Who knew golf attire could be so covetable? Obviously William Lyle and Walker Scott did, back in 1874, when they set up what was originally an underpants and hosiery factory in Hawick on the Scottish borders. Like Pringle, the also-Scottish knitwear giant label that inspired the founders, Lyle & Scott slowly moved from a concentration on fine-knit hosiery and chunky outerwear to the modern wardrobe of twinsets, sweaters and sportswear during the 20s and 30s. In 1975, the brand even impressed their client the Duke of Edinburgh enough to have been handed the Royal Warrant.Lyle & Scott’s image languished in slight staidness during the 90s, but like many traditional British specialist firms, they re-acquired a fashion sensibility by the turn of the millennium, when they revived their 70s - 80s menswear golf designs in an exclusive ‘Vintage’ range, marked with the Golden Eagle. Since then, Lyle & Scott has gained popularity with a younger clientèle, many of whom have no association with golf. In particular, it was taken up by a host of indie bands (Artic Monkeys, Kasabian) and youthful celebs.
Lyle & Scott still draws from a century-old archive that includes designs by Christian Dior and Michael Kors (with whom the label collaborated in the 50s and the 80s, respectively) as it continues to exploit its heritage to cater to demand for retro fashions.
If you’ve never looked at Lyle and Scott clothing before, now's the time to check out what this brand has to offer!
Lyle & Scott reinforced its fashion pedigree last year when it beat off stiff competition (from the likes of Luke, Fred Perry and Superdry) and won the Young Fashion Brand of the Year at the Drapers Awards 2009.
The Lyle & Scott fanclub:-
Lyle & Scott’s men’s shoes and women’s clothing range, although small at the moment, is making the rounds in a number of publications.
From the 1954 collaboration with Christian Dior.
