Oliver Sweeney Brogues with Johnnie Walker mini whisky bottle in the heel‏

JOHNNIE WALKER® RED LABEL® has teamed up with men’s footwear and accessories label, Oliver Sweeney, to craft the most challenging, different and stylish innovation in the industry to date.

The JOHNNIE WALKER Oliver Sweeney Brogue is a footwear first – and goes to show that when the perfect brand collaboration brings together style, design and flair, as well as a passionate attention to detail, the most ambitious brief can be overcome.

The JOHNNIE WALKER Oliver Sweeney Brogue is the sophisticated alternative to a classic, as constructed within each expertly crafted heel is a miniature of JOHNNIE WALKER RED LABEL. Taking its lead from the platform and stack heel trend, the classic Oxford style Brogue will see you enjoy a bold night out with added street style thanks to its classic punching and wingtip detail.

Renowned for its bold, characterful taste, JOHNNIE WALKER RED LABEL is balanced to shine through even when mixed, so both a bottle of Ginger Ale and a recipe card are included in the shoe box, enabling you to enjoy the new serve, JOHNNIE & GINGER.

 Collaborative partner Oliver Sweeney has proven the devil is in the detail with 130 pairs crafted – each taking two days to make, using only the finest calf leather – completed with the iconic JOHNNIE WALKER ‘striding man’ tattooed directly onto the leather.
The design also sees the signature JOHNNIE WALKER RED LABEL colours feature in the stitching, inner sole and dust bag, while the leather is a tanned whisky colour. The launch comes as the whisky brand launches The Bold Collections; a series of ventures fusing drinks and design.

Available in Oliver Sweeney stores Price £295 and online:

http://www.oliversweeney.com/tattoo/tattoo-products/info/johnnie-tan-leather-brogue/joniletan.html

Designer Matthew Miller Collaborates with Footwear Specialist Oliver Sweeney

Available soon from www.oliversweeney.com

After all the Jubilee celebrations, Put your feet up in Oliver Sweeney

You need a rest now after all that standing and dancing you did over the Diamond Jubilee weekend. Then put your feet up in true British style.

Available from www.oliversweeney.com

Celebrate the Diamond Jubilee in Sartorial Style

Being patriotic is easier with casual clothes but for the sartorial look a more subtle approach is best.

M&S Luxury Pure Wool single breasted blazer in navy has just the right amount of patriotism with a Union Jack outline pattern on the lining in red. You may have to enlarge the image to make the pattern out it is so subtle Fabric: 100% British pure new wool from the Alfred Brown Worsted Mills in Yorkshire. Price £129 from www.marksandspencer.com

Team with a white, pale blue or even red shirt and add this Charles Tyrwhitt’s Union Jack patterned tie in 100% silk. Was £80 now £39.95

Available from www.ctshirts.co.uk 

Best worn with grey flannels to keep the smart tailored look.

 Add a few Union Jack Accessories:

For that dapper touch add a Gieves and Hawkes silk Jubilee pocket square. Available from the Selfridges Big British Bang Campaign which is paying tribute to all things truly British to mark the Diamond Jubilee and Olympics.   www.selfridges.com/Big-British-Bang  

Splash out and flash a bit of boldness now and again with this Jimmy Choo Albany folded wallet in Union Jack printed denim. Price £250 www.jimmychoo.com

Feel the love of the celebrations with Sonia Spencer’s GB enamelled circular love cufflinks Price £42.95

www.soniaspencer.co.uk

Red, sky, white & navy Union Jack socks from Charles Tyrwhitt.  Fabric: 79% cotton, 20% nylon and 1% elastane. Price was £20 now £9.95

Complete with a pair of Oliver Sweeney’s Ibbotson blue loafers. Price £155 www.oliversweeney.co.uk

Oliver Sweeney inspired by Ben Helfgott, the British Olympic Weightlifting Legend

It's the year of the British Olympics and many brands are showing their support.
Footwear brand Oliver Sweeney thought it would be great to keep it in the 'family' and took inspiration from the British Olympic legend Ben Helfgott's vintage weightlifting boots. One of Ben's sons, Maurice, is part of the team responsible for the day to day running of Sweeney.

