In the Hot Seat: Neil Summers co-editor Proper Magazine

In our series of Yogi Footwear Interviews, we've been meeting footwear fans from around the globe. Neil Summers is Co-Owner of Proper Magazine and shares his style story plus which Yogi shoes he'll be wearing this season.

Yogi Footwear: Describe your personal style:

Neil Summers: Luxury Scruff

Yogi Footwear: What was the first item of clothing you ever bought for yourself?

Neil Summers: I think it was a white button down shirt made by a brand called Radio around 1986/7 for forty quid. I bloody loved it and even wore it to school where one day my physics teacher grabbed me by the neck in a fit of anger and pinged one of the buttons off. I was used to the violent regime at the school but the sight of my shirt getting damaged made me see red and I instinctively threw the diminutive physics teacher across the class room. He reacted by ordering me outside at which point I thought I was destined for expulsion but, instead, he just apologised and we agreed to forget the whole incident and move on.

Yogi Footwear: Any faux-pas you'd rather forget...?

Neil Summers: Too many to mention. During my teens I tried out loads of different looks, including a bit of a goth/Depeche mode phase with black DMs, black 501s, a black Bundeswehr vest the whole shebang. Fortunately I discovered sputnik during this period and was quickly brought back to my sartorial senses.

Yogi Footwear: Tell us about the oldest item in your wardrobe:

Neil Summers: It’s a ‘Hot’ t-shirt that I bought the first time I went to the Hacienda on my own aged 16 in 1988. I was a proper acid house tourist and couldn’t work out why everyone was so friendly.

What's the most expensive thing you've ever bought, clothing-wise?

Neil Summers: A Nigel Cabourn x Eddie Bauer camouflage Kara Koram jacket.

How would you style Yogi shoes?

Neil Summers: I’m a big fan of suede shoes because they work with pretty much everything, though it’s all about the cords at the moment.

Yogi Footwear: Yogi was born in the 90s, what were you doing, what were you wearing and what were you listening to back in the day?

Neil Summers: Wow, where to start? I became a man (at least on paper) in 1990 and being in Manchester was at the epicentre of hedonistic, musical abandonment. I threw myself into clubland as though nothing ever mattered, work went out the window in favour of going out raving at least 4 days a week and ending up in all manner of states/counties by Sunday. In fact we even had a little gang we called ‘the no sleep til Prisoner’ club whereby we’d all set off out on a Thursday night and nobody was allowed to go to bed until Prisoner Cell Block H on a Sunday night. Once it got to the middle of the decade I went working in France and Italy for a few years where I had the time of my life and started a permanent love affair with Europe. The decade ended with me living in Birmingham for a few years (don’t ask) before ended up in a call centre in Stockport, which is where I met Mark the co-founder of Proper.

Yogi Footwear: This season you'll be wearing…

Neil Summers: Lots of my own brand Hikerdelic with a smattering or gear by my new favourite brand Arhto, alongside a pair of Reebok Boltons, Lee cords, Kickers Kick Hi and a very colourful Sprayway Torridon jacket.

Yogi Footwear: Who are your style heroes? 

Neil Summers: In the past Keith Floyd was a big influence on me and I was lucky enough to work with him on a cookery show about 10 years ago. I’ll never forget the day we first met, he was wearing a white tattersall check shirt, brown cords and a red crew neck woollen sweater with a big hole in it. In terms of the present my son and daughter are my style heroes, I love how they put an outfit together, totally oblivious of what anyone else thinks, that’s pure style in my opinion.

Yogi Footwear: What fragrance do you wear?

Neil Summers: Acqua Di Parma

Yogi Footwear: Which is the best dressed nation?

Neil Summers: Italy

Yogi Footwear: What can we expect to see for Spring/Summer?

Neil Summers: New issue of Proper magazine, our first range from Hikerdelic hitting the shops (including END, Oi Polloi & Hip) and some exciting new projects I can’t tell anyone about yet.

Yogi Footwear: Which Yogi shoes would you be adding to your Spring Summer wardrobe?

Neil Summers: It’s all about the white suede Lennon Yogis for me, ideal for wearing with shorts once you’ve got a decent tan or a nice pair of tan cords if you’ve got legs the colour of milk bottles.

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