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FASHION

History of A-COLD-WALL*: from Samuel Ross to Four Marketing (2015-2026)

Teo Comyn9 minUpdated 23.10.2026
Histoire d’A-COLD-WALL* : de Samuel Ross à Four Marketing (2015-2026)

A-COLD-WALL* is a London fashion brand launched in autumn 2015 by Samuel Ross. It was an LVMH Prize finalist in 2018. Tomorrow Ltd became its sole owner in February 2024, after the founder left, and Four Marketing, a distribution agency in which Frasers Group is a shareholder, bought it in November 2024. In October 2026 the brand still presents collections, but no source we consulted names a creative director.

At a glance

  • Launch: autumn 2015, in London, by Samuel Ross, according to the LVMH Prize page.
  • Distinction: 2018 LVMH Prize finalist, among nine finalists. The prize went to Doublet.
  • Owner: Four Marketing since November 2024. Frasers Group is a shareholder of Four Marketing.
  • Leadership: no creative director since the founder left. A collective leadership was announced in February 2024.
  • Recent collaborations: Arsenal (October 9, 2025) and Salomon ACS Pro (July 1, 2026).
  • Latest dated collection: Fall/Winter 2026, covered by the press on September 7, 2026.

A-COLD-WALL* in 10 dates

A-COLD-WALL* in ten dates: 2015 launch by Samuel Ross, 2017 NEWGEN and first collection at London Fashion Week Men’s, 2018 LVMH Prize finalist and Nike Zoom Vomero +5 collaboration, 2019 BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund, 2020 Dr. Martens and Converse, 2022 first store in China, February 2024 Tomorrow Ltd at 100%, November 2024 Four Marketing, 2026 Salomon and Fall/Winter collection.
Key dates of A-COLD-WALL*, from its creation in 2015 to the 2026 collections.

The beginnings: from Samuel Ross to London Fashion Week

Samuel Ross studied graphic design and illustration at De Montfort University in Leicester. He launched a streetwear label called 2wnt4, then spent about three years at Donda, Kanye West’s creative agency, where he collaborated with Virgil Abloh (FashionNetwork, June 2018).

He launched A-COLD-WALL* in autumn 2015, according to the LVMH Prize page. Drapers and FashionNetwork also give 2015. The Wikipedia page on Samuel Ross says 2014: we keep 2015, which several sources confirm. The label started with a 25-piece capsule. Its first full co-ed collection was shown at London Fashion Week Men’s for Autumn/Winter 2017, in January 2017 (Sleek, NSS Magazine). According to Sleek, the name refers to the cold, almost impenetrable nature of society and the obstacles faced by the less privileged.

The brand’s awards and distinctions

DateDistinctionDetailSources
April 2017NEWGEN, British Fashion CouncilA-COLD-WALL* is among the programme’s new recipients, announced on April 11, 2017.Crack Magazine, Models.com
June 6, 2018LVMH Prize, finalistOne of nine finalists, presented to the jury at the Fondation Louis Vuitton. The prize went to Doublet.Prix LVMH, Journal du Luxe, The Impression, Hypebae
December 2018British Emerging Talent Menswear, Fashion AwardsSamuel Ross, for A-COLD-WALL*.Highsnobiety, Harper’s Bazaar
June 2019BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund£150,000 in cash and 12 months of mentoring.TheIndustry.fashion, FashionUnited

On the LVMH Prize, the brand is one of the nine finalists of the 2018 edition. It did not win the prize, which went to Doublet, with the special prize going to Rokh.

Dated collaborations

DatePartner and productSources
October 2017Nike (NikeLab): Air Force 1 High. A new raffle in London, with sign-ups from November 30 to December 3, 2017.Hypebeast, FashionNetwork
November 2018Nike: Zoom Vomero +5, in two colorways.HBX, The Sole Supplier
July 2020Dr. Martens: zip-up 1460 boot, in the 1460 Remastered series. Follow-ups: 1461 in September 2021, 1460 and 1461 in March 2022, a reworked 1461 in May 2023.FashionUnited, Hypebae, V Magazine, TheIndustry.fashion
September 2020Converse: Chuck Taylor All Star Lugged and ERX.Complex, Hypebae
October to December 2022Converse: Chuck 70 (on the brand’s site on October 3), then Geo Forma (December 17). A black Geo Forma follows in November 2023.Hypebeast, Hypebae, HIGHXTAR
May and August 2023Timberland: Future73 collection, in two deliveries.Hypebeast, TheIndustry.fashion
September 2023Nike: Air Max Plus (House Blue colorway on September 18, two other colorways on the 21st).Sneaker Freaker, House of Heat
October 9, 2025Arsenal: lifestyle collection.Footy Headlines, Hypebeast
July 1, 2026Salomon: ACS Pro, the first collaboration between the two brands.Hypebeast, Sole Retriever

A collaboration with Oakley, mentioned in an earlier version of this article, and a presence at Dover Street Market could not be confirmed. Both points are removed.

