My name is Quoc Pham. In 2009, I created QUOC out of a passion for fashion and sport.

I was in my late 20’s, living in Bermondsey, London when I found myself at a crossroads after wrapping up my menswear label. Feeling disillusioned with the fashion industry, I sought solace in my daily commutes on a red, single-speed bike. It was in this period that, frustrated with how my everyday shoes were getting destroyed by the pedal’s spiked metal toe cage, I envisioned a shoe that could seamlessly pair with that cage. The idea was simple: a sturdy sole, slim enough to fit the cage, and crafted in leather for style beyond the bike.

I was so naive that I didn’t much consider the challenges. I did no market research, there were no big budgets. Armed with a few pencil-to-paper sketches and a really beautiful English last that I had ‘acquired’ from the label, I set out to visit shoe factories in Asia. Training myself in shoe development along the way, I eventually pieced together what would become my first shoe, the ‘Fixed England’. 

As the idea developed beyond a prototype, I decided to brand the venture after my own name. It felt like a risk. Growing up in inner city London, I was often teased about my name. People didn’t know how to pronounce it; and in the cycling world a Vietnamese name definitely sticks out. But in fashion, that’s what designers do, they use their name. So that was that, I doubled down - eventually dropping the surname to simply read –‘QUOC’.

When the first prototypes arrived in five colours, I was floored. It took me back to the classical era of track cycling; French-made Carnac shoes or Duegi’s Italian heritage lace shoes. I felt compelled to get them on the feet of more cyclists and went door-to-door to London bike shops like Condor Cycles, pitching my product and vision. I sold 120 pairs that first year.

The real breakthrough came in 2018 with the birth of the ‘Gran Tourer’, a shoe I dreamt up on a bikepacking trip with friends. It was the first gravel-specific shoe featuring a really walkable sole, beautiful silhouette and what has now become our signature colour border. The stamp of approval came from the sales; they sold out almost instantly, proving the demand for cycling footwear that optimally balances performance, comfort and aesthetics.

I've always believed if you write something down it will happen. By 2023, we had gathered a talented global team, all obsessed with bikes, and each playing a pivotal role in shaping the brand. I wrote them a note: “Next year, we will sign a World Tour Rider”. A few months later, we started our first season with Tour de France winner, Geraint Thomas.

Today, QUOC is sold in more than 300 stores and worn on every continent. By focusing on the emotional connection people have with footwear, and combining that with a shared love of riding bikes, we’re building a brand that bridges cycling, culture and lifestyle, with products inspired by the vibrant and inspiring community of riders around us.