The England footballer Ollie Watkins is amongst a bunch of traders ploughing new funds right into a fast-growing British on-line sneaker and streetwear market.

Sky News understands that Mr Watkins, who performed for Aston Villa on Sunday within the 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest, is backing The Edit LDN, which has operated concessions in shops equivalent to Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

The firm, which bought 20,000 pairs of trainers final yr at premium costs, is within the means of elevating a £5m funding spherical.

Mr Watkins and Josh Denzel, a sports activities broadcaster and former Love Island contestant, are among the many early members within the share sale.

At the beginning of the yr, it introduced a £3.9m capital increase led by Regah Ventures, an funding fund.

The proceeds of the newest increase might be used to facilitate The Edit LDN's progress in areas together with the US and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

"I've always had an interest in sneaker culture, and joining forces with The Edit LDN feels like a natural step," Mr Watkins mentioned.

The Edit LDN's newest fundraising comes at a time of great progress within the sneaker resale class, whilst client spending in different areas comes below strain.

The firm was based in 2020 by Moses Rashid, who has beforehand talked about attaining a $1bn (£808m) valuation for the corporate earlier than the tip of the last decade.

"Having household names in Ollie and Josh joining our journey, marks a great next phase of The Edit LDN as we continue to drive our platform to a wider audience of customers, making the inaccessible accessible," Mr Rashid mentioned.

"[They] have been incredibly supportive and are committed to driving awareness and… value for the brand."

Mr Denzel added: "The concept of merging online and offline sneaker shopping and creating a seamless experience is innovative and exciting."