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Gola Classics just went Vegan!

Posted on August 2, 2019

You have been asking and Gola has been listening!

With the rise of veganism as a lifestyle choice and with many of you querying which of our styles are vegan-friendly, Gola is proud to announce the launch of its Gola Classics Vegan range.

But is it really Vegan?

“How can Gola verify that it’s vegan?” we hear you ask. Well, each and every style in the Vegan range has undergone rigorous Ve-MAP chemical testing. Ve-MAP is a new, unique DNA-based testing procedure within the Chem-MAP® family. The testing process identifies any trace of animal DNA from chemicals within our footwear and the manufacturing process. This includes:

Chemicals used in the fabrics
Other materials such as the sole
Dyes
Adhesives
Finishing components

High risk chemicals are tested to confirm that there is no trace of any animal-derived products, therefore providing authenticity of their animal-free composition.

Don’t just take our word for it: the Gola Classics Vegan range has also been registered by the Vegan Society, the oldest vegan organisation in the world. Founded in 1944 the Vegan Society is a world leader in its field and Gola has partnered with them to give customers additional reassurances.

The collection boasts style!

We have styles for women, men and your mini-me’s! Our range includes the ladies’ Coaster in various styles: Classic, Rainbow, Hi-Tops and Mirror, while we also have our very popular Mark Cox style in a range of colours. A pair of trainers with your dress is undoubtedly one of the chicest and breeziest style combinations this season.

Trainers with a skirt or dress will not only add a dash of nonchalance to your look, but will provide the ease of movement you desire when zipping around town. If you love anything shiny, then you will fall for Coaster Mirror. If you prefer a hi-top, then Coaster High in black or in off white will be a great addition to your shoe-drobe. Our most popular lines are Coaster Rainbow with the rainbow stripes down the side, as well as Tennis Mark Cox in a selection of colours, re: dark green, deep red, Indian teal, vintage blue and blossom.

Our men’s collection includes Comet and Comet Canvas, as well as Tennis Mark Cox and Varsity. If you’re on the lookout for some super convenient footwear that will easily go with your jeans or shorts, it’s only natural to look for a pair of Gola Classics Vegan that will best suit your style. Both Varsity and Comet come in a variety of colour combinations: from navy & powder blue, to deep red & white, there’s a style to suit your needs.

For your mini-me, you can choose between Coaster Rainbow, Coaster Rainbow Velcro and Coaster Velcro. Colourful, easy to put on and off and as comfortable as all Gola styles, they’ll be very much enjoyed by your little ones.

Born in Britian Fashion General Styling Tips and Trends

Trend alert: midi skirts and trainers

Posted on April 15, 2019

Spring is finally here and we can’t wait to swap our coats for jackets and embrace the shift in weather. As the temperature starts to rise, new trends are introduced for spring. A key trend we’ve seen fashion influencers sporting is the combination of midi skirts with trainers.

How to style midi skirts and trainers

Getting your proportions right is the key to nailing this trend. The benefit of choosing a midi skirt over a maxi is the shorter length, which shows part of your leg to lengthen the silhouette and help you appear taller (especially good if you are on the shorter side).

Take a look at how to style all types of midi skirt below:

Pretty Pleats

With a slightly more formal feel, pleated skirts can add elegance to an outfit. When styling this type of skirt you have to think carefully about the balance to ensure you don’t look too formal or over-dressed. Juxtaposing smart with casual pieces will ensure you achieve a stylish look, consider throwing on a denim jacket and T-shirt with your skirt to successfully do this. For trainers, opt for some retro-inspired kicks like the new Gola Toronto. A slight pop of colour gives a nostalgic feel to this design, whilst the main white upper allows easy styling.

Flared Affair

The beauty of a flared skirt is it’s generally fit to be a little more forgiving than some of our other silhouettes mentioned. The layered construction offers movement when you walk, plus if it’s in a light and floaty fabric it will prove an effortless item with good wearability. You can pair a flared skirt with a vest for warmer days, simply throwing on a jacket if the weather doesn’t suit. When styling up this look, you can’t wrong with a staple pair of all-white trainers. A clean, white sneaker will provide the basis to build your look upon.