Who owns A-COLD-WALL*? Tomorrow Ltd, then Four Marketing

DateEventSources
2017 or 2018Tomorrow Ltd, a London multi-brand agency, joins the capital as a minority shareholder. The 2024 articles from FashionNetwork and TheIndustry.fashion say 2017; Hypebeast (February 2018) and FashionUnited say 2018.FashionNetwork, TheIndustry.fashion, Hypebeast, FashionUnited
November 2023Samuel Ross no longer sits on the board, according to official documents cited by FashionNetwork.FashionNetwork
February 20 and 22, 2024Tomorrow Ltd becomes the 100% owner of the brand and Samuel Ross leaves it. The price is not disclosed. No creative director is named: Giovanni De Marchi (managing director), William Slocombe (art director) and Liam Hassimi (brand director) lead the brand together.Hypebeast, FashionNetwork, FashionUnited, Drapers
Mid-November 2024Four Marketing buys the brand from Tomorrow Ltd. Frasers Group is a shareholder of Four Marketing. Tomorrow keeps the international distribution rights. The price is not disclosed.Hypebeast, FashionNetwork, TheIndustry.fashion, FashionUnited, Drapers

Two points differ between sources. The November 2024 articles from FashionNetwork and TheIndustry.fashion date Tomorrow’s full acquisition to 2023, while Hypebeast, FashionNetwork, FashionUnited and Drapers announce it in February 2024. We keep February 2024, the date of the announcements. Also, February 22, 2024 is the date of the FashionNetwork article: Hypebeast reported the news two days earlier, citing Vogue Business.

According to Tomorrow’s CEO, quoted by FashionNetwork and FashionUnited, the brand’s gross merchandise value reached £16 million in 2023. Hypebeast describes “Pink Noise” (Spring/Summer 2025), shown in Milan on June 14 and 15, 2024, as the first collection since the founder’s departure (QuiFinanza, Hypebeast).

A-COLD-WALL* in October 2026: leadership, collections, stores

TopicStatus on October 23, 2026Sources
OwnerFour Marketing, since November 2024. We found no change since.Hypebeast, FashionNetwork, TheIndustry.fashion, FashionUnited, Drapers
Creative directionNo creative director is named. Hypebeast credits William Slocombe and Liam Hassimi for the June 2024 collection, and Giovanni De Marchi is cited as managing director in November 2024. No 2026 source describes the team.Hypebeast, FashionNetwork
Recent collectionsSpring/Summer 2026 (lookbook of February 4, 2026), Salomon ACS Pro (July 1, 2026), Fall/Winter 2026 (covered on September 7, 2026, with a campaign featuring the artist Actress released on September 17, 2026).Hypebeast, Sole Retriever, D.M. Fashion Book, Overstandard, Dance Wax
Where to buyOn a-cold-wall.com and through partner retailers that the article does not name.Hypebeast
StoresThe press announced two stores in Seoul (early 2022), one in Beijing (July 2022) and one in Shanghai, in the Zhangyuan district (November 2024). The brand has studios in London and Milan. We could not verify the store list for 2026.FashionUnited, FashionUnited, Dao Insights, Jing Daily, FashionNetwork

Several September 2026 articles still link the brand to Samuel Ross’s name, without stating a role. We found neither an announcement of his return nor the appointment of a creative director. This information comes from the press: the brand’s official site refused access to our tools (error 429) on October 23, 2026.

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Frequently asked questions

Who founded A-COLD-WALL* and when?

The British designer Samuel Ross launched the brand in London in autumn 2015, according to the LVMH Prize page. His Wikipedia page says 2014, but several trade outlets give 2015.

Did A-COLD-WALL* win the LVMH Prize?

No. It was one of the nine finalists of the 2018 edition, won by Doublet. It was awarded the BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund in June 2019.

Who owns A-COLD-WALL* today?

Four Marketing, a British distribution agency whose largest shareholder is Frasers Group. It bought the brand from Tomorrow Ltd in November 2024. We found no change since.

Does Samuel Ross still run A-COLD-WALL*?

According to 2024 press, he left the brand when Tomorrow Ltd took full control, to create under his own name. We found no announcement of a return.

Who leads creative direction at A-COLD-WALL* in 2026?

No source we consulted names a creative director. In February 2024, Tomorrow Ltd chose a collective approach, with a managing director, an art director and a brand director.

What are A-COLD-WALL*’s latest collaborations?

Arsenal, with a collection launched on October 9, 2025, and Salomon, with the ACS Pro released on July 1, 2026.

Where can I buy A-COLD-WALL*?

On a-cold-wall.com and through partner retailers, according to Hypebeast in February 2026. The press has also reported stores in Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai between 2022 and 2024.

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Sources

Updated October 23, 2026. Facts checked in the specialist press and on the LVMH Prize page; each table gives its sources.

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