Inside Hugs & Co.: A Conversation with the Founders on Redefining British Luxury, Sustainable Innovation, and the Art of the Perfect Loafers

In the shifting landscape of British luxury fashion, few brands have managed to capture the elusive balance between timeless heritage and forward-thinking innovation quite like Hugs & Co. Founded in 2012 by brothers Benjie and Hugo Davis, the London-based footwear brand has quietly revolutionized the premium shoe market. From their iconic driving loafers to modern hybrid sneaker loafers, the brand has become a staple for discerning wardrobes, instantly recognizable by its rich colour palettes and effortless, sporting elegance.

But what does it take to build a modern luxury fashion house from the ground up? How do you introduce upcycled materials to a premium market without losing an ounce of sophistication?

We sat down with the founders to discuss the origin of Hugs & Co., the meticulous handcraftsmanship behind every pair, and how a shared love for the polo field shapes their business dynamics today.

The Origin: Spotting the Gap in the Luxury Market

Every great brand starts with a problem that needs solving. For Benjie and Hugo, the realization came from a frustrating shift they noticed in their own wardrobes and the wider footwear industry.

"The gap we originally saw back in 2012 was a sharp rise in the price of luxury suede loafers, contrasted with a noticeable drop in overall quality," they explain. "Our favourite heritage brands had suddenly become hyper-expensive. Worse still, the products that attempted to replace them at an acceptable price point were deeply disappointing—made of fake leathers, cheap materials, and poor build quality. At that point, we realized we could do something significantly better."

Armed with a distinct blend of creative and analytical backgrounds spanning fine art, architecture, and business, the brothers set out to bridge this gap. The goal was clear: deliver uncompromising, authentic luxury footwear with real craftsmanship, but at an honest, accessible price point.

Designed in London, Handmade in Portugal: The Anatomy of a Shoe

While the creative spark for Hugs & Co. originates in their Richmond head office in London, the physical manifestation of that vision takes place in the historic shoemaking workshops of Portugal. The journey from a conceptual sketch to a finished shoe is an intimate, highly technical process rooted in centuries of artisan tradition.

1. The Design and the Last

The process begins with the brothers drawing designs by hand or collaborating on digital computer renderings. Once the silhouettes are finalized, they are sent to their dedicated factory in Portugal.

"When a new sole is being introduced into the collection, we start right there," the founders note. "We create a completely new mould to fit that specific sole perfectly. This step is incredibly important, as it ultimately dictates the final fit, structural integrity, and longevity of the entire shoe."

2. Paper Patterns and Prototyping

Next, traditional paper patterns are drafted to assemble all the individual pieces required to construct the upper and lining. At Hugs & Co., there are no shortcuts. Prototypes are made by cutting premium leather entirely by hand and utilizing traditional hand-stitching techniques.

3. The Ultimate Wearability Test

Before a shoe ever makes it to a production run, it undergoes rigorous real-world testing.

"We assess the prototypes either directly on the factory floor with our prototyping team, or we bring them back to London for an extensive wearability test," Benjie shares. "Comfort is always our very first metric to assess. Once we know it feels incredible to wear, we look closely at build quality to ensure it's going to last, and finally, we measure the long-term durability of the materials."

Only when a prototype passes these strict quality controls are the original paper patterns used to cast the final cutting tools. Following a final collaborative meeting on colour selection, full production can officially begin.

The Sustainable Revolution: The Story of the TS1 Driving Loafers

In recent years, the luxury sector has faced a reckoning regarding its environmental impact. While many brands opted for quick fixes, Hugs & Co. pioneered a genuine revolution in luxury sustainability with the introduction of the TS1 driving loafer—featuring a high-performance sole made from upcycled car tyres.

The innovation cut the carbon footprint of the production process down to a mere fraction of traditional synthetic soles. But introducing "repurposed waste" to a discerning luxury consumer base is historically a tough sell. How did Hugs & Co. overcome the stigma?