Bold Prints

If you are looking to make a statement with your daytime attire then a bold print skirt could be just the thing you’re looking for. Embrace clashing colours and prints, the wilder the better. A standout skirt can reflect the personality of its wearer, channelling confidence in your fashion choices. Pair this with an equally stylish pair of trainers, look for a pair which have colour to mimic some of the tones of the skirt to ensure cohesiveness in your look. A textured pair such as the Tennis Mark Cox trainers can add further dimension and tie an outfit together.

bold midi skirt trainers gola — Image: Coco Bassey

Classic Mermaid

The ‘mermaid’ skirt emphasises your natural curves to offer a flattering fit. The shape of this skirt follows the body’s natural lines to enhance curves, finishing with a flare at the bottom. This style can be particularly complementary for curvy shapes, as it draws you in at the waist but still shows off your hips. With such a girly aesthetic, we recommend levelling your outfit out with a sporty pair of trainers. The Grandslam trainers are the ideal choice for this, especially easy to style in all-white.

Pastel Ballerina

For more drama, go full Instagram inspiration with an all pastel look with full ballerina skirt. Featuring a layered mesh composition, this look channels Carrie Bradshaw vibes for the modish fashionista. Stick to similar tones to avoid overwhelming this look, pale pinks work perfectly. For trainers, try the Gola Bullet. The Bullet offers a slimmer silhouette which, when worn in a pastel hue, lends itself well to a feminine aesthetic.

ballerina skirt trainers gola — Image: Dallas Market

Satin Casual

Plenty of bloggers have been working this trend, pairing a satin skirt with a pair of trainers. This achieves a balance of smart and casual that works well. Retro trainers complement a satin skirt, juxtaposing trends to achieve a modern look. The Daytona and Badminton work perfectly to balance out skirts of this style. Add a puffa jacket to get an instagram-worthy outfit.

Browse the perfect trainers to wear with any midi skirt with our women’s trainers.

Born in Britian Fashion General Shoes Trends

The Classics

Posted on July 6, 2018

Fashion trends are all well and good, but what you really want is a classic in your wardrobe. That one item you can go back to again and again and know you will feel and look amazing – your trusty pair of trainers!

At the moment the trend is chunky (and pretty ugly) trainers, where you need to either have legs as long as time to pull them off or style to rival an A-Lister. For the rest of us it is a strange trend, and here at Gola we are all about the classics, the styles you can keep forever and never get bored of, so here are some of our favourite Gola Classics styles that will be your wardrobe staple for a long long time.

Women’s Bullet

The Bullet was originally launched in 1976 and was originally designed as a running shoe for athletes, over the years the trainer has become more of a fashion trainer and has had numerous updates to ensure it is both comfortable and durable. The simple sleek likes of the Bullet means you can pair with both summer dresses or jeans, and the colour options mean you really have something for every outfit. Our favourite is the classic Black/White Bullet.

Women’s Coaster

The women’s coaster is a vulcanised sole plimsoll, the style is popular as it literally goes wit anything! The Coaster was re-introduced into the Gola Classics collection in SS17 and became a best seller, the Coaster Rainbow is one of our most popular Coaster designs – so much so we sell out on a regular basis! Make sure you keep your eye out for the next drop in September – get them before they go!

Men’s Harrier

The Harrier, the most popular men’s Gola Classics style is seen on an array of celebrities like Noel Gallagher to comedian Al Murray. Originally created in 1968 the Harrier was created for athletes to train in, now like the previously mentioned Bullet, it has been updated for a modern trainer lover. Available in an array of colours you can find a pair to suit any mood.

Men’s Coaster

The men’s Coaster is a vulcanised sole plimsoll (like the women’s) and comes with rubber or gum soles, the classic simple style is key to its longstanding success and can be worn in winter with our leather styles and summer with the canvas. Why not buy a pair now, you won’t regret it.

Born in Britian Fashion Shoes Trends

Take a look at the Coaster Neon collection

Posted on June 15, 2018

When fashion trends talk, we listen. This season bright, bold colours are the talk of the fashion town and we have three women’s Gola trainers that are ticking all the boxes for this trend.

The Gola Classics women’s Coaster Neon collection celebrates colour. The simple silhouette of the women’s Coaster trainer is a perfect canvas for the bright colours, making each style the statement of your outfit. The three colourways are Neon Coral, a bold Coral colour which paired with a pair of white jeans and a denim shirt would make a summer statement. The Coaster Neon Yellow is a highlighter yellow colourway, team this with dark denim to really make your shoes stand out. The Coaster Neon Pastel Pink is the last colourway, this style is girly and vibrant and can be paired with a summer dress or jeans.

