Focusing On: Fred Perry

All research as follows is what I have found to be relevant in the 'Context Stage' of my current summative brief.

FRED PERRY

Overview:

Fred Perry LTD was first launched in 1952 after Tibby Wegener, a former Austrian footballer who had invented the first ever sweatband, approached Mr Fred Perry with the idea of launching his own fashion brand. Both Wegener and Perry went on to work together and launched a sweatband as the first ever item of Fred Perry's range. Of course since then the line has continued to expand, now stocking polo shirts, ties, footwear, jackets, and jumpers, just to name a few. Looking at the brand in today's society, Fred Perry fashion has earned its place as one of the most celebrated British brands in the entire market due to their iconic designs, strong heritage and exceptional identity.

Production Line History:

1940 - The sweatband was first launched.

1952 - The iconic Fred Perry polo shirt was launched and worn at Wimbledon, becoming an immediate success. At the time it was only available in black and white and was branded specifically as a tennis shirt.

Late 50's - The demand for the polo kept increasing therefore a wider range of colours became available. At this point the item was now popular with sportsmen as well as non-sportsmen - wanted to wear the polo as a statement.

The Brand Logo:

The idea for the logo, the laurel wreath, was based on the original Wimbledon symbol. In current times it is now one of the most recognised logos worldwide, and acts like a badge of honour for many customers. Generally, the logo is one of the most iconic symbols of British fashion, due to successfully blending sportswear with everyday fashion - something which is a huge trend right now!

Primary Store Visits:

1. Manchester

I found this store was much smaller than expected. Usually this would make me more inclined to not step inside and browse, as small stores often feel more awkward and judgemental. However in contrast, the general feel was very calm and relaxed as the majority of the staff appeared to be between the relatable ages of 18-25, therefore not coming across as intimidating or forceful.

Looking at the store's decor, the laurel wreath logo was displayed throughout the store and held a large focus at the front of the shop window - helping consumers instantly recognise which brand it was. As a customer I was able to notice the brand's history displayed across the shop walls with the use of a timeline of photographs - I thought this was an interesting touch as it meant I would evidently spend a much larger amount of time walking around the store to link the history to current times / collections, as apposed to browsing the average store.

The clothing found in-store was both sport and street orientated, however streetwear was without a doubt the main focus of customer appeal.

2. Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet

This store shocked me as I found the vibe to be the complete opposite to the Manchester store. The staff were rude and obnoxious, watching my every move without offering any sort of customer service. Additionally, they also sniggered and then proceeded to decline my (very polite) request to take a few pictures of the store for my uni project. At the time I visited there were no other customers in store either, and the store was spotless. It was generally a very bizarre and awkward experience. I think this was predominantly because the staff were a lot older, and I felt as if they were looking at me like I was twelve years old...🤷🏽‍♀️

The decor was largely similar to the Manchester store, with the same big logos, history section and in-store visual merchandising of the clothing tables and rails. I do like the consistency through the stores, especially as this particular one is an outlet so I'd expected the layout to be very different.

3. Nottingham Store

(To be added at a later date - visiting 10/01/2020)

Audience & Appeal :

Whilst the heart of the brand is in tennis, the decades have given Fred Perry's identity a chance to develop. Through interests and the identity of subcultures, pop culture, connections from sport, to music and celebrity style, the brand has gained its recognised heritage.

Their famous logo has been worn by current British tennis number one, Andy Murray, as well as cyclist Bradley Wiggins. Wiggins actually launched his own collection with the brand in 2015 - bringing a wide range of cycling fans to explore the brand. Using these famous sporting faces to help promote the brand helps to keep new consumers constantly joining onto the longterm Fred Perry hype after seeing their idols doing so.

Recent Collaborations:

Fred Perry has been well published in recent years for its strong and adventurous collaborations, with many of which focusing on the brand's rich British heritage.

As mentioned above, Bradley Wiggins became a national treasure within Great Britain after his 2012 Tour de France win. It was in fact one of the biggest British sporting success stories of the past decade, therefore making Wiggins a high profile star to have involved in campaigns. He decided to join in partnership with Fred Perry due to his love for 60's style. His collection, in which he was present for during every step of the design process, offered a number of reworked favourites plus a number of new designs in vintage colouring and patterns. The references to his sport of cycling are visible throughout the line, with slim cut turtle knits and retro track jackets, whilst other items had the feel of a classic cycling jersey. The key product in the collection is a design Bradley was himself inspired by, merged with a classic Fred Perry silhouette. The track cycling top has been introduced with the alterations to give a more athletic profile look (e.g, longer body with narrow arms) and is made from a blend of cotton and nylon, creating a look which can be styled as both sporty and smart. It also features a rear back pocket as a tribute to the traditional cycling jersey.

Main summary included in my visual report:

Mr Fred Perry was once an English tennis champion. For 77 straight years he held the title as the only British Wimbledon winner – making him a memorable sporting legend.

His close links to the sporting world, with tennis at the forefront, lead him to his friendship with ex-Australian footballer, Tibby Wegner. In 1940 Perry was approached by him to help market the first sweatband. With the success of the duo’s innovative idea, they went on to expand their products and began offering the trademark white polo shirt from 1952. This was the birth of Fred Perry, “one of the most celebrated quintessentially British brands” within the fashion industry.

Although the FP history did begin with sports, over the years the brand unintentionally began relating to various subcultures, music consumed at the time and different street styles. The brand logo began acting like a badge of honour for many.

The laurel wreath symbol is representative of Wimbledon, connecting the designer to his routes. Therefore, the brand essentially acts as an official uniform of the tournament. Additionally, the logo is considered one of the most iconic symbols in British fashion, symbolising the successful merging of sportswear into everyday streetwear. This was helped by one of their consumers; the Mods.

Fred Perry’s wide colour range enabled subcultures of football-hooligans (‘Perry Boys’) to portray which team they supported, something which fans are still doing. Similarly, the champagne/black colourway has become a notable favourite for musicians after the punk/new wave explosion via the first ever punk festival in 1976.

The connection Fred Perry have had with the celeb industry has meant they haven’t had to rely on mass media marketing. They use their timeless fashion appeal to connect with almost every generation.

Mia

xo