The footwear brand and Steve Sanderson from the legendary Manchester store highlight the Northern Quarter in this ‘Boots Explorer’ clip
On paper it’s Birmingham. The second biggest city in the UK. And, in terms of size and population, that’s true. But if you consider any other variables, such as music, art, sport and fashion, Manchester is at No 2, snapping at London’s puffed up back. Some people would even argue it’s London that’s behind. Nevertheless, Manchester has – especially in the last 30 odd years through its music scene and football success – done a great deal to further the UK from a cultural point of view.Though most avant-garde fashion has come out of London, ‘the North’ in general has developed a knack for discarding conceptual clothes in favour of wearable and functional everyday clothes. Might sound a tad boring. But, on the contrary, to make wardrobe staples attractive is arguably more difficult than letting your fantasy loose on a directional show piece.
As a consequence, there are several local first class retail outlets dedicated to selling this lifestyle. As one of the pioneers, Oi Polloi is a world renowned shop, known amongst contemporary casualwear customers for their “good quality and good looking gear that’s fit for purpose.” Owners Steve Sanderson and Nigel Lawson set up shop in 2002 and now, with more than a decade behind them, the brand is as strong as ever. Talk to Steve and his crew and you’re faced with a down to earth quality that’s in the business for all the right reasons: finding and selling top gear that you not just put at the back of the wardrobe for another day, but start wearing immediately.
Manchester, the city, is a big part of the fundamental philosophy behind Oi Polloi. The buildings, the people, the attitude, their lives… all come in to play when you look at the bigger picture… which is exactly what Steve does in this brief clip filmed to coincide with footwear experts Palladium’s ‘Boots Explorer’ series. Walking through Manchester’s Northern Quarter, Steve talks about his own experiences of the city, and his view point on the past, present and future.
