was a combination of sales, marketing and events, together with the production of good quality footwear.
“We started from the back of a van borrowed from a friend and we really did it the hard way, getting out and meeting people face-to-face at events and markets around the North West and up and down the country.
“We wanted to create a brand that represents the people of Lancashire, what they wear and what they do. It is about history and heritage but with a modern twist.”
The difficulty of getting into the footwear world also appealed to Marco. He says: “Making a shoe is an intricate process to get right. You don’t see a lot of new entrants to such a specialist industry and that was an exciting challenge.”
The majority of LANX’s footwear styles and collections are handmade in the UK. Three of its partner factories are based in the UK, including one manufacturer in Rossendale, which is the historic heart of the industry in Lancashire.
Maintaining high quality is vital. Marco explains how LANX works with its network of independent shoemakers to ensure the best craftsmanship for each specific style in its range.
Every LANX shoe is designed and crafted
individually and made with the finest leathers and British-sourced materials and textiles, with much sourced in the North of England.
We wanted to create a brand that represents
the people of Lancashire, what they wear and what they do
This September sees the launch of the company’s ‘365 Vibram’ range, which marks a new outdoor footwear direction for the company.
Getting a new LANX shoe from design stage to point of sale can take anything from 18 months to two years, “If you are doing it the correct way”. The new range has been three years in the making. “We wanted to get it right,” Marco adds.
As part of its continuing development LANX brought in Lancashire branding agency Studio Up North (SUN) to come up with a new strapline that epitomises its fresh brand direction – true to its Lancashire roots the rallying cry is ‘Get ‘em worn’.
The business has enjoyed a number of successful profile-raising sporting tie-ups,
creating special ranges for rugby union’s Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks, as well as Wigan Warriors and England’s national rugby league side.
LANX is now the official formal footwear provider for Wales Rugby Union for the next three years. Players will be wearing custom LANX shoes ahead of the 2023 World Cup in France and the bespoke WRU shoe will be available for supporters to buy too.
There are also a growing number of LANX clothing options, including an England rugby supporters’ shirt. Marco says: “These are really nice ways to get the brand recognised and also fit really well with our target demographic.”
Joe Foster, who built his family’s Bolton footwear business into the multi-billion dollar global giant Reebok, remains an inspiration to Marco.
Joe recounted his experiences at a North West creators meet up event in Whalley, hosted by LANX, and his story left a lasting impression.
Marco says: “I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from Joe. If it was possible to do what he did so many years ago, why can’t another brand from the North West do the same? It makes you think and it’s certainly something to aspire to.”
Watch this space.
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THE BIG INTERVIEW
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