he is currently amid his second testimonial season. There cannot be too many modern-day English cricketers who have stayed with one club for so long.
But what is impressive about Marcus`s passion is not just his longevity but his determination to keep evolving, which must keep the R word, ‘retirement`, at bay.

He said: “Only two seasons ago I was struggling with a type of bowler. I had to work really hard in the winter to come up with a different strategy. I had to retrain myself and I managed to get two 100s against that bowler the following season. You have to keep evolving.”

His early talent was recognised by England and for six years, 786 Tests and 5,825 runs, he was a constant at the crease as an opening batsman. His skills fully contributed to the glorious 2005 Ashes win when cricket was catapulted into the spotlight and these men in white became celebrities.
During the 2005 Ashes, Marcus played alongside and against some of his most-respected team mates and adversaries.

Former captains Michael Vaughan and Andrew Strauss both got the nod as his favourite opening partners while Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne were the toughest fast and spin bowlers respectively.

These were heady days for English cricket with sweet memories of swaying, inebriated cricket heroes visiting the Prime Minister, sporting sunglasses, bleached highlights and tattoos; but for Marcus, the heady days were short-lived.

His well-documented battle with anxiety and depression led to his withdrawal from the international game the following year. However, the end of his international involvement clearly did not result in the end of his first-class cricket career and he succeeded in managing his depression. Marcus is refreshingly open about his battles, leading the way for other sportsman to open up about their struggles.

He once said: “I would give everything I`ve got to feel ok again.”
And that sentiment still rings true.
He added: “You would give all the money you had to feel better. It`s 24/7; there`s no hiding from it. You feel so bad when you are in the midst of it and it`s a slow process recovering to feeling like you again.”

Of course, Marcus has regrets about having to give up his international career, but he knew his limits and that he had to prioritise himself and his family to stay healthy. One of his coping strategies is to keep busy.

Father to two daughters, 13-year-old Ellie and Millie, 10, he is interested in charities that support young people and has just completed his sixth charity bike ride for Children’s Hospice South West. He is also actively involved in the Professional Cricketers` Association`s Benevolent Fund aiming to help fellow cricketers who are struggling with mental illness, he is head of cricket development at Taunton School, he is an England scout and he is a Sky Sports TV pundit.

Marcus has risen above tough times to carve out a career in cricket that has stood the test of time. Somerset has already paid homage to Marcus`s exploits with two testimonials and a stand in his name at the County Ground while there are also two streets named after him in the Bristol area he grew up in: Trescothick Drive and Trescothick Close.

However, Marcus`s influence in the game and enthusiasm to raise awareness of mental health issues in sport will no doubt resonate for many years to come as he helps find and guide new generations of cricket players towards reaching their potential.

David Fitzgerald is a well-known face and voice around the south west. He is beamed into our living rooms on a regular basis as an anchor man for BBC Spotlight and has his own weekday radio show on BBC Devon, but his passions far outstrip his broadcasting prowess.

In complete contrast to his broadcasting life, which began in commercial radio in the 1980s, David is more than happy to dip out of the spotlight to follow his passion for wildlife and birdwatching.

Hot on the heels of a trip to Loch Long, David was eager to share his first sighting of a golden eagle.
He said: “It is a most magnificent creature; a light aircraft with a beak!”

David`s passion for birds and other wildlife has taken him across the world but he gets his fair share of exposure from his home in Ivybridge where he is delighted to report the bird of prey species, the kite, is gradually making its way down the A38.

Aside from writing scripts for TV, quiz questions and articles for local publications, David is a regular presenter for Children in Need and is a staunch supporter of the Devon Air Ambulance charity.

David has multiple interests but sometimes it is a single action that provides a clear insight into a person`s beliefs and character. David marched at the Cenotaph to mark Remembrance Sunday and the 100 years since the end of the First World War…but he wasn`t alone.

Of course, there were hundreds of active and retired servicemen and women by his side, but he had a particular companion. He led a blind veteran whose former guides had passed away.

He said: “This lovely lady was telling me that she would be unable to attend the march and I found myself saying I would do it with her.”

This mere mention of this volunteer role came up in passing as David relayed the details of his friendship with Falklands war hero Simon Weston CBE, who he has written four children`s books with and met with on Remembrance Sunday. Abundantly confident in his speaking skills, David was a little nervous about the Cenotaph march but knew former Welsh Guard Simon would give him some excellent pointers!

