Resources

Print this page

Add to Favorites

• STICKHEDZ - WITH A PERFECT COMBINATION OF STYLE AND PRACTICALITY - IS AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF POLO FASHION.

Whilst everyone was having a lovely time watching The Derby at Hickstead in the searing heat, NagMag was attending a launch party with wine and a barbecue in the refreshing shade of some trees for a lovely new brand of clothing for the Polo market from a young company called 'stickhedz.' Headed by founder Sam Morris-Warburton, the launch was held at the FHM Polo Ground at Burgess Hill, West Sussex. We caught up with Sam a few weeks after the launch.

Sussex raised Sam, tried his hand at showjumping way back when, working for riders during the daytime and in restaurants in the evenings to pay the bills. In 2003 he studied the National Studs Breeding Diploma and Racehorse Management NVQ which gave him, as he says, "a fantastic springboard to travel around the world following the season and working on some jaw droppingly beautiful farms and top end bloodstock. Day in and day out was a rollercoaster of information and stud management skills all easily absorbed because it was interesting and hands on."

He returned to the UK after a season in New Zealand and that same year met Antonia his business partner and soon to become Wife.
Sam worked in London for the British Horseracing Authority but found it wasn't enough for him, he knew there was more out there which is when he and Antonia took up Polo. Says Sam "From the minute I sat on a pony and started to stick and ball I was absolutely hooked, there was no way out whatsoever!"

NagMag later found out that his secret plan is to have his own polo club in France.
Earlier this year Sam left the BHA to start up stickhedz. He says "It was a big step as everyone was talking about recession and telling me I was mad. There was no going back to the BHA but I knew deep down it was absolutely the right decision, the right time and also the right concept."

It was while learning to play that it struck Sam there was scope for some fantastic designs for Polo wear and no-one else was doing them. Sam says "Everyone just seemed to wear regular polo shirts by the same four brands - to be honest polo wear was boring! This is such a fantastic spirited sport, with some amazing people involved who basically deserved some colour and fun in their attire! All I could think about was polo and how to play it more and why people just wore the same clobber, these two obsessions collided to create stickhedz polo apparel."

NagMag asked Sam where to now with Stickhedz? "Our thinking is to keep everything fresh, laid back and wearable. People are just getting to know us which is great but we have to continue striving for fantastic designs and giving people what they ultimately want from their polo clothing. We have started to think about our winter season, so based on our summer success, expect some pretty cool designs and garments. We are also planning a technical range, same great ideas but for the player. You shouldn't be deprived of great garments just because you're on the pony!

Most of our weekends are spent touring polo finals and this way we get to meet so many supportive people and actually everyone has suggestions for more polo inspired designs, it really is that organic! People suggest colours and styles they would like to see and we think 'yeh, that would be really cool' and go off and start messing around with designs. We also take orders from our new website and retailers such as Porto Polo and Uber Polo."

Sam has always been fascinated in the discipline of Polo. He says "The whole myth that it is an elitist sport full of toffs and you need a million pounds a year to play kept me away for too long, and I regret that. Antonia knew how much I wanted to play and try it out properly, I had taken a few lessons in New Zealand at John Paul Clarkin's Club, which was just enough for it to consume me, but she arranged for some friends and I to play at FHM Polo Club as a birthday surprise. I think within five minutes of getting off the ponies at the end of the session we had already started to form a team! As regards to design, I've always had an eye and appreciation for good design and the secret is simple - if it looks good and feels right it is a good design. The same with our garments, when we started working on the first range we discarded so many good designs, but they weren't 'WOW'. We just kept going until we got them."

Coupled with Sam's love of Polo and his feel for design, there is a very bright future ahead for Stickhedz, the reaction this summer has been phenomenal with people being incredibly receptive in such a short space of time. Sam is not trying to copy or emulate other brands but to offer an alternative design theme for polo wear which is representative of the people who play and those who watch polo.

The clothes are extremely well made and carry the Fair Wear Foundation code of conduct, with their changing designs we truly believe that Sam is onto a winner. For further information www.stickhedz.com

Back to Top