‘Feel these. Proper Converse from their ‘70s line. The lace holes are nickel, the sole is completely different, see?’ Graeme Fidler is excitedly showing me the wares of his new London label, Several. The shoe in question does indeed look and feel different to normal All-Stars: the proportions are fuller and friendlier, more American; the sole softer and more substantial.
If you’re thinking: Bollocks, it’s just a pair of Converse, then Several might not be for you. Simple things, made in the authentic, correct manner with no compromise, is Several’s ethos. Based in the Rochelle School in Shoreditch, Several isn’t a studio, shop, showroom or e-tailer but a combination of the four. Somehow it feels like the modern, London way of running a fashion brand.’ You have to call up first,’ says Fidler. ‘But yes, come and see what we’re about.’
What they’re all about is deceptively simple clothes which reveal their quality over time. Winners include a soft, light fisherman’s sweater, a melton wool Harrington jacket, and lovely light knits in bold hues. The clothes aren’t twee or ‘heritage,’ just well made, and increasingly what men want to buy and wear.
After graduating from the famous RCA MA Menswear course, Fidler worked for Newcastle’s similarly uncompromising Nigel Cabourn, as well as international big-hitters Bally and Aquascutum. But this is his own venture. ‘This is our thing, with our own money,’ he says. ‘That has a big impact on our approach, which is to make clothes with honesty and integrity. Having worked for a number of global brands there’s a sense of freedom doing this. We believe it’s the right way to do things.’