What do The Beatles, Hunter wellies, Stradbally and Super Valu have in common? Let me explain.*Deep breath*
Well, Alasdhair Willis is a Middlesborough-born creative. What is a creative you ask? A creative is an ideas guy and Alasdhair is an ideas guy. He is also a man who delivers upon his ideas having worked extensively with brands from adidas to Dunhill and with people/brands like David Beckham. He is also married to fashion designer Stella MacCartney. Stella is a daughter of Paul MacCartney, the ex-Beatle.
Creatives or ideas guys are in popular demand with big brands. Their vision (ideas) help brands stay relevant and grow. One of the many brands Alasdhair Willis has worked with as a creative is Hunter, the wellington boot brand of which Willis is the new creative director. Stradbally, County Laois has seen more Hunter wellies than… well, lets just say Stradbally has seen a lot of Hunter wellies. How so? Electric Picnic of course. Hunter wellies are the wellies of choice for any festival-goer who recognises good fashion in big fields.
But there is a new festival in town now. Stradbally is hosting the National Ploughing Championships this week and Super Valu are one of the championship’s sponsors. So to answer the question at the top; what links The Beatles, Hunter wellies, Stradbally and Super Valu? Alasdhair Willis…
As for the Ploughing Championships, the question is not how many wellies we’ll see but how many of Willis’s wellies we’ll see? How do you know a pair of Hunter wellies from a pair of welly wellies? Well the Hunter welly has a buckle about 1.5 inches from the top of the boot and some raised weaving detail to the top of the foot. There are many counterfeit efforts out there but an original Hunter welly has some precise detail known only to the designers and to those in the know.
Along with championship sponsors Super Valu, I will be looking for stylish farmers while in Stradbally on Thursday. Farmers of Ireland, if you’re wellies aren’t Hunter you’re not coming in.
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