The partnership of Tony Gaziano and Dean Girling, pairing their respective second names to form their brand name Gaziano & Girling, has produced a great number of bespoke shoes for clients from around the world. Their classic approach, teamed with carefully considered modern flares has earned them their spot as a highly desirable and respected brand, with a retail location on London’s Savile Row. We sat down for coffee with the duo, to discuss early ambitions and how the pair got the brand to where it is today.

 

So, where did you grow up Tony?

I grew up in Kettering, Northamptonshire, which is where the factory is, actually.

 

Oh, ok, stayed close to home. What sorts of things would you get up to as a young lad there?

Well, it’s a very small town and to be honest, there wasn’t an awful lot to do. You would have found me playing around in the fields, outside, that kind of thing. Just messing around as young kids do [laughs].

 

Right…

My father was always working, quite a normal life for most English kids of that particular era. I was blessed really with that environment, beautiful countryside for biking through, building treehouses.

 

And some mischief… 

[Laughs] Yeah, Huckleberry Finn style.

 

[Laughs] And so you were educated around those parts also, presumably?

Yes.

 

Gaziano and Girling 1 at A Collected Man London

 

Were you particularly academic as a kid?

School wa