A FASHION brand set up by two ‘local lads’ – one who went on to become a star footballer – will be worn by pop superstars on their UK tour.

Anuva, pronounced an-oo-va, came about when childhood pals Tom Roberts and Matty Taylor became sick of wearing their football tracksuits.

Bicester-born Mr Roberts, who heads other businesses as well as the fashion start-up, said “Matt being a professional now, he’s always wearing tracksuits.

“And one time he said to me, ‘wouldn’t it be good if we could wear our own stuff’.

“I said we should do it… that was this time last year, and now it’s all spiralled into place.”

Now, six months after it was first launched, it has been featured in men’s fashion magazine GQ and will be donned by X-factor winners Rak-Su on their upcoming tour with ‘Dance With Me Tonight’ singer Olly Murs.

The popularity of the star-studded brand line-up is put down to social media.

Mr Roberts added: “Everything has actually come through our Instagram. My other business is a marketing agency, so I know what to do. People see us on there.”

Oxford Mail:

Footballer Taylor - who until recently played for Bristol City - started his youth career with Oxford United and made 11 senior appearances for the U's before moving to local clubs Didcot Town and North Leigh.

He later signed for Rovers despite then U's manager Michael Appleton saying he had shaken hands with the player over a move to the Kassam Stadium.

The Oxford pair have also teamed up with Ipswich and former Bristol Rovers player Ellis Harrison.

Despite taking inspiration from street-wear giants like Supreme, Bape and Palace, the trio say their box logo design makes the brand ‘unlike any other’.

Their first collection was a range of jersey T-Shirts branded with the Anuva logo, which has an accent hovering over the letter U.

It comes in four colours and costs £24.99.

Their second collection were four hoodies, costing just shy of £40.

“Fashion is a very saturated market.” Mr Roberts explained.

He went on: “So, every name we thought of at first was just taken.

“We saw a coffee shop, it was called not another coffee shop. And we liked it, because we’re not another fashion brand.

“So, we wanted to call it another, but there’s a twist. It’s like a play on words.

“Obviously everyone asks me how I say it, and as long as you say it – it doesn’t matter how.”

It’s a three-man team at the fashion house, which has been built up to its nearly 5,000 following on social media.

Oxford Mail:

He said: “We’re local lads.

“Ellis (who plays football for Ipswich Town) is not local – but he wanted to get involved. Why have two minds when you can have three.

“No one takes creative control. We talk on our WhatsApp group and when we have an idea the three of us just get together and put the designs out there.

“Both of them being professional footballers, getting the brand out there, its helped.

“It’s only been six-months, so bring on the next six.”

Taylor is not the only ex-Oxford player to launch his own fashion range.

Kemar Roofe has a range called Custom Rare.