With Harry Stedman being no strangers to old blog Buckets (see here + here), I was chuffed to hear the team were planning a visit to my hometown of Blackpool, to catch up with their family and enjoy the sea air. The Harry Stedman story has deep roots in the North West of England, with the inspiration behind the brand starting during the mid-1900s up in Liverpool. Harry Stedman himself was a kind-hearted soul, whose teenage days on the streets of Merseyside formed his strong character and curious nature. But it wasn't until he joined the British Army in 1951, that he really got a taste for travel; exploring America to Libya, Argentina and beyond to serve for his country.
Harry's well-travelled and inquisitive nature led in to immerse himself
in local cultures. Along with rock + roll his other passion was what we
now call "timeless style", of which he took influence from a melting pot
of places - with an eye for quality, unique details and fabrics. As I
was told by Harry's son Phil (who founded the brand), Harry's obsession
with style piqued during his time spent in multicultural New York,
where he discovered both blue-collar workwear, along with the more
sartorial American prep influences. This led the brand's passionate for both Made in USA + UK clothing.
Navy Peacoat | Selvedge Denim | Gansey Knit | Deck Jacket | 50s Sweatshirt | Varsity Jacket | Workwear Overshirt | Classic White Tee | Merino Wool Hat | Drizzler Jacket
Fast forward to 2011, the Harry Stedman brand was founded - taking inspiration from Harry's colourful life, hobbies and passion for American + European culture. Our man Harry has since retired in my hometown of Blackpool, Lancashire, which is how I become friendly with Rick (Harry's Grandson) + the Harry Stedman team. Along with our film camera we met up on Blackpool prom, with no aim other than to share stories and chat about the man who inspired a contemporary British menswear brand. The Harry Stedman AW14 collection was the perfect partner for our rough-and-ready seafront. The man would be proud.
Our film camera went a bit doolally in the process - hence the double exposure - but I do like the way the images have turned out, a happy accident right? Read more about the Harry Stedman brand here.
