Machine Gun Kelly and Kim Kardashian are just some of the stars wearing Manchester streetwear brand ‘Represent’

Let’s be honest, 90 percent of people look forward to Thanksgiving with the knowledge that the next day prices plummet at all of our favourite stores to celebrate Black Friday.

Providing a silver lining for the cost of living crisis, the American holiday has leaked into UK stores as people living in England are able to utilise the cheaper prices in time for the Christmas period.

One British store linking both sides of the pond and celebrating Black Friday is Manchester-based streetwear company 'Represent', who was a hit at Milan Fashion Week in 2018.

People World takes a look at both the people behind Represent and the A-List stars who are ‘Representing’ Manchester in the US.

Who are George and Mike Heaton?

No, no, not Michael Keaton as in Batman, but Mike and George Heaton, the brothers from Horwich who are the masterminds behind menswear streetwear brand Represent.

George created the brand while studying graphic design at the University of Salford, by starting to make logo t-shirts, before launching Represent in his garden shed in 2012 with his brother. George tends to focus on strategy of the business, while Mike is involved in the creative process.

In the decade since, Represent has become a £20 million company and has over 150 stockists including Selfridges and Harvey Nichols in the UK.

George was named as one of Draper’s 30 under 30 in 2020 and told them: “As a creative, demand for your design is really humbling. Without doubt, it is the best feeling you can get.

“My focus is to become a great designer and a great businessman, and to build Represent into a brand that can last forever in the fashion industry.”

Who is wearing Represent?

Rapper Machine Gun Kelly was the first celebrity to be seen wearing Represent streetwear, to George and Mike Heaton’s delight.

George said: “Machine Gun Kelly, was both mine and Mike’s favourite artist from a young age and someone we always wanted to wear Represent. We became friends with him a few years back, and he has really become quite a muse for the band.”

As MGK and Heaton’s relationship strengthened over the years, the array of celebrities representing ‘Represent’ grew to the larger music industry and the social media world.

The likes of Justin and Hailey Bieber have been seen stepping out in Represent clothing as well as Dua Lipa.

George’s ambition to grow the brand to meet larger clothing companies may be well on its way, as Kim Kardashian has started to wear the Manchester-based line in addition to her usual Balenciaga, Gucci and Prada outfits.

Way to Represent.