Following the lead of NOHARM footwear, Oliver Sweeney is going ethical and green. Luxury footwear and accessories label Oliver Sweeney, is gearing up to show its greener side by launching a shoe amnesty program. The initiative is set up in association with Green World Recycling in a bid to raise funds for the developing world. Oliver Sweeney is calling for customers to donate any brand of used shoes, which will then be re-sold to raise money for environmental and sustainable projects. Initially, the program will be held at the Oliver Sweeney standalone stores located in London and Leeds. With the shoe amnesty, the label aims to help reduce waste created by the current fashion throwaway culture and in return improve the livelihood of communities in Africa, South America and India.

Oliver Sweeney will act as a collection point for Green World Recycling that takes the donated shoes back to one of their 600 clothing banks. The shoes are then sold in the UK and Europe where money raised goes to under developed countries providing alternatives to current local environmental and social challenges. Projects include improving conditions in village schools, redeveloping irrigation systems and setting up agricultural training schemes.

Running alongside the shoe amnesty, Oliver Sweeney will be offering customers who donate any shoes a 10% discount off of the mainline collection.
Oliver Sweeney was born in Leicester in the heart of England, but left home while still in his mid-teens to seek a living in London.

The story of how he secured a job as a shop-boy in a grand old shoemakers in the heart of London’s West End has become part of the mythology of Oliver Sweeney.

But every bit of that story is absolutely true: Sweeney worked his way up from unpromising beginnings, learning every trick of the trade and the craft of creating quality shoes for men, as well as a good deal about the art of retailing.

This exceptional grounding has stood Oliver Sweeney in strong stead ever since – he has a technical understanding of the business of shoemaking unmatched by any other men’s shoe designer operating in the modern-day market. That’s also why his shoes have a superb fit – and why customers usually end up becoming customers for life.

When Oliver Sweeney finally launched his own label back in 1990, initially in a link-up with famous London department store: Harrods, he quickly established a reputation as a creator of ‘classic-with-a-twist’ shoes for the footwear cognoscenti.

Today he’s still that, but also a good deal more. While his collection still features plenty of those ‘classic-with-a-twist’ styles, it is no longer the core of his business. Sweeney has moved into the fashion arena in a major way – and is now one of the names setting the pace in modern footwear design.

In the year 2000 Oliver opened his own store in Middlesex Street in the City of London. A success in it’s own right leading to the birth of the new flagship store in the heart of London’s, fashionable, West End. The Kings Road store is a must-see for any fashion conscious visitor to London.

In the UK market, he is also one of the most successful British designers, with more than 120 stores stocking Oliver Sweeney shoes and accessories countrywide.

Sweeney has always been appreciated by the fashion press, right back to the early 90s when he was championed by Arena, then considered the most influential of Britain’s men’s style magazines. In those days, his best-selling shoe was the Storm Derby, an immaculately crafted, hard-wearing rubber-soled Derby which Arena staff took to wearing around town.

Oliver Sweeney’s impeccable pedigree has been recognised by many other companies over the years. In the 80s, he was head of design behind the historic McAfee name. Since the late 90s, he has worked with Marks & Spencer; Britain’s biggest clothing retailer and Clarks; the World’s No.1 shoe brand.

Oliver Sweeney shoes combine the creative energy of great British design with the consummate flair of Italian manufacturing prowess. The designer says he has found his spiritual home in Italy. “We use the best shoe factories in Italy”,” he says. “”That means the best factories in the world. The degree of expertise is unrivalled.”

Over the years, the designer has developed a growing celebrity following who love wearing his shoes. His celebrity customers span an incredibly mixed range, from Aussie Olympic gold medallist swimmer: Ian Thorpe to soccer star: David Beckham. The extensive list of customers also includes Brad Pitt, Michael Owen, Prince Naseem, Will Smith, Trevor Nelson, Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller, and many more.

The Company has also had great links with the sporting world:The England RugbyTeam, Scotland Rugby Team, BAR Honda F1 Racing. Oliver Sweeney is currently sponsoring The England Cricket Team.