On 22nd May 2025, Gola celebrates its 120th birthday.
To highlight this exceptional milestone, we’re looking back on some of the key events in our history, and how our footwear and products have developed and evolved to help us to become and remain a British household name.
Come with us on this nostalgic journey as we celebrate 120 years!
Table of contents:
Gola’s legacy: Lacing up 120 years of a heritage brand
Sole trader: Why is Gola so iconic?
Reviving soleful classics: The 120 years capsule collection
Heritage with every step forward: The future of Gola
Gola’s Legacy: Lacing up 120 years of a heritage brand
A lot can happen in 120 years, which couldn’t be truer for Gola. From producing the first iterations of innovative performance football boots to growing into a sporting icon, our rich history is one we’re extremely proud of!
Here are some of the standout moments from our history over the last 120 years;
1905 – Gola was born, and the focus was football boots.
Gola’s early football boots were made from leather and nails and helped lay the foundations of the brand. However, with the outbreak of the First World War in 1936, production halted as manufacturers focused on essential goods only.
1950s & ‘60s – Football boots and track shoes
During the 1950s, the football boots focus returned. The technical materials the boots were made from began to evolve, with the designs becoming lighter and their uppers cut lower. These new designs allowed for greater ball skill and control.
In 1965, Gola kitted out Liverpool FC for their FA Cup Final winning game against Leeds, catapulting the boots’ popularity.
Gola also branched into track shoes with designs similar to those available today. The 244 track shoe, known for its soft and lightweight kangaroo skin uppers, was worn by many pro athletes, including long-distance runner David Bedford, who set a new 10k world record in them at Crystal Palace in 1973.
Gola was known throughout this time as the ‘Great British Sport Shoes’ brand. From sponsoring players to being the first to abbreviate the words’ training shoes’ to ‘trainers’ – during this time, Gola had sport at the heart of everything it did.
It’s also important to mention that 1968 also saw the development of the first iteration of the Harrier, a training shoe that would go on to become a brand icon. Designed by Fred Dilley, it featured a white leather upper with a green ‘wingflash’ and a green suede toecap and was an instant success, seeing 6,000 pairs produced weekly during the ’60s.
1970s – Gola is a top 3 sports brand
Undergoing rapid expansion, exporting to 67 countries, and in 1966, with World Cup Winning England manager Alf Ramsey sitting on the board as a consultant and brand ambassador, it’s clear to see why Gola accrued so much success as a sporting champion throughout the ’70s.
Besides kitting out Manchester United, more sporting collaborations also helped solidify our brand as a sporting hero.
Expansion into sportswear and accessories also meant that Gola was becoming a household name, with Gola bags becoming a popular choice for school children and physios alike.
The ’70s (1971) also saw the launch of the first Elan track shoe, a pioneer, later developed into one of Gola’s most iconic trainer designs.
1980s – Gola gained its wings
Sponsoring comic book hero Roy Race, of Roy Of The Rovers fame and creating a kit for his fictional team, the Melchester Rovers, and signing a deal with the Conference League (which later became known as the Gola League), were some of the ways which Gola continued to ride the crest of our sporting success in the ’80s.
The 1985 ad campaign ‘Put Wings on Your Feet’ was also a key factor in the development of our brand. Referring to trainers featuring the ‘wingflash’ design, little did we know that this campaign would be so synonymous with the brand today and a prominent feature of most modern-day Gola trainers.
1990s: New beginnings and rock and roll stars
The ’90s saw new beginnings for Gola. After dwindling successes towards the end of the ’80s, in the mid-nineties, Gola was acquired by Jacobson Group.
With a focus on celebrating its rich history and heritage, Gola was relaunched as a stylish heritage footwear brand. By the decade’s end, Gola once again was experiencing roaring success.
The launch of the Gola Classics collection and the return of the iconic Harrier trainer, when retro fashion was resurgent, saw superstars of the time desperate to get their hands on Gola footwear and apparel.