The women’s Gola Classics Coaster trainer was first introduced into the Gola collection in the 70’s and has since become a firm favourite, the style has a vulcanised sole and canvas upper creating a trainer that is versatile and comfortable.

Born in Britian Fashion General Shoes Trends

The Gola Harrier celebrates 50 years

Posted on May 16, 2018

Our flagship shoe is turning 50!

Happy birthday Harrier, you have been a long and trusty friend to our wardrobe. To celebrate Harrier turning 50, we’ve taken the silhouette back to where it all began; using classic colourways from when Harrier first burst onto the sport shoe scene but with clever modern updates, this collection is everything you need this summer.

Back in 1968, Harrier was the multi-purpose training shoe of choice. Built for track and field, the gym or the pitch, Harrier led the way in sports footwear. Originally launched in statement making white/red, this colourway was soon partnered with royal blue/white as a fellow option but as the years have progressed Harrier’s colour options have run into the hundreds. Never shy of making a statement the original design featured a durable gristle rubber sole, suede toe cap, rubber toe guard, padded insole and of course the signatory contrast Gola wingflash branding.

As Harrier moved into the ‘70s it developed a new life in the form of a leisure shoe. This multi-purpose training shoe was now equally at home on the track as it was on football terraces up and down the UK. From here Harrier transcended into music culture, with a cult following from key names of the day such as The Jam. Over the decades other fans of Harrier included Duran Duran, Oasis, Robbie Williams, Jude Law and Paul Weller. For Harrier’s 50^th anniversary we have seen the son’s and daughters of rock royalty wear these styles with as much style as the first time around. Raff Law (son of Jude law) and Anais Gallagher (daughter of Noel Gallagher) are two of the names sporting the new Harrier style.

Never steering far from its original form, Harrier has stood the test of fashion cycles and footwear fads to have survived five decades and be Gola’s best selling footwear style. In recognition of this accolade, Gola has launched a special edition anniversary edit of Harrier. With the design staying true to the style’s 1968 roots, the special edition is a no gimmick, purist silhouette; it’s confident, genuine and unique. There’s only one Harrier.

Fashion

Gola Classics Coaster Rainbow

Posted on April 5, 2018

It’s official, rainbow brights are IN this season, seen everywhere on bloggers, stylists and in Instagram it is the new trend brightening up our wardrobes – and let’s face it, our moods!

We all know that April is the month for ‘April showers’ but if there is something that can brighten your mood it is our Coaster Rainbow women’s trainers.

This Gola Coaster canvas trainer comes in 5 different colours, so you pair them up with anything in your wardrobe. The best sellers – off white/off white and optic white – look great with mom jeans and a t-shirt for a classic casual outfit, or as the weather gets a little brighter (and hopefully warmer) pair with floaty tea dresses and a denim jacket for ultimate brunch goals.

Lightweight because of the canvas outer, comfy with the inner padding we guarantee you won’t need any other trainer for this summer.

Shop the Gola Coaster Rainbow collection.

Born in Britian Collaborations & Special Collections Fashion General Shoes

Gola Classics new in ‘Bullet’ is your everyday footwear staple

Posted on March 1, 2018

‘I need a new pair of trainers’ I hear you shout……Well, look no further!
The men’s and women’s Bullet style is back this spring/summer with updated, on trend colourways for all your sartorial needs. Made in an array of fabrics including suede, nylon and leather along with metallic, pearl and glitter wingflash details to really up your fashion credentials.

You can build your wardrobe around these styles as easily as 1,2,3.
For the men, the classic Bullet is a go to for weekend drinks, impromptu football in the park and practically everything else you can think of. With the vast amount of colours available you can style dependent on your mood or weather – we got you covered.

With the 70s trend coming back into fashion, make sure your ahead of everyone else and bag yourself a true classic. The new colourways mean you can match them with anything, happy shopping!

Art Born in Britian Fashion Music & Pop Culture

How 80s and 90s Manchester Music Changed Male Fashion

Posted on May 29, 2017

Music and fashion is a stormy marriage. For one artist it’s a supportive crux that keeps them in the limelight (Madonna’s cones and anything Gaga), for others it’s the first sign that things are on the slide (Sinitta’s X-Factor palmleaf dress).

But the clothing choices we make owes a lot to bands and singers, and few areas can boast a heavyweight title in this area than the Manchester music scene.

