A Cold Wall is initiating a new chapter by appointing Joshua Bullen as its first designer in residence. Founded in 2015 by Samuel Ross and sold in 2024, the label has selected the 38-year-old creative, whose resume includes tenures at Stone Island, Givenchy, and Kenzo, to lead its next phase. Bullen is scheduled to unveil his first collection for the brand during a presentation in Paris next January.
Bullen stated his intention to build upon the progressive identity established by Ross while expanding the brand's product proposition. He noted that Ross created something unique informed by social inclusion and contemporary architecture, but emphasized the goal of evolving A Cold Wall into a primarily clothing-focused brand with significant ambitions. This appointment follows the brand's evolution from a culturally resonant London label of the 2010s to its current ownership structure.
The business was originally acquired in full by fashion accelerator Tomorrow in February 2024 after Ross decided to pursue other projects, including his design studio SR_A. Nine months later, Tomorrow sold A Cold Wall to Four Marketing, a London-based distribution and retail group with Frasers Group as its largest shareholder. Ben Banks, co-founder and CEO of Four Marketing, described the acquisition as an opportunity to apply a startup mentality to a brand with strong recognition but a need to align cultural equity with revenue.
Four Marketing is now preparing to expand the label's international reach, particularly in the US, which currently accounts for the largest share of website traffic. The group plans to introduce US-based fulfillment starting in February 2027 to reduce costs and speed up deliveries for American customers. Additionally, arrangements are being finalized for a US showroom for the FW27 season, with longer-term plans to open A Cold Wall's first physical store in London.
Bullen's title as designer in residence reflects a collaborative and open-ended approach to creative development, with no fixed timeline for his tenure. He will work alongside director and creative consultant Nick Griffiths, focusing on creating garments that balance progressive design with everyday functionality. The brand has already simplified its name by removing the hyphens and asterisk used during Ross's era.
For Bullen, this role marks a return to fashion design following his departure from Kenzo, where he served as design director under Nigo. He previously held the position of menswear design director at Givenchy after spending over a decade at Stone Island. The upcoming collection will feature tailoring made in London and will be presented during Paris menswear fashion week alongside a broader cultural program including an exhibition and music. Banks emphasized that the objective is to build on Ross's original vision without attempting to replicate or mimic it.
Sources: Vogue.