Noel Gallagher contacted Gola requesting Harrier trainers for himself and ‘our kid’; Paul Weller and Robbie Williams were often seen wearing Gola on stage. Even British film star Jude Law was a fan!
Football clubs and sports stars still played a big part in the brand’s success, with Gola regularly occupying ad space at many football grounds nationwide.
2000s – Gola Classics and a centenary celebration
The turn of the new millennium saw the creation of the Gola Classics line, drawing on our rich heritage, but with a fashionable twist! The launch of Gola’s first website in 2001 created a touch-point for Gola fans.
With all this newfound success, Gola solidified its status as an iconic heritage brand. Celebrating its centenary in 2005 with limited edition trainers, bags and unique accessories, it’s clear that Gola was here to stay!
2010s to today – Gola celebrates a new era – from football star to fashion icon
With a fashion focus, Gola continued to thrive.
The ‘Made In England’ collection saw some trainer manufacturing return to the UK.
In 2018, Harrier turned 50 and a special limited edition style was launched to celebrate the occasion. Then, in 2023, Elan was relaunched. Another true Gola icon, its return was met with much enthusiasm, seeing it go on to become one of Gola’s standout styles.
Expanding its distribution worldwide, branching out into apparel, and introducing both Vegan and Recycled Materials into the collections in line with its ethical and sustainability efforts, Gola continues to shine as a heritage brand that’s not afraid to innovate.
Celebrating 120 years in 2025, who knows what the future holds for Gola? One thing’s for sure: it certainly looks bright!
Sole Trader: Why is Gola so iconic?
Gola has always been an innovator. Since the inception of those first performance football boots in the early 1900s, our ability to innovate has helped us stay at the forefront of sporting success.
Adapting sporting designs, sponsoring players and athletes and inviting them to collaborate on brand ideas has helped us to develop a real understanding of all things sport. Whether kitting out the feet of World Record-breaking track stars or being the marketing geniuses behind the Roy Of The Rovers campaign, these innovative decisions have solidified Gola as a household name.
Our ability to pivot has also helped to solidify its success. Switching from a football to fashion focus during the nostalgic wave of Britpop in the late ’90s saw global superstars (and their fans) all adopt Gola as their trainer of choice.
With a love of nostalgia and traditional terrace fashion making waves in 2025, Gola is again front and centre of this movement.
Reviving Soleful Classics: The 120 years capsule collection
A special, limited edition capsule collection will mark Gola’s 120th anniversary.
Inspired by our heritage, this collection features a limited-edition Elan trainer, available in two colourways, and a complementing Redford bag.
The Elan trainer, a firm favourite in the men’s and women’s Gola collection, retains its iconic silhouette. With a few updates, each pair is made from a mix of leather and suede and features a raw-edge nylon tongue, terry cloth inner lining, a metallic gold foil logo on the tongue and a debossed 120-year logo on the heel. Each pair is available in black or white and also features corporate sun yellow highlights.
The anniversary Redford bag offers white detailing and antique brass hardware and proudly displays the Gola 120 logo on its front. Complementing the 120 Elan trainers perfectly, the bag is finished with a black recycled PU base. The Redford has been a firm favourite in the Gola collection since its inception in 1974.
This exclusive collection will launch in March 2025, ahead of the 120th anniversary celebrations in May.
Heritage With Every Step Forward: The Future of Gola
Whatever comes next for Gola, we will continue to look back into the depths of our history and allow it to help us shape our future;
“As we celebrate our 120th anniversary, we reflect on a legacy of innovation and commitment to our customers. Gola has stayed true to its roots through all these decades, introducing styles steeped in its heritage while reaching many milestones along the way. As we honour our legacy, we look forward to creating styles that empower and inspire every journey,” says Donna Hill, Marketing & Digital Director of Gola Classics.
Discover our 120th Anniversary Collection at Gola
Gola’s 120th Anniversary collection will be sold exclusively online at Gola UK and Gola US. For more information, check out our dedicated 120 Years of Gola page, and sign up for our newsletter for further updates.
