There’s something about Lancashire that sticks with you. The rolling hills, the mill towns, the cobbled streets, a place where you don’t really leave even when you do. It’s where LANX began, and where we’ve stayed. It’s also where Marv, LANX Founder, grew up, with fond memories walking the streets of Bolton with his grandmother Margaret, Carrs pasty in hand, and those cobbles underfoot.
Those nostalgic memories of Bolton have never left, so when we came to making a trainer, there was only one name that came to mind.
We are privileged to introduce our collaboration with WALSH, the globally respected Bolton-based footwear maker, and the masterminds behind our new Made in England collection of trainers. This is a collaboration celebrating the history of Marv, his fond family memories of Bolton, and, of course, his love of pasties.
With the men’s Bromley and women’s Halliwell, we’re now walking those same cobbled streets, same pasty in hand, knowing that if a shoe works in Lancashire, it works anywhere.
BROMLEY & HALLIWELL
The collection features two styles, Bromley for men, and Halliwell for women, both built using what LANX Founder Marv considers WALSH’s flagship upper: the Ensign. The Ensign is the silhouette WALSH is best known for. Lightweight and balanced, it’s a marathon-born design that’s evolved over the decades into a casual trainer style for everyday use.
Available in a considered range of colourways for both men and women, they’re designed to move, from weekday to weekend, from city streets to park paths.
Their names have equal significance, tying the bow around the story of this collaboration. Our men’s Bromley is named after Bromley Cross, where Marv grew up. Halliwell, our women’s style, is named after Halliwell Road, the road opposite the WALSH factory in Bolton, and also home to Carrs, aptly named ‘the World’s best pasty’, at least in Marv’s humble opinion.
WALSH, BOLTON
Founded in 1961 in Bolton, WALSH has been innovating in sports footwear for over sixty years. Long before trainers became a fashion staple, WALSH was making shoes for athletes who needed performance they could trust, on track, road and fell.
In 1971, they pioneered the use of EVA in the midsole, improving cushioning, flexibility and reducing weight. Today, EVA is standard across the industry, but back then, it was groundbreaking. Many consider it the starting point of the modern trainer.
WALSH became synonymous with serious running shoes, particularly marathon footwear, and they’ve continued manufacturing in Bolton ever since. Quietly consistent. Still focused. Still doing it properly.
(Local note: yes, Bolton was historically part of Lancashire. We’re keeping it that way.)
SIX YEARS IN THE MAKING
We’ve been making leather sneakers since 2020. Now, we’re ready to introduce what we’d confidently call a proper trainer, built with WALSH’s expertise and refined with LANX character.
We’ve been dreaming of a collaboration with WALSH for six years now. What started as a shared respect has grown into something bigger. They are the local experts, and we’re proud to be working alongside them in Bolton, bringing together performance heritage and everyday versatility.
This collaboration has roots deeper than just an admiration of a great product. For Marv, this one’s personal. His grandmother, Margaret, was from Bromley Cross in Bolton. Some of his fondest memories are of trips to Moss Bank and stopping at Carrs Pasties with her after.
The Lancashire roots run deep, and that’s what this collaboration is about.
MARATHON DES PASTY
We couldn’t do a Lancashire collaboration without a bit of character, so we’ve playfully dubbed this project “Marathon Des Pasty”: a nod to WALSH’s marathon heritage, Marv’s upbringing, and to Bolton’s claim to the world’s best pasties (Carrs, if you know, you know).
It sums it up really. Performance history, local pride, and a sense of humour about it all.
From Lancashire to wherever you’re heading, get ‘em worn.
