Hal Holmes-Pierce owns Elevate Your Sole, a pair of independent boutique shoe shops in Prestatyn and Rhos-on-Sea. He shares his thoughts on fashion.
Could you tell us a little about yourself? Where you live, experience in shops/fashion, hobbies/ things you love to do.
This is no small departure from my previous working life: I was a senior navigation officer in the merchant navy. Working within the oil and gas industry, the last job I had was gas exploration between Israel and Cyprus.
I bought my first house in Prestatyn, but rarely lived here. Setting up my own business was a homecoming for me and I absolutely love it. I enjoy travelling and recently went on honeymoon to the USA, road-tripping.
I like nothing more than a day out with my wife and the dog.
What do you like about being based in North Wales?
‘Twixt hills and sea’; we have the best of everything. It’s easy to take for granted the opportunities that we have in North Wales. From a quiet stroll along the beach to traversing Crib Goch, there’s something for everyone.
It’s exciting to see the tourist industry taking hold and I plan to take advantage of the opportunities that this presents. A lot of the local high streets have managed to maintain a charm that’s been lost elsewhere. I think that locals and visitors alike appreciate that.
The shops have quite an unusual name. Can you tell us how it came about?
A moment of inspiration in beautiful surroundings and great company. I was travelling around Africa with my now wife and we came across a quiet beach on Zanzibar. I’d previously decided that I wanted to set up in business and had already discovered a niche in my home town. Needless to say, I was feeling ‘elevated’ and the rest is history.
What is the first item of clothing you can ever remember buying?
A pair of ‘Base London’ shoes from a local independent fashion retailer. A black slip on, they were a great fit for my teenage wardrobe.
How would you describe your own personal style?
I’m as happy in a suit as I am wearing a pair of shorts at the beach. However, I like to be smart and I’ve recently rekindled my love affair with more casual button shirts. As I write this, I’m wearing a pair of green chinos, a charcoal T-shirt and some wax leather Spanish sandals.
How many pairs of shoes do you own?
Aside from the shoes that have been relegated to garden duties, I’ve currently got four pairs of Loake, three Anatomic, one Skechers, one Dude, a pair of Spanish sandals and my trusty Lowa walking boots.
What footwear trends are going to be big this season – for men and women?
Prints have been huge this year and that’s set to continue into the Autumn Winter season. Expect to see plenty of embroidery, sequins and quirky patterns. Essentially anything that you can find in a haberdashery will be on your boots this year.
Gents shoes are more evolution than revolution. We’re expecting a strong season with our classic range of shoes including our Chelsea boots from Anatomic and ‘toe cap’ shoes from Loake.
What is the best fashion advice you have either given or been given?
Fashion is all about feeling great. After a long hot summer, it’s difficult to get excited about the colder months. However, putting on my favourite Harris Tweed jacket and Loake Chester brogues, puts a smile on my face every time!
