EAST Lancashire is being put on the fashion map thanks to a raft of retro shoes and coats named by a Darwen designer.

Gary Aspden is using his position as a consultant for adidas to slip in names from his home county.

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The German sports giant has released the Haslingden jacket, Hyndburn and Darwen SPZL sneakers and even two versions of the Settend tracksuit and trainers, which pays homage to the legendary acid house nightclub in Shadsworth Road, Blackburn.

The former Holy Trinity pupil was approached to create a signature shoe by Japanese designer Kazuki Kuraishi for the 2011 Originals By Originals collection – and he called that one Darwen.

At the time, Gary said he felt uncomfortable about having his name on the design and chose his home town instead, and he has a bit of freedom over the odd names.

He said: “I have worked with them for 17 years in different capacities so there is a lot of trust there!

“The range is inspired by the very odd but beautiful relationship between a very straight laced German sportswear brand and its adoption by the working class subcultures that are born out of the UK, particularly in the north west. I try to give a nod to that by choosing product names that relate to that part of the world.”

The former Blackburn Art College pupil studied for a degree in fashion promotion at the University of Central Lancashire and now lives in London.

He said he became a fan of the three-striped Adidas brand growing up.

He said: “I got my first adidas trainers from John Harrisons Sports in Darwen. As a teenager I would go to Gibson’s Sports, Mercers and JJB in Blackburn as well as Oasis, JD Sports, Gansgear and Olympus Sports in Manchester.

“There wasn’t a lot of money about in the North West in the 1980s, my father worked in a factory and my mother worked on the market.

“My first adidas trainers were Kick’s, and my first football boots were adidas Beckenbauer Super, both in the late 1970s. And I wore adidas Europa T-shirts from a very young age.”

Gary has styled for numerous celebrities and when he married in 2006 the wedding guest list included Oasis’ Liam and Noel Gallagher and model Jade Jagger.

But he still has time for his roots.

He said: “I get there a bit more now as my eight-year-old son who is growing up in London also loves Lancashire. I try to time my visits with when the Rovers are at home.”