In conversation with… INTERVIEW
This year Base London celebrated its 30th anniversary, and as the brand’s Marketing Manager, Steve Rolls, tells Footwear Today, it was the ideal opportunity to relive the brand’s accessible British design and unmistakable cheeky spirit of the 90s and how that translates for the next generation…
B
ack in 1995, in the middle of the Brit pop era and the lad culture boom, Base London was born offering smart,
fashion-aware shoes at prices that young men could actually afford. It was a time of cheeky advertising and the explosion of magazines like Loaded and FHM, and Base London took full advantage and burst onto the footwear scene with a bit of attitude and a slightly mischievous tone. However, the one thing the brand always
took seriously was the footwear itself, and Base took the market by storm, very quickly growing across the country and throughout the high street with its sharp styles and bold campaigns. “As the brand matured, that early energy
evolved but never disappeared,” explains Steve Rolls, Base London’s Marketing Manager. “Today, we still sit firmly in that smart-casual space just with a more modern, refined take. Mr Rolls adds: “My role focuses on brand
marketing and product storytelling, making sure we keep that original spark alive, but in a way that speaks to how men dress now. It’s less laddish, more inclusive and grown-up, but still rooted in what made Base special in the first place: confidence, character and footwear that helps men feel their best without the premium price tag.” This year Base London celebrated its 30th
anniversary, but instead of embarking on a huge campaign, it took the opportunity to pause and think about its origins and what the next chapter will look like for the brand. The timing lined up with its move over to Gardiner Bros – a collaboration
that brings together two respected names in UK footwear. “Turning 30 was a big milestone
for us,” continues Mr Rolls, “so it felt right to take a step back and look at what’s always made Base London click with men, and how we carry that forward for today’s consumer. “It gave us a bit of a reset moment.
We went back to our core values – accessible style, modern British design and that slightly cheeky sense of confidence the brand’s always had – and looked at how they translate for a new generation. We kept the spirit of the 90s where it made sense, but without leaning too heavily on nostalgia. “The goal was to move forward, not look back, ensuring that the Base brand feels current, confident and ready for the next 30 years!”
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