This vibrant north-west England metropolis — the first city outside of London to open an Armani shop — is divided between delirious Madchester, rhythmic Northern Soul, and ballsy Britpop. A city that fuses ‘Manc Swag’ and all-night clubbing with high-end designer shops and ultra-chic hangouts; we’re looking at how Manchester music launched male fashion into unchartered territory.

Happy Mondays

If you hear Madchester, one of the first bands you see is Happy Mondays. The term Madchester became part of British vocabulary in the 1990s. It was created to sum up a revolution in Manchester’s music scene, as well as the surging popularity of psychedelic rock and electronic dance music. Madchester’s quirky/bohemian clothes and fresh sound worked together to create a cultural phenomenon in the city, which centred around the explosion in the availability of ecstasy that changed a ‘night out’ into an entirely new experience.

Before anyone knew it, ‘baggy music’ — a genre of funk, house, guitar rock, and psychedelic sounds — was born and Happy Mondays fandom soared.

Even excluding the band’s hallucinatory sound, mad performances and off-stage behaviour, Happy Mondays is one of the most entertaining bands ever to hit music fashion.

Think flared jeans, buttoned up shirts and hippie-like tops (or just Shaggy from Scooby Doo) topped off with a fishing or bucket hat and you’ve got a visual style that is Madchester through and through. Happy Mondays fans quickly followed suit and even today, we can buy the smiling ‘acid face’ logo emblazoned on t-shirts and hoodies, which shows how the band’s fashion legacy has kept strong.

Stone Roses

A lot like Happy Mondays, Stone Roses helped to marry music and fashion, and were massive players on the Manchester music scene. Founding member, Ian Brown, led the band to international stardom in the 1980s, and they soon become famous for their distinctive style and resurrection of flared trousers.

From the fisherman bucket hat to the Adidas jacket, Stone Roses fashion was all about loose clothes and a casual dress sense. You catch Stone Roses fans sporting tracksuit tops, floral or checked shirts, too-big Stone Island sweatshirts, and maybe even the iconic ‘mod cut’ hairdo made famous by Brown himself. This messy haircut is a mix of classic rock and ‘baggy style’, influencing stars and fans alike over many years — including Liam Gallagher and The Enemy.

Stone Roses helped to create a fashion spin-off of the ‘baggy music’ genre that fans loved, and this Manchester band became synonymous with the term, scally — a word first used to simply describe a working class person with a casual/sportswear dress sense that is now, unfortunately, almost always used as an insult for yobbish behaviour.

Oasis

Another of Manchester music’s most famous bands, Oasis, formed in 1991 and won countless MTV, NME and Brit awards before splitting in 2009.

Immediately when you think of how Oasis dressed, you probably imagine khaki parkas, baggy shirts and Lennon-esque glasses. A big part of music and fashion in Manchester around Oasis’ heyday was the revival of the 1960s’ Mod, which Oasis spearheaded amazingly.

Original mod fashion brought together tailored suits and military-style trench coats with buttoned-down collars and fitted trousers. Bands like Oasis took hold of this idea and spun it into something that fitted perfectly into the world of Manchester music. Keeping the streamlined look, Oasis gave mod fashion a rockier edge with Paisley-print shirts, tracksuit jackets, messy haircuts, khaki coats zipped up to the chin, and straight/slim fit jeans (never skinny).

Brands like Levi, Fred Perry and Tommy Hilfiger were often found draped on The Gallaghers, who also loved the lightweight, waist-length look of the Harrington jacket. This garment was actually first made in Manchester, which probably made it a source of pride for the Mancunians, and it was the perfect mix of smart/casual for the quintessential 90s’ mod look.

Throughout their time at the top, the Oasis boys loved the odd Kangol-branded bucket hat like the rest of Madchester, and made sure to sling on plenty of Adidas tracky jackets (fully-zipped) for the ultimate lad-look that you see everywhere today.

Oasis continues to influence the world of fashion. Ex-member, Liam Gallagher, started fashion label, Pretty Green, in 2009 which has had great success in bringing Oasis’ mod/Britpop/90s’ lad fashion into 2017.

Joy Division

A Manchester music scene titan, Joy Division was originally called Warsaw and formed in 1976. It had great commercial success before the death of lead singer, Ian Curtis; but was also a leader in alternative fashion that still influences fans today.

