Fred Perry has managed to be at the heart of various subcultures throughout the years and have succeeded in remaining at the top of their game year in year out. Described by the brand as the 'subcultural uniform'; a similar statement to that of Dr Marten, however the difference being Fred Perry's following has changed every decade, depending on that particular movement of the time. Here, we take a look at Fred Perry throughout the years....
1957/8
The history of the Fred Perry polo shirt dates back to 1952; formed initially as a sportwear brand and created by the tennis player himself. By 1957, the brand had reached new levels and as the story goes... a group of West Ham fans enquired at Lillywhites of London whether the classic polo shirt could be produced in the signature West Ham colours, and wallah - the 'twin tipped collar' was born. This also led to the colour White/Ice/Maroon being produced and thus a new craze was formed.
1959
The British Mod movement soon adopted the Fred Perry polo shirt as a piece of cool, understated fashion. Worn with the top button fastened, creating a smart yet classic look, the top was chosen due to the fact it can be worn all night long and still look fresh in the morning. This became the first crossover brand from sportswear to streetwear and thus forged the relationship between fashion and music that has remained the same ever since.
1963
The sixties were all about Northern Soul. From all night raves in Wigan to The Twisted Wheel in Manchester, the era saw badges embroidered to polo shirts and the Fred Perry Twisted Wheel collection from 2013 depicted this. The Fred Perry polo shirt of choice was the colour Black/Yellow/Yellow.
The Pretty Green Northern Soul collection took a similar approach in their designs. Shop here for the three pieces we have left.
1976
Moving quickly into the 70's, with Vivienne Westwood and the Sex Pistols' involvement in forming the Punk era, Fred Perry was once again the brand of choice and a staple piece of the Punk/New Wave look. The colour Black/Champagne/Champagne was the chosen colour and is still worn by musicians to this day.
1993
Three decades on from the Northern Soul era, Britpop ruled the waves! British bands such as Oasis, Blur & Pulp transformed society into an indie music scene, with Manchester being at the heart of this movement. Influenced largely by British guitar bands of the sixties, indie music led the way and the combination of music, art and fashion created a sense of 'being British'.
Now
Bradley Wiggins has recently released a collection of clothing; adding his own personal tastes into the designs. His collaboration with Fred Perry has led to the release of a collection of mod-inspired pieces with vintage cycling details. Today, Fred Perry still resonates with indie band lovers