"We are on a constant journey with the TS1 driving loafer," the brothers reflect. "But its strong narrative and inherent ethical values really speak for themselves. The key for us was being incredibly careful to maintain its premium luxury credentials throughout the design process. It had to be so much more than just an upcycled material."

To achieve this, Hugs & Co. pairs the upcycled tyre soles with some of the most luxurious suedes and full-grain leathers available in Europe—sourced from suppliers holding the highest gold-standard sustainable credentials achievable.

"Because the final product is so undeniably premium, the job of convincing the luxury market was actually quite easy," they explain. "This is a true luxury piece; it simply has more thought put into the material selection than our competitors' products."

The founders are also quick to point out a crucial distinction between their philosophy and the wider "greenwashed" market.

"Some brands use fully recycled materials that essentially produce a plastic shoe. The result? A shoe that smells, traps heat, is highly uncomfortable, and frankly, cannot be considered a luxury item. The TS1, conversely, utilizes a material selection that is both authentically luxury and deeply sustainable. It is the perfect modern hybrid."

A Classically British Love of Colour

To look at a collection from Hugs & Co. is to see a celebration of vibrant hue—forest greens, rich visual tallows, deep hues of navy, and striking tiffanies. While bold colorways might seem rebellious to outsiders, the brothers view it as an homage to historic British style.

"Injecting brilliant colour into an outfit is actually a classically British trait," they point out. "Think about the iconic red trousers inspired by historic military uniforms. Think of the bright blazers at the Henley Royal Regatta, colourful club ties, or old-school university rugby and cricket jumpers. Even traditional British hunting jackets and polo team shirts are a sea of vibrant colours. British fashion and casual country clothing have traditionally been an army of bold tones."

Hugs & Co. effectively takes that heritage and applies it to footwear.

"We give our customers the opportunity to express that innate British love of colour in a new, sophisticated way—right on their feet. Much like the famous British red trouser, we take a beautifully tailored, smart wardrobe staple and give you the opportunity to own it in a completely unique, expressive colour."

This balance of heritage and edge is also evident in their continuous design evolution, such as their widely acclaimed sneaker loafers, which gracefully reimagine classic sartorial staples with a modernised, athletic twist for contemporary city life.

Brotherly Dynamics and the Spirit of Polo

Running a fast-growing international fashion house is demanding, but doing it with family brings a unique set of strengths. For Benjie and Hugo, their shared upbringing and a lifelong passion for polo have created the ultimate foundation for teamwork.

"Having been brought up together with strong, shared interests, we naturally developed a very similar aesthetic style over the years, and that synergy shines directly through the identity of the brand," says Benjie.

That synergy is mirrored on the sports field. Hugs & Co. has long been synonymous with the sport of kings, and the brothers are frequent fixtures on the UK polo circuit.

"We often play on the very same polo team. Polo is an intense team sport, and it has instilled a strong, unspoken ethic in both of us of working collaboratively to achieve results."

This team-first mentality dictates their day-to-day business operations. While all creative processes are entirely shared—with both brothers meeting regularly to review prototypes, select new seasonal materials, and align on design direction—they divide the commercial architecture of the business according to their individual strengths.

Hugo leverages his analytical eye to manage the technical architecture and digital optimization of the global e-commerce website, while Benjie handles the intricacies of accounting, corporate strategy, and finance.

The Next Step for Hugs & Co.

As Hugs & Co. continues to expand its digital footprint and global community, the core philosophy established by the Davis brothers in 2012 remains untouched: uncompromised quality, circular innovation, and an unwavering celebration of British style. Whether you are stepping onto a boat, heading into a board meeting, or spending a weekend poolside, Hugs & Co. ensures you are doing it with comfort, conscience, and unparalleled style.

Discover the latest collections, including the sustainable TS1 driving loafer and signature hybrid sneaker loafers, exclusively at Hugs & Co..