NEWS


Gardiner Bros adds Base London to its portfolio G


ardiner Bros has announced that it has welcomed British heritage footwear brand, Base London, into its business. This milestone collaboration aligns with


Base London’s 30th anniversary, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the brand. This collaborative step brings together two respected names in UK footwear, combining Gardiners’ extensive multi-generational distribution expertise with Base London’s legacy of bold style and high-quality design. Established in 1995, Base London fuses British


style with sharp design engineering, carving out a niche for itself with its distinctive range of men’s footwear. This new alignment with Gardiner Bros, a family-run business boasting an extensive distribution network and licenses for several internationally recognised footwear brands including Sperry, Hush Puppies, and Muck Boots, is set to propel Base London into new markets and opportunities. This strategic alliance is seamlessly well-timed


to positively strengthen the upcoming launch of Base London’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection,


positioning the brand to benefit from Gardiner Bros’ widespread retail connections, broader market access, and targeted channel engagement. Brand Development Manager, Jolene Lay,


a 27-year veteran at Base London, expressed her enthusiasm about the integration: “This partnership is an incredible milestone for Base London. With Gardiner Bros’ robust distribution capabilities and deep understanding of the footwear industry, we are poised to inject new energy into our brand. Their expertise will not only


Art celebrates its European retail partners with window display competition


A


rt has been celebrating its 30th anniversary with the return of its European window competition – with


a top prize of €5,000! Second place received €3,000 and there were three third places


worth €1,000 each. The UK certainly embraced the creativity of


the competition and produced some fantastic window displays to compete with the top stores across Europe. Strolling 4 Shoes in Cumbria bagged second place and received €3,000 for


their imaginative window, while KBK Shoes in Bristol won third place and received €1,000. Other stores were highly commended for their


windows: Tinfish Shoes in Leicester, Modish in Cambridge, Imelda’s Shoe Boutique in Norwich, Twinkle Toes in Sheffield, Lime Shoe Co in Berwick-upon-Tweed, and Jurassic Outdoor in Swanage. Rob Sewell of Cocoon Partners, the London-


based fashion agency that manages the Art brand, said: “We would like to thank all the


stores for entering the competition and we hope to run this again in the near future, so stay tuned!”


help us reach new customers but also significantly scale up our e-commerce operations.” Base Founder, David Conibere, added: “After


three decades of building Base London, it’s a momentous occasion to pass the baton to Gardiner Bros. Their passion for footwear and their vision for Base London aligns seamlessly with ours. It’s comforting to know that the brand is in the hands of a company that is not only eager but also fully equipped to see it flourish.” And Gardiner Bros Director, Ben Gardiner, echoed these sentiments: “We are thrilled to be entering this exciting partnership with Base London. We have worked with and supported the brand and the team for many years and are committed to maintaining the brand’s legacy of quality, trend and innovation while expanding its visibility, reach and impact within the UK and beyond. Our experienced national sales team, coupled with the existing Base London brand and marketing team will drive the brand via a considered bricks and digital multi-channel approach. We see a very exciting future for Base London.”


DOWNLOAD THE FOOTWEAR TODAY APP NOW SPONSORED BY


AUGUST 2025 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • 5


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52