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How the boy from Manchester Rose to the Top of the Media World. Meet Aaron Edwards

By Cator Sparks Published August 6, 2021

Aaron Edwards — Image used with permission by copyright holder

I’m a Mancunian (person hailing from Manchester, UK) transplant and I’ve been living in New York for around six years. Prior to New York, I was a financial analyst for five years at an investment bank, before leaving the big smoke (London) to team up with my partner in crime and sister Samantha.

The Charles (named after our great grandfather) is a creative agency specializing in immersive digital story telling for clients such as Cartier, WSJ, Bloomberg Media and Netflix. With humble beginnings, The Charles has grown from strength to strength with this year marking the arrival of new offices in Chicago and London and a new content division called Jane (named after our great grandmother).

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Bourne from an insatiable appetite for creative our goal is to reinvent the way our clients do business and align their strategic goals to our conceptual thinking and agile design process. With the arrival of our new content division, we now have the ability to extend our reach by bringing our interactive digital experiences to the physical world. I truly believe the convergence of technology, design and virtual reality is the future of brand marketing and advertising.

As for my personal style:

I’m really into mens fashion and have an obsession with these two Parisian twin brothers, Les Freres Jochaim. Their silhouettes are the epitome of cool for me and I love how they mix high fashion with street wear to create a look that’s applicable for any type of meeting. For me luxury is about being comfortable and wearing fine materials in a relaxed way

Jeans: Frame Denim and Fear Of God for more casual events.

Shirts: Comme Des Garcon Shirt, Lemaire

Pants: Juun J cropped black pleated pants

Suits: Boglioli and Barena are my go to for sport coats meetings and Raf Simons for dinners and parties.

Shoes: I have these bad ass super high top boots made by Anne De Meulemeester that I like to pair with tapered sweats pants or trousers and I have an unhealthy obsession with Rick Owens Ramones low and high tops and Common Projects.

Accessories: My Rolex Daytona is my go to everyday watch. It might sound like overkill but I believe expensive items are to be worn not locked away… plus there’s nothing better than wearing a vintage worn tee and some battered jeans and a nice classic watch.

Outerwear: Acne Charlie Coat

Favorite cologne: Tom Ford Tuscan Leather

Favorite app: Instagram

Favorite piece of technology: STASH a friend of mine Co-founded this investment app. I’m 3 months in and I’m making money from it so really happy about that!

Next style/gear purchase: Another Acne Charlie Coat

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Cator Sparks was the Editor-in-Chief of The Manual from its launch in 2012 until 2018. Previously, Cator was covering…

Fashion & Style

Awake NY, Dr. Martens brings the color in a vibrant, hairy new collection

Dr. Martens, Awake NY release new shoe

green and navy blue dr martens on red steel box

While we’ve all come to love the sleekness of the moody Dr. Martens boots, their latest collaboration has added a significant punch of color to the lineup. In collaboration with Awake NY, Dr. Martens has remixed their iconic silhouettes with a brighter hue and hairier texture. Taking on the Lowell design, these two brands have reworked the darker tones and opted for one that brings in inspiration from New York and cumbia music. Although they are a drastic change from what you usually see from the Dr. Martens brand, these collaborative shoes are the perfect blend of a timeless silhouette with a modern touch. With plenty of fun and bold details spread throughout the design, there’s no doubt that these chunky shoes will brighten up any wardrobe with style.
Dr. Martens x Awake NY Lowell Shoe

While it’s easy to recognize the Lowell shoe anywhere, the new bright-colored hues will make you do a double-take. Now available in green and peony navy, these new Lowell designs have also upgraded to a new textured base. Constructed with Hair-On leather and a contrasting black oiled leather branded backstrap, these collaborative shoes have plenty of spunk. Complementing the design are gold star eyelets and tonal stitching on the moc-toe vamp. Not to be forgotten is Dr. Martens’ iconic yellow welt stitch that ties it together. While the hairy and colorful uppers might not be the first choice for many, these vibrant details add plenty of style and flair to a look. When styled properly, these Lowell shoes can stun and complete any outfit. These new designs will be available beginning December 6 via Dr. Martens and Awake NY’s respective websites.

Health & Fitness

I tested the OOFOS OOmy Stride: A versatile shoe that supports recovery, comfort

The OOFOS ooMY Stride is a versatile recovery shoe

Recovery is central to being an athlete. During that time, muscles rest and rejuvenate, growing stronger before the next workout. Time off also provides a nice mental break for renewed focus the next time out.

Active recovery takes that further by introducing light movements post-workout, increasing blood flow, and speeding up rejuvenation. Low-intensity activities like walking, swimming, or shooting hoops gently guide muscles back into action. They’re also a fun departure from intense runs or HIIT classes.

Fashion & Style

Fossil alternative to NORQAIN Wild One Skeleton watch just $207 for Cyber Monday

Fossil's Bronson Automatic Stainless Steel collection includes a smoke, black, and gold coloration.

Cyber Monday is a great time to be BOLD. And I'm going to make some bold assumptions as I present this Cyber Monday watch deal to you. The first assumption is you're kind of in love with these gorgeous new NORQAIN Wild One Skeleton watches. The second assumption is that you're not ready to pay $5,000+ for one. And the third, and final, assumption is that you'll find this trio of Fossil Bronson Automatic Stainless Steel watches (now priced $207 from $295 for Cyber Monday) a suitable enough alternative, or at least one that's attractive enough at this price to go ahead and pick up. Or, I could be completely wrong, but you still like this Cyber Monday deal on an affordable watch, anyhow. It's anybody's game really. In either case, tap the button below to check out the Fossil Bronson Automatic Stainless Steel watch collection while the watches are still $88 off or keep reading to see our take.

Why you should buy a watch from the Fossil Bronson Automatic Stainless Steel watch collection
These 48mm watches feature gorgeous metal casings of stainless steel. The inner workings, much like the NORQAIN I compare them to, have an incomplete black dial with cutouts tucked between lines and circles, which reveal the inner workings of the watch. It's a stunning view. Of course, Fossil gives its own unmistakable touch to the format, with a bold 2, 4, 8, 10 numeration, thick hands, "FOSSIL" bolded painted at 3 o'clock, and both "30" and "60" chiseled into the casing.