South Yorkshire artist makes it big in US as Hollywood A-listers Samuel L Jackson and Keanu Reeves endorse work

Matt Heald, from Barnsley, founded Retro Design Co. in 2021 which he described as ‘quintessentially British’. In a year, his reputation, especially in the US, has skyrocketed.

His first brush with the stars came when Keanu Reeves was pictured wearing his design alongside video game director, Hideo Kojima.

Keanu later went on to wear another of Matt’s designs in the Weezer music video alongside fellow Bill & Ted actor, Alex Winter.

His latest project was commissioned by Samuel L. Jackson as a gift for the cast and crew of a new Marvel series.

“When Nick Fury calls and asks you for help, you can’t say no!,” he joked.

Matt added: “Samuel L. Jackson is an absolute legend on and off the screen, it was a huge honour to work with him and his team.”

The design work for Jackson was a unique T-shirt, said Matt, as it was gifted to the cast and crew of Marvel’s Secret Invasion.

Secret Invasion is the latest Marvel series filmed at Pinewood Studios, as well as areas of Leeds and Halifax. The T-shirt illustrates Nick Fury’s new look without his iconic eye patch.

Samuel L Jackson endorses Matt in a video testimonial

Matt said: “Sam quite literally signed off on the project. He sent across his signature and we printed it on the inside collar and back of each tee.

“It's amazing seeing his name next to my logo. If that wasn’t cool enough, he even took the time out to send me a video testimonial to help spread the word about Retro Design Co.”

The A-list Hollywood star, whose famous movies include Pulp Fiction and Kingsman, also personally endorsed Matt’s work on his website, www.retrodesignco.co.uk in a video testimonial.

He said: “The dude is super dependable! He will make sure you get what you want, when you want it, by the time you want it, so get on it!”

Matt said 90 per cent of his clients are from the US and overseas, and he has no idea why.

“There was a part of me that thought (they) must love classic British humour. It could just be the Northern accent, though.”

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