The band had a very simplistic attitude to clothing. Tucked-in dress shirts, plain suit trousers, brogues, and large overcoats with upturned collars was the style of Joy Division. Similar to The Smiths, Joy Division opted for monochrome shades that didn’t attract attention and helped encapsulate the dark, emotional, disenchanted sound that was Joy Division’s post punk/gothic rock legacy.

The Smiths

Eighties’ rock band, The Smiths, had huge influence over the independent music scene and inspired a wave of alternative rock/indie pop groups. But when questioned about fashion, Morrissey was brutally dismissive of clothing trends and claimed that The Smiths were pretty much the worst dressed band ever.

Many fans clearly disagreed and Morrissey is still known for his quiffed hairstyle and wire-rimmed glasses (which possibly inspired Liam Gallagher’s spectacles affinity). The Smiths’ uniform consisted of baggy shirts, over-sized cardis and large jumpers, but they also had a grungier side that was made up of acid-washed/ripped jeans, leather jackets and sunglasses. These styles worked to cement the band’s unique and unforgettable sound that blended poignant, multi-layered songs with an undertone of youth angst and discontent.

The Smiths came about at a time when the flamboyant costumes of Duran Duran, Adam Ant and Culture Club sashayed around the opposite side of the Eighties’ music stage. However hard Morrissey fought on the side of art against fashion pageantry, The Smiths still inspired generations of dressers who go for the thoughtless, laid-back, ‘thrown-on’ look every morning.

Manchester music and fashion has revolutionised British style for decades. Check out our range of retro men’s and women’s plimsolls for your own alternative look.

Fashion Styling Tips and Trends

Gola Classics: Pretty in Pink

Posted on November 9, 2015

No matter what time of year it is, a splash of pink will always brighten up your day. You could say it is lucky then that right now on the Gola website, we have dozens of brilliant pink ladies’ shoes and bags which can help add some much needed colour to these cold and grey winter months.

There are plenty of pretty pinks to be found in several of our Harrier trainers, which were originally launched in 1968 and are part of our Gola Classics collection. Whether it is bright pinks against a dark navy suede like these Harrier trainers, or dark, warm pink with a navy wingflash like women’s Harriers, you can always count on pink to bring your Harriers to life.

Our next selection is an eclectic mix made up of three styles which are part of our Gola Classics range. These include black slip-ons with an elegant pink floral print, the 70s tennis classic Orchid in a bright shade of fuschia and last but not least the Gola x Liberty Art Fabrics Samurai which makes great use of one of Liberty’s intricate prints.

Finally, we bring you a trio of bright and bold Gola Classics Redford messenger bags. We have chosen a baby blue and pale pink Redford bags design, an allover pink and fuchsia Redford number and lastly a darker blue, pink and white take on our classic over-the-shoulder bag.

Don’t just take our word for it though, there are plenty more for you to browse and buy in the Gola online store!

Collaborations & Special Collections Fashion

The Return of Gola x Liberty Art Fabrics

Posted on October 27, 2015

We are absolutely delighted to welcome back the Gola x Liberty Art Fabrics collaboration for AW15, with a whole new host of their floral, pattern and paisley fabrics used on the Gola Classics range.

For any of you that may have missed it, we first collaborated with the amazing London-based brand back in 2013, producing a beautifully feminine range of lades’ shoes and bags which captured the hearts of people all over the world. Now, they’re back for more as we continue this marvelous relationship of two quintessentially British brands on a mission to create high quality footwear and bags with an unmistakable floral image.

Who are Liberty?

Liberty Art Fabrics have a long and lustrous heritage which all started in 1875 when a certain Arthur Lasenby Liberty opened an Eastern bazaar-inspired store on Regent Street, London. Customers flocked to his store to browse and purchase Liberty’s ornaments, fabrics and other works of art which fueled a shop expansion within the first eighteen months.

Since then, Liberty products have remained irresistible to consumers and now the brand is adored all around the world. Below, we have pulled out some of our favourite pieces from the Gola x Liberty Art Fabrics AW15 collection, but you can browse them all online.

Our first footwear choice is the gorgeous slip-on Delta plimsoll in navy / blue. This easy-going design comes with chunky sole, twin gusset and an eye-catching all over print. Second, Liberty re-imagine our Samurai with another of their stunning floral prints, this time adorned on an 80s-inspired silhouette with a suede and nylon upper.

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