The first steps towards Everyday Hero were taken in a leather atelier in Småland thirty years ago, to the soundtrack of rock heroes like Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. I grew up with a dad who did not only supply the local community but the whole country with custom made jackets and coats. Everyday people and hyped artists were all jostling in the little atelier where, at the most, eleven seamstresses were working to meet the high demand for custom made leather wear.

I loved the smell of newly tanned leather and the clattering sounds from the sewing machines. The atelier, the craftsmanship and the fascinating people around my dad made a strong impression on me, but I hardly realized at the time how important that part of my childhood would become. Instead dreams, rebellion and raging teenage hormones guided me towards music. I was a drummer in a local band with a devout love for rock ’n’ roll, both musically and aesthetically.

In 2011 we were going on tour and I was looking intensively for clothes and shoes for our gigs. The boots had to have the right feel, a clean look and exude quality. But my search was in vain, I realized that there was something missing. With a start up capital left behind by my parents, I contacted one of my dad’s old connections, a shoemaker, who was willing to help me create what I was looking for, the boots with the right feel to them. Soon a shoe mold was carved out and the first pair of Zimmerman Zip Boots were made, a homage to both Bob Dylan and my own background. After the tour I realized that music, design and my personal background could be combined into something that me and many others had missed, the perfect boots, a design that can grow with credibility, and in the long run take its place amongst the originals.

In one way it feels like things have come full circle, but this is just the beginning, the look is timeless and rock ’n’ roll will never die.

John B, Everyday Hero