Ahead of the release of the StockX exclusive Bully sneaker and apparel collection launching on July 24th, we spoke with George Heaton, co-founder and Creative Director at Represent Clothing.
Hosted at the brandās new studio, George takes us on a journey through his creative process, offering rare insights into the inspiration, craftsmanship, and unique elements behind this skate-inspired sneaker, as well as giving his views on the wider sneaker industry, and a preview of whatās next for Represent.
Tell us a little bit about Represent in your own words.
Represent selfishly has always been for ourselves, for me, for Mike (George’s brother andĀ Represent co-founder), and for our friends. The mission has always been to curate our perfect wardrobe. Top to bottom, shoe to hat. The vision of the brand is really the personal taste of us, and it develops & matures as we do.
Why did the brand make the move into sneakers?
We wanted to complete the Represent outfits. In the early years, weād shoot our collections with the latest sneaker drops or high-end classic silhouettes on feet, but it never felt right. We wanted to initialise a collection of footwear staples that completed the Represent looks.
Tell us about the design process and the inspiration behind the Bully silhouette.
The Bully introduction was a storyteller, Myself and Mike grew up wearing West Coast skate clothes. We rocked Adios & DCs for years, so when we saw the āchunky sneakerā and ādad shoeā silhouette arise, we took the Represent DNA and vintage skate-inspired assets that would create the Bully. The name adheres to the British Bullterrier, as we birth each shoe with a specific name, the shape of the toe follows the shape of a terrier’s head.
Describe the details, motifs, and techniques involved in producing this special version of the Bully?
The design is intricate. Starting from the ground up, the sole features a 3 part mould, with a semi-translucent heel and tread. Initial monogram embossed TPU pieces act to hold the upper and weave between the lace hoops. The upper is bulked out and fabricated with textured leather, suede and a ballistic nylon mesh. To the rear is a 3D TPU initial, which matches the tongue detailing.
Why partner with StockX?
We partnered with Stock X on this collaborative capsule to really introduce the Bully to the world, and offer an exclusive mix of hoodies & t-shirts to sit alongside the footwear silhouette.
What makes the Bully and this release in particular, a must-have for sneakerheads?
Itās the exclusivity of the product, along with the consistent attention to detail seen throughout the shoe design.
Is there a Represent piece past or present that means the most to you?
For myself, the most iconic piece weāve created is the Dusk Boot. This really kicked off our footwear journey in 2016.
We recently saw you guys in Paris – what were some of your takeaways from Fashion Week?
On the footwear front, I didnāt see a lot of newness coming through collaboration. The cartoonist trend is going strong and the industry is very split between technical and outlandish in shape and form. My favourite show from the season was Zegna. The ability to combine modern silhouettes, beautiful drapes and a great palette amazes me.
Following this release, what else do you have in the pipeline?
Our launch calendar is stacked week by week for the remainder of 2023, and weāre currently working on two collaborations for late 2024 which is far away, but something I canāt wait to launch.
The Represent x StockX Collection releases worldwide on the StockX website/app at 17:00 BST, Monday 24th July 2023. From Wednesday 26th July, it will be available in-store at StockXās Drop Off, 52 Brewer Street, London, W1F 9TQ.Ā