Herring Shoes was humbled to learn David wore a pair of our shoes for the march. It was a momentous occasion and David marked it in an honourable, practical and very human way; someone needed help and he stepped in. Lest we forget.

David is also pictured wearing the classic Richmond brogue in tan, one of our most popular styles.

Simon Weston CBE is a veteran of the British Army who became well known throughout the United Kingdom for his recovery and charity work after suffering 46 percent burn injuries during the Falklands War.

Simon is a highly respected speaker, whose talks on overcoming adversity and self belief are inspirational. He is also a very funny man with a great sense of humour which made it a priviledge to meet him.

As a customer of Herring, Simon was delighted to have the chance to meet up and have his shoes fitted. We met up at the stunning Malston Mill holiday cottages down here in South Devon.

In April 2016 we were delighted to fit Simon’s son James and wedding party with more Herring shoes for his upcoming wedding.

Lee Butler started out with an apprenticeship with Westley Richards before becoming E.J. Churchill workshop foreman in 1999.

Since 2012 he has been making guns under his own name and carries out action work for many ‘Best Gun’ makers, including work under contract from E.J. Churchill. He works from the original E.J.Churchill workshops in High Wycombe, where we met him to fit him with some Herring shoes.

It takes around 1200 hours to produce a shotgun by hand so he is well positioned to appreciated the 200 operations that go into a pair of our english handmade shoes.

At Herring we always applaud passion, craftsmanship and Britishness. In Lee Butler we met a man who embodies all of those things.

Jahmene Douglas is a soul and gospel singer that captivated us on the X Factor in 2012. He came second and released his beautiful debut album “Love Never Fails” in 2013.

We visited him at his flat in London to fit him with some more of the Herring shoes that he loves and took the opportunity to find out more about his future plans which sound very exciting. He was an absolute gentleman and it was great to see how much he loves his shoes.

Jahmene is absolutely committed to his music in the same way that we are to the shoe business so it was a really uplifting experience to meet him.

We are really looking forward to his next album!

You will see the Shackleton two-tone shoe along with the Monarch slipper and Hyde two-tone in the slideshow.

Timmy Mallett is a household name in the UK, famous for his children’s TV shows in the 1990’s. He now runs his own TV production company but what is really amazing about Timmy is his success as an artist.

Mallett won the Fine Art Trade Guild Award for Best Up and Coming Artist 2012. Timmy`s artwork is recognised worldwide and his work is widely collected.

You can see a pair of our shoes that Timmy customised in his own unique way in the photos. As Timmy said, “The shoes are like an artwork – Utterly Brilliant!”

John is the man that runs DHL all over europe so we were very pleased that he chose Herring shoes. When he came for a fitting we asked him some questions.

What makes you passionate about what you do?….

I think that builds and changes over time. When you have worked for a company for a long time – its a combination of many things. Looking to make things better for customers, helping people make their own way in the company, getting good results and knowing you work for the most international company in the world !

What makes DHL the ideal company to fulfill that passion?….

We are open, practical and give people a lot of room to move. Different people have different passions to fulfill and this style allows for that. The lines on the pitch are drawn out but how you are able to play within that is up to you.

How does DHL help Herring to grow?

To be honest I think its a great match. We have a shared goal of quality and loyalty. What’s more Herring have customers in all four corners of the world and our network allows companies that reach and to break into new markets they may not be in. Moreover we have a great local team that feels close to the business and deliver what’s needed.

What makes Herrings stand out as a business and as a shoe maker?

Its an easy question for me because I have had the benefit of seeing the operation “at first hand” – You get the feeling that every pair of shoes has been seen, touched and checked by the people that run the business. It’s a great example of a small team that pushes for quality and customer satisfaction. I cant think that many people buy a different brand once they have bought a pair !

Lastly, they are based in a great part of the world so that makes driving down and picking up a pair pretty enjoyable !

Jaz shot to fame with his acapella rendition of ordinary people on “The Voice”. His moving singing brought Will.i.am who wrote the song, to tears.

Jaz was then a semi-finalist in the competition and won many people’s hearts. Unsurprisingly there has been a lot of interest in his musical career and we were excited to get a preview of his new single!

