HUDDERSFIELD'S FINEST FOR UNDERWEAR

Riveting shots of Armani designs and the ever-influential David Beckham have focused female attention upon men's underwear as never before, certainly attracting legions of wives and girlfriends responsible for buying their loved ones underpants.

The latest brand to bring fresh excitement to this nether world is Cock & Bull, claiming to be the UK's first to offer a range made in organic jersey and sourced from the home of fine fabrics, Huddersfield.

'Woven in Huddersfield, coloured in Huddersfield, printed in Deptford, London and sewn in Derby all under our watchful eyes,” says Phil Scott, founder of the company, “we are proud to have produced what we believe is the first organic men's underwear range made entirely in the UK."

Available in mini and short boxer briefs, the pants may be teamed with T-shirts, also made in the certified organic cotton jersey, a super soft fabric at 196gsm. They are coloured with low impact pigment dyes, and printed with eco friendly inks.

There are three T-shirt styles, classic, extra long and lean, and slim with scoop neckline. In sizes small to XXL, and four colourways, the shorts sell at £22, the T-shirts £25 plain, £35 printed.

Cock & Bull came into being just a year ago and offers a range of menswear made in the UK from sustainable fabrics and yarns. Now it has opened a shop in the fashionable Brick Lane area of London, where it is selling other similarly eco friendly menswear brands. Also online at cockandbullmenswear.co.uk

FANTASTICAL BOTTOM LINE

It used to be said that you could tell a gentleman by his shoes. Looking along the lines of scuffed trainers on view on the average train or tube, the world seems sadly lacking in gentlemen. Yet the reign of running shoes, so long adopted by legions who never break into a trot never mind about a run, may be coming to an end.

Shoes are jumping into the style limelight. Brightly coloured designs for men have been shown on these pages recently and more are on the way. New materials, colours, design details are all bringing new pizazz to feet and as that happens, the dreary old trainer should be put back on the track where it belongs.

For many, the change will come hard. All those years of never polishing, never toning sock to shoe or shoe to trouser, have left a generation with very poor style foundations. Yet others are embracing the new footwear with enthusiasm and one designer, who has had particular success with amazing shoe designs for women, has just launched his first menswear collection.

Dan Sullivan in Brighton is the chap responsible for these delightfully zany women's creations,above, which sell like hot cakes to aficionados. He grew up in the Kings Road of the 1970s Punk era, and after graduating from school, gained experience in his parents chain of shoe stores, before going East for further inspiration.

His own company, lrregular Choice, has been creating women's shoes like no others since 1999. He has shops in Brighton and Leicester, a flagship store in Carnaby Street, and a number of shop-in-shop concessions, plus a major store in Hong Kong.

Now, men can also experience his zany but highly professional take on footwear. And because his factory is able to produce small orders, it means increasing numbers of small retailers have been able to stock his designs, here and abroad. Who will be the first Savile Row tailor to dare?
For more details and many more shoes, go to www.irregularchoice.com

From the top: Two exotic women's shoes, one on the right with the small figure of a gnome providing the heel. Patchwork of colours men's lace-up, price £79.99 ; chequerboard boot with ostrich leather upper, £120; patterned lace-up, left, £79.99; black leather with floral design and gold flecked fabric trim, £130; and tan leather classic with silver and tweed trim, £145.