Brownie's Barge, A Brew & A Bit Of Ralph

08.10.2026

It’s been a while since Nigel and John Wilcock, better known to pretty much everyone as Brownie, had a proper catch-up, so naturally we decided the best place to rectify this was on a barge. Not just any old barge either. Brownie’s barge. Brownie’s a very good, very old pal of Oi Polloi, so it felt about right to go and see him on his floating Mancunian HQ, have a brew and generally chat absolute shit for a few hours. It was morning as well, which meant we were all up and about at a reasonably respectable hour, although nobody was quite sure why. There was a fire going, the kettle was on and, somehow, everything felt considerably more civilised than it probably should have done.

John Wilcock, known as Brownie, relaxing beside a wood-burning stove aboard his Manchester canal barge, with Nigel Lawson behind him.

Brownie putting on a green jacket over a striped shirt and brown corduroy trousers beside his canal barge in Castlefield, Manchester.

Brownie was also dressed up in some Polo Ralph Lauren for the occasion, which looked very good indeed, and gave us a chance to have a proper look at some of the new bits from Polo and RRL. There’s something quite nice about seeing good gear in its natural habitat rather than sticking it in some spotless studio with a bloke called Seb telling you about “the texture of the fabric”. On the barge it’s a bit different. You’ve got a fire going, a brew in your hand, Nigel and Brownie talking bollocks in the corner and a load of Ralph Lauren hanging about looking like it’s been there all its life. Much more our sort of editorial, to be honest.

Brownie wearing a beige hooded jacket, blue jeans and brown leather shoes, reading The New York Times beside a blue bicycle.

John Wilcock, known as Brownie, wearing a green cardigan, brown corduroy trousers and black cap while tending his barge's wood stove.

There was plenty of catching up to do, obviously, because Brownie and Oi Polloi go back a fair old way. The sort of friendship where you can go ages without seeing each other and then pick up exactly where you left off, usually by immediately taking the piss out of one another. Between the laughs, the stories, the tea and the occasional bit of proper conversation, we got on with doing what we do. Having a look at clothes, taking some pictures, seeing what looks good and trying not to fall in the canal. There were no meetings, no moodboards, no “creative synergies” and absolutely nobody said “let’s circle back”. Just a couple of old mates having a catch-up on a boat in Castlefield with enough tea to sink the ship.

Brownie and Oi Polloi co-founder Nigel Lawson chatting beside a canal barge in Manchester, wearing casual jackets, knitwear and jeans.

Yellow baseball cap with embroidered front patch beside two red teapots on the roof of Brownie's canal barge in Manchester.

So that was the morning, really. A barge, a fire, a brew, some Polo Ralph Lauren and RRL, Nigel, Brownie and a healthy amount of complete nonsense. A proper Oi Polloi morning with a proper Oi Polloi old pal. We took a few pictures while we were at it - could’ve gone to a studio, but then we wouldn’t have had a barge. And frankly, what’s the point in that?