2009 was an interesting year to have a start-up business. I have had an interesting time meeting interesting people in the same boat…

Not least, the lovely Nathan Brown, founder of one-year-old Lodger bespoke mens shoes… a new company which recently won Brand of Tomorrow from the Walpole committee (well done!). Nathan is a breath of fresh, honest, down-to-earth air when it comes to entrepreneurs. He is charming, but not smarmy, and tells it how it is. You must go to his smart but unpretentious shop, just off Bond St, and stroke his beautiful shoes (I am sure he will show you how to order some too, with their up-to-the minute fitting technology).

Personally, I can’t wait to have saved enough to get a pair of Lodger lace-ups fitted.  As they are essentially mens shoes, I will have to focus on replacing my rather over-worn and threadbare “Katherine Hepburn-stroke-artist in a recession” outfits at the same time. I’m told, ‘Invest in the shoes first and the rest will follow’…

Lodger shoes to lust after