When it is released we will update this page with details.

Whenever anyone introduces Will Carling, his name will always be accompanied by “the former England captain”, but with all respect to Will, that was more than 20 years ago!

That is not to say his rugby achievements were not plentiful. England’s youngest-ever captain at 22, he led his side to three Five Nations Grand Slams, a long-awaited win at Cardiff Arms Park against Wales, victories over Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, two Rugby World Cups, a British & Irish Lions tour and 72 international caps. All in an era when rugby players were not being paid and their shirts were rather voluminous!

And as captain, Will was seemingly unafraid to speak his mind. The RFU general committee were the recipients of the famous “57 old farts” accolade while the late, great All Black winger Jonah Lomu was respectfully described in a post-match interview as a “freak”.

Will played four years in the professional era but was not overly inspired by the full-time experience. He retired in 2000, so what has he been up to until his England team appointment in 2018?

Professionally, he set up his own company, WCM, in 1999, to provide a bespoke calendar of small, exclusive events. The centre-turned-motivational speaker uses his little black book to create business events attended by sporting icons. He also seeks out sporting sponsorship deals.

He has put his own passion for cycling into these events with The Pack – an elite cycling club for the corporate world – offering star-studded events on two wheels, complete with the logistical support of lead vehicles, outriders, group leaders and mechanics.

Will said: “I’m not built for cycling, but I love it! I have never been able to run on roads, but I can get on a bike and go out for a couple of hours. It’s a great way of getting some exercise without coming home broken!”

Personally, he is all about the family – wife Lisa and five children. Any article you read about Will now, he cites Lisa as being his saving grace who taught him that life was more than a game of rugby. We suspect Will is a big softie at heart!

“I am massively focussed on my family. Lisa and I have five kids between us, and they are my ultimate focus.”

More recently though he has resurfaced in Eddie Jones’ England set-up as a mentor to develop the leadership skills of the senior players. Leadership has developed into a real passion. Whereas he has his experience as a national team captain, a stint in the Army and a psychology degree from Durham University to draw from, he is continually finding leadership inspiration from other sources.

He said: “You need to be curious. You need to be inquisitive. You need to ask yourself, ‘What can I learn from this?’

“I take inspiration from all sorts of different people. The other day I attended an event with Sarah Hunter, the women’s England team captain and she talked about selection. They allow people a little bit of time to come to terms with selection before they do a training session; and I remember thinking what a great approach.”

He added: “If you want to lead, there is no break from it. It’s about how you behave. It can be very demanding but if you love the people you play alongside and want the team to do well, then it can be a wonderful thing.”

Will’s observation skills are a lifelong habit. He admits to being shy and happier to stand in a corner of a room watching what’s going on rather than being in the centre of a throng.

“My 16-year-old daughter is just like me. She will walk into a room and she will want to observe people and work out what’s what. That’s me! People think you are aloof. They expect you to strut in and say, ‘Here I am’, but I have never been like that. I am still a shy person; I don’t like being the centre of what`s going on.”

If Will had been born in New Zealand, he would probably have been described as humble, while the English media often label a shy person as stand-offish or arrogant. To be shy and a focus of media attention is a tough gig. He was a sportsman not a film star but ended up attracting as much attention as one. All he wanted was to play rugby.

“I just loved the team I played with. All I hope is that the current England guys love their team too. If that’s how they feel, then that’s brilliant.”

You see, a bit of a softie! Herring Shoes is fully on board with that.

Kay Tokner was born and raised in Bad Kreuznach, Germany.
He started playing the piano at the age of three. Since then he has sung in the world famous choir “Regensburger Domspatzen” and become a composer.

He specialises in composing corporate music that tries to convey a company’s message musically and emotionally. He creates corporate music themed events and live piano events.

John Hagger is the founder of Tanner Bates in South West Devon.

Based in Dartington, John creates beautiful products from a special material called Oak-bark leather. He makes the Herring Oak-bark belt for us and we took a video of the process for you to enjoy below.

Oak-bark leather is made by placing the leather into large pits with water and Oak-bark chippings – no chemicals are used whatsoever. The tanning process then takes upto 18 months. This makes the leather very hard wearing and flexible. The perfect belt material in fact.

Please take a look at John’s website to see the other leather goods he has on offer.

