Matthew Thomas of Highs and Lows Talks About Building an Australian Brand and Their Collabo with Lacoste

For Matthew Thomas of Highs and Lows, starting a business in Western Australia had its fair share of challenges. Without the population of some other cities, creating awareness on the West coast of Australia took a bit more legwork. But thanks to committed approach to growing within the Australian community and their established aesthetic, Highs and Lows has been successful in making waves beyond the confines of Oceania. Their well-documented work has given them the opportunity to work with various partners in the footwear realm, including their most recent effort with tennis-minded lifestyle brand Lacoste in the “Salute Pack.” Speaking to Thomas, we gained a better understanding of the retailer’s efforts and difficulties.

Can you introduce yourself?

My name is Matthew Thomas, 36, and I’m from Perth in Western Australia. I’m the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Highs and Lows.

What’s your current role?

It has evolved over the last ten years, now I am mainly focusing on brand development, design aesthetic and the application of these elements in as many creative fields as possible. From the beginning as a store, we have tried to champion the Australian sneaker community and to be a gold standard in retail and customer service. We have had this as a clear vision from the start; now we are trying to build a creative platform through our retail partnerships.

How would you describe the current role Lacoste plays within fashion and footwear?

Lacoste has such a rich history in classic menswear, there have been several attempts by Lacoste to re-engage the ever-changing market over the last 10 years. Heritage is such an incomparable asset in an age were reinterpreting classic menswear is the standard. I believe Lacoste has amazing potential to easily redefine classic menswear, and I hope HAL can play a part in both the apparel and footwear department.

Where did you find your first inspirations in footwear?

Skateboarding in the late 80’s was my first real introduction to footwear, growing up in this era gave me a real sense of individuality and expression through clothing and footwear.

What are some of the challenges you need to overcome daily as well as from a brand perspective?

I am very fortunate that I have a great team at Highs and Lows and we are all very passionate about the brand and share a collective vision. As a brand/store, our challenges are mainly due to our isolation not only in the world but in our own country. Brand acknowledgment for us is probably our greatest goal we are constantly trying to elevate our profile and in turn try to gain access to key stories and top tier product for the Australian market.

What was the particular briefing of this particular pack?

With our collaborative process it usually starts with the model, if we have an instant passion for a shoe we can then start to re-imagine its potential.

What sort of mark or design language do you look to leave on each of your designs?

I believe that all our colabs are very considered and are born out of respect for the brands we work with. We are so humbled at every opportunity to represent our store and our town that we want always to stay true to our foundation, we are a retail store first and foremost. The chance to build our brand name through collaborations is now a fundamental part of our business and our future.

The Highs and Lows x Lacoste “Salute” Pack  will be available from select stockists such as Atmos, Beams, BLACKRAINBOW, Bodega, FootPatrol and UBIQ from December 13.