Pringle of Scotland
Known for its impeccable knitwear and the signature argyle pattern, Pringle of Scotland is one of the brands at London Collections: Men most deeply rooted in traditionalism. This concept has always worked in the labels’ favour. Since its foundation in 1815, Pringle has convinced countless customers and built a stable patronage. Thus, we were not surprised at all to find that the innovation for their new collection pays homage to the brand’s own history.
Head designer Massimo Nicosia explains: “We have taken inspiration from traditional tartan, kilting and intarsia, and experimented with different treatments and fabrications“. Pringle’s classical grid occurs throughout the whole collection and is cleverly re-created three-dimensionally through a pleating process of the wool tartan fabric. The amount of pieces based on beautifully crafted texture is almost overwhelming: We don’t see this much structure in pants, coats and sweaters very often. Even shorts take on a whole new feel through the inclusion of pleated fabric.
Highlights
Personal must haves were the coats and jackets with kilt buckles as well as the lightweight cashmere t-shirts. Quality and sophistication make Pringle of Scotland’s vision for spring / summer 2014 a real hit. We have not seen a single piece of clothing that did not have some kind of thoughtful feature to it – which is noteworthy especially considering the collection was of a remarkable size compared to many other collections shown at LC:M this season! What we will have to get used to are socks that go up half your calves worn in combination with shorts. While this might be a personal issue, however, the minimal usage of a bright yellow seemed unnecessary. Pringle has created a very wearable and elaborate collection which felt complete without a popping colour. After all, what fascinates us most about the fashion house is their long-established code of categorical aesthetics. Few other labels can look back at their history and proudly stand behind every decision they have taken when it comes to their own identity as a brand.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we are once again very impressed by Pringle of Scotland. Seeing they take innovation seriously and yet remain faithful to their vision, we would be pleased to see them using fake leather in the future – the awareness for the material is certainly there and it might offer a range of new possibilities. How about pleated fake leather for autumn / winter 2014? Admittedly, this is an idea we would not only encourage Pringle to consider, though.