The first is 'Ben' -  an ankle boot in calf leather with a calf lining and micro rubber sole.
Made in the blake rapid construction method, it carries the white reinforcing stitches of the original boot which makes a striking statement. The robust laces are braided and waxed.
Price £350

The second is the 'Helfgott' - a low boot in calf with a calf lining and leather sole.
The sturdy strap was designed on the origianl boot to prevent the lifter's foot from sliding in the boot. Still giving some support, the strap now adds a sartorial style to the look..

Price £350
Available in selected Oliver Sweeney stores and online at www.oliversweeney.com

Ben Helfgott
Born in Poland on 22 November 1929, Ben survived the Holocaust, although almost all of his family did not. He came to England in a party of 700 orphans after the war, when he was barely 16 years old. While he built a successful business career, he also excelled at weightlifting. He was good enough to represent Great Britain at the sport in the 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, where he captained the British weightlifting team, repeating this at the Rome Summer Olympics four years later. Now aged over 80, this remarkable man still lifts weights every day. When he was a guest on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs on 1 April 2007 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/desert-island-discs/castaway/c014b692#b007763z) he chose a weightlifting bar with two discs as his “luxury” to take to the island. 

Ben Helfgott approves of Oliver Sweeney's interpretation of his sporting heritage. 

Oliver Sweeney Spring/Summer 2012 Footwear Collection

For SS12, Sweeney have concentrated on lighter shades and materials without jeopardising the sturdiness of the shoe. Here’s a peak at their collection:

THE FORMALS

A Different Slant

Christie & Lidell brogues

 Sweeney’s latest brogues Christie (lace up) and Lidell (slip on) have been given a different slant – the subtle and unique asymmetric toe.  Adding to the sartorial flair is the colour blocking of rich tones of brown, tan and black.

London Loafers

Ibbotson Loafer

Staying with the high shine leather is the Ibbotson loafer in deep colourful purple and blue with a more conservative black option.

Ibbotson loafer

Here you can see the quality of this shoe’s construction through a cut out ‘window’ in its sole waist. It’s a great excuse to put your feet up in the board room. 

THE SMART CASUALS

Summer Suedes 

Alex boot, Bushnell slip on & Homan apron shoe

 Sweeney have taken their  perennial favourites :  Holman ( apron lace up shoe), Alex (apron lace up boot) and Bushnell (slip on) and changed them from the dark classic leathers to a more laid back look in pale sand, stone  and grey suede with a leather piping trim.  Great to wear with the light Linen suit or a pair of coloured cotton chinos.

A Lighter Goodyear Welt

Edwards

In their Goodyear welted collection, they’ve taken the lightweight further and made the Edwards (Derby) and Abrahams (Spectator) with the lighter and softer (but still hard wearing) Feather Light EVA sole. Shades are Gaucho (light tan) and grey.

Abrahams

Abrahams is looking dapper and spectacular in contrasting suede and leather, both in light shades.

The Wedge 

Butler in foreground

Butler, Bennett and Hallow are given the on trend wedge look with the ultra lite XL wedge sole. 

Bennett in stone

You can choose to look good in the rich brown or the cooler stone and grey

Hallow in grey

Great worn with denim or chinos.

THE SMART TRAINERS

After the soft smooth eel skin and sparkling stingray trainers of last season, Sweeney have gone for the classic minimalistic look this season and chosen matt grey Nubuck and brown waxy leather.

THE HOLIDAY SHOES

Travelling Light

Maclean loafer

To sparkle in the sun, Sweeney have reinvented their Maclean travel loafer in rich jewel tones of purple and blue suede, but also in taupe as a more neutral option.

Summer Linens

Smouha, Darcy & Applegarth

Keeping cool in linen uppers in three styles: Smouha, Darcy and Applegarth.  The soles are of hand woven jute in the authentic Espadrille construction from Murcia, home of Espadrilles.

Neutral shades of white, natural with a darker option of navy.

Leather Sandals

These leather upper sandals have lightweight soles featuring a Japanese sole print on a blue suede foot bed. The dark brown leather gives a more sartorial look making them ideal for the city as well as the beach.

Available soon online 

www.oliversweeney.com

or Oliver Sweeney stores in London, Leeds and Manchester