Meet the brothers who started a luxury trainer brand from their bedroom

When Ross and Ryan Buckley spotted a gap in the market for sneaker fans looking for higher quality, exclusive designs at an affordable price, they ended up creating their own brand.

Sharing a love of trainers and fashion, but with zero experience in the industry, Ryan, 32, and Ross, 28, first brainstormed the idea in late 2016, creating designs on whiteboards and in notebooks, and working on how to come up with a product that resonated with their beliefs and values. Something that would appeal to people who are looking for premium footwear without breaking the bank.

They came up with the idea of Forge Poise in their back bedroom in Bury. The name is a synonym for creating elegance and the trademark sword is inspired by the idea of forging your own styles to challenge the norm.

Their first collection was released in February 2018. Crafted from the finest materials with a strong focus on contemporary style, each trainer is made from 100% Italian Seta leather and is stylish enough to be paired with a suit as well as casual wear. Because who doesn’t love a multi-functioning shoe?

Starting off with a small investment, they have gone on to create a successful business from their back room, selling their trainers up and down the country and across Europe from their website. And now they’re generating international orders.

Now available online and at Scotts and Tessuti, they recently secured a space in Level Shoes Dubai, the world’s largest premium, footwear-only department store stocking such sought after trainers as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga.

Celebrities have shown a keen interest in Forge Poise too, posting about their love for the trainers on social media. Footballer Phil Bardsley, Love Island heart throb Dom Lever, XFactor’s Brad Howard and Ex On The Beach star Ross Worswick are just a few who are fans of the brand. 

Ross’s background is in construction and project management, so he has plenty of transferrable skills to bring to the brand.  With an eye for detail combined with organisational and interpersonal skills, he has taken the lead on stakeholder and supply chain management. He’s the one who ensures the operation runs smoothly.

Ryan is a business development manager with expertise across various industries. His experience in client management has helped massively when it comes to bringing in new suppliers and looking for places to stock these superbly made trainers.  Passionate about keeping up with fashion and market trends in the footwear industry as well as a great inspiration for design, Ryan has taken the creative lead in the business and is responsible for Forge Poise footwear’s innovative design.

Ross leans towards minimalism whereas Ryan is a lover of versatile, out-there styles that break the mould.

“It was so great to be able to throw ourselves into something we are passionate about and to be able to continue working to provide a high quality product that not only our audience will love but something we are really proud of,” says Ryan. “We will be continuing to work hard to make sure that both of our unique influences and styles are moulded together into our designs.’’

So what’s next for Forge Poise? They are currently working on unisex designs so that all their footwear appeal to both genders. They want their brand to be known for their footwear but there is room for expansion into clothing and accessories which are in the early stages of design.