Professor Greg Whyte, a former international modern pentathlete, competed in two Olympic Games and is a European and World Championship medalist. He is an expert in the field of sports science, graduating from Brunel University; He furthered his studies with an MSc in human performance and completed his PhD at St. Georges Hospital Medical School.

Greg is well-known for his involvement in Comic Relief, since 2006 Greg has applied his sports science work to assist various celebrities in completing some of the toughest challenges. Greg has trained, motivated and successfully coached the comedian David Walliams to swim across the English Channel and recently the entire length of the Thames; James Cracknell to run, cycle and swim to Africa; Cheryl Cole, Chris Moyles and Gary Barlow to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro; Eddie Izzard to run a remarkable 43 marathons in 50 days and more recently Christine Bleakley to waterski across the Channel, as well as a whole team of celebrities, including Dermot O`Leary, to cross the driest desert in Africa.

From footballer to pundit to the jungle in I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Ian Wright MBE has had a high profile and very successful career. Ian enjoyed success with London clubs Crystal Palace and Arsenal. With Arsenal he has lifted the Premier League title, both major domestic trophies and the European Cup Winners Cup. He played 581 league games, scoring 387 goals for seven clubs and earned 33 caps for the English national team.

Ian is extremely knowledgeable about English handmade shoes and found it hard to choose between the mock-croc Herring Jagger or two tone Blenheim for his wedding shoes, but eventually chose the Jagger. We are delighted that he is a Herring Ambassador and is often seen wearing our shoes.

Sven Raphael Schneider is the proud owner and editor of the Gentleman`s Gazette, an online magazine for men interested in living a cultured lifestyle, published in English and German. Mr. Schneider aspires to make the Gentleman`s Gazette the essential resource for savoir vivre and heritage craftsmanship, where enlightened peers from around the world can gather to engage one another. Born and raised in Germany, he now resides in the US.

His critical eye, passion for detail and enthusiasm for history make him an up-and-coming authority on traditional elegance. His work puts him at the forefront of the movement to bring classic style and workmanship to the next generation of sartorial enthusiasts. When we sent him a pair of our shoes to try he was so impressed he sent us these photos.

Evgeny Balabanov is an entrepreneur from Moscow. He was kind enough to send us these photos from his wedding day where he wore the Herring Hyde correspondent shoes.

His wife has a small gallery where they exhibit the works of Russian painters.

Project ArtFabrikant was launched in 2007. It aims to present to the talent, and genius of the human being.

A programme of regular exhibitions targets private collectors as well as corporate buyers and often runs for a charity cause.

Money raised from paintings’ sale will be donated to finance the opening of the Russian Orthodox School in London.

Henare likes to refer to the whole of New Zealand’s South Island as his “back yard”

Henare explained, “In the winter season as a Heli-Ski guide I find the best powder snow for my clients. As the seasons turn and the snow melts into our crystal clear rivers, I become a fishing guide seeking out the best wild rainbow and brown trout for my clients.”

As a licensed Real Estate Broker, Henare also assists clients to find their own piece of paradise, the ultimate souvenir he likes to call it.

He is totally passionate about New Zealand and loves showing it off!

We met up with Charley on the day he took possession of his new handmade custom bike “The Boorman Bobber”.

The bike, made by John from Hawg Haven in Norfolk, is the culmination of a three year project.

Charley took part in Long Way Round, an international motorcycle trip from London to New York via Europe and Asia with actor Ewan McGregor in 2004.

This was recorded, then later made into a television series, book and DVD. The series was shown around the world and the DVD and book became best sellers.

Herring Shoes are proud to sponsor Mark and his father at Jacasey-Racing.

Mark started riding motorbikes at the age of 13. His first bike was a RM125 motocrosser. On his 18th birthday he did his first track day at Mallory Park on a Kawasaki ZXR 400 and after that he was hooked. He then got himself a Yamaha 600cc and started doing track days.

It wasn`t long before he was getting quicker and quicker and so he decided to start racing in March 2008 with Bemsee in the MRO rookie 600 class.

His first rookie year he finished 8th in class, his second year he went into the MRO 600 Super Sport Clubman`s and he finished 3rd in class. Last year they decided to get a tuned engine for more power but with that they lost reliability and the engine blew three times which cost them dearly but he still finished 5th in class.