Ignore the naysayers, say Gandys brothers as they open Covent Garden store
16/11/2017
In the four years since launch, Rob and Paul Forkan – who were orphaned alongside their younger brother and sister in the 2004 Asian tsunami – have produced 500 designs and have sold enough shoes to fund two children’s centres.
The company donates to its Orphans for Orphans project, which has funded children’s centres in Sri Lanka and Malawi.
Rob said: “About four years ago my brother came home pretty upset after going out speaking to retailers about stocking our brand. Some were brilliant and loved what we were trying to create, but one person was aggressive, telling him: ‘What gives you the right to think you can call yourself a brand?’ I told Paul: ‘You made it home from a tsunami and with everything we faced so far in life, don't let that be the guy that stops you in your tracks.”
The Covent Garden store – the company’s fourth – is around the corner from the shop whose owner had been so dismissive.
“The moral of the story is, never let someone destroy your dream or put you off from persevering something your passionate about," added Rob.
"We have had Gandys on our minds and the drive to build our children's homes every day, every hour for the last four years. We now have stores full of products we believe in and two children's homes later we will keep fighting to see how much further we can go."
See World Footwear March/April 2014, available as a pdf in the Technical Library, for an interview with the brothers and a profile of the brand
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