Born in Leicester, Gola are British through and through and have been helping professional and amateur sports enthusiasts get the most out of their game since 1905 making them the longest standing British sports brand. They are the brand which coined the term “Trainers” for their shoes, and have been at the pinnacle of sporting success since the 1930’s in the fields of football, rugby, tennis, cricket and the indoor sporting arena.
When jumpers were being used for goalposts, Gola were often the difference between being picked out first or being last against the wall. Everyone knew that Gola meant goals!
Since the mid 1930’s Gola have been producing high quality football boots up to top flight football standards, with many a famous footballer of yore opting for the comfort and performance of Gola. Legends such as Peter Shilton, Emlyn Hughes, Trevor Francis are all Gola devotees, and give the pundits seal of approval.
During the war, Gola turned their attention to keeping our boy’s feet safe away from home, switching to the production of army boots. Not only did they protect the feet, but proved perfect for a New Year’s kickabout in no-man’s-land, and at the very least helped us to defeat the foe 3-1 before we got back to the real task at hand.
It was not long before Gola become a firm favourite of Jonny Foreigner, offering British quality and style which worked just as well on the continent. The Harrier and Chase models are now even more popular than in 1968 when they were first created.
The Harrier has become legendary. Designed as a multi-purpose sports shoe for both outdoor sport and indoor court sports, the comfort, flexibility and style became a massive hit. The brand still gives that warm glow of childhood passed, with many celebrities and sportsmen opting for that retro cool look which was so popular when they were only yay high. Since their launch, the Harrier has expanded into over 200 different colour and design choices which is part of the reason why the likes of the Gallagher brothers and Coldplay go for Gola. They are also what Robbie Williams dons when he wants to use his gift to stick it in the goal when it’s time to move his body.
In 2000, Gola seized the opportunity to provide a childhood favourite and give it a twist to bring it up to date; with retro styles and modern functionality and technology they launched the Gola Classics range.
More recently however Gola have taken this a step further and offer the same comfort and performance, but aimed at today’s younger generation who have no idea who Emlyn Hughes is. Their collaboration with British designers Tado has produced an expansive collection of highly coloured and pattered funky shoes perfect for kids.
Even pixel art group eboy have had a turn and last year they produced some of the most modern pixel art designs for Gola. For a touch of extra class, high profile French fashion designer Christian Lacroix has chosen the brand for a range of stylish high fashion trainers.
So if you are looking for a Brand which is British through and through, want to recapture your childhood or want a touch of French style, then look no further than Gola.