140 years and counting
With a loan of just £800, Lyle & Scott was established in the sleepy town of Hawick in the Scottish Borders in 1874. While the premise was to meet the demand for high quality underwear in Victorian Britain, the knitwear brand has, through a tasteful evolution, achieved a measure of worldwide success while remaining the quintessence of Scottishness.
On its 140th anniversary, the label can look back on its history safe in the knowledge that time has only highlighted the innovative spirit of its founders William Lyle and Walter Scott. “Lyle & Scott has an unrivaled heritage that gives it a rare and unique value in the fashion market,” says Beth Thomas, speaking on behalf of the company. “This rich archive is a constant reference for the brand and a source of material for the design team to be inspired by.”
PRIZED DISTINCTION
An 11-piece premium line was created to mark this extra special birthday. “We have introduced two capsule collections for spring ’14 and autumn ’14, with all product made in the UK,” brand director Richard Martin told Drapers. “The collection exclusively features the original ‘L&S ltd’ 1874 logo, which is indicative of where Lyle & Scott started. Alongside this, the embroidered tonal eagle sits on the sleeve, subtly recognizing where the brand is today.”
In 1975, Lyle & Scott was offered the ultimate reward for its emphasis on quality, expertise and craftsmanship when it was appointed the Royal Warrant by HRH, The Duke of Edinburgh. The black, navy and deep berry pullovers that comprise this year’s limited edition all bear this highly prized distinction in the back neck, a manufacturing pedigree it shares with other distinguished British tradesmen such as perfume house Penhaligon’s and bespoke tailor Gieves & Hawkes.
YOUTH UNIFORM
“Good work makes more work” was William Lyle’s dictum. In 1954 Lyle & Scott collaborated with Christian Dior to produce a range of cashmere designs, a pairing that paved the way for future partnerships with Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Liberty and Bergdorf Goodman. Its quality fabric and simple silhouettes then caught the eye of well-dressed modernists in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s before golf legends such as Gary Player and Tony Jacklin showed affection for the golf wear range.
In the indie-inflected Noughties, the Golden Eagle was spotted on bands such as Vampire Weekend, Arctic Monkeys and Bloc Party and on cast members of the British teen series Skins. Lyle & Scott turned into the de facto uniform of young people in the early ‘80s, figuring heavily in the UK’s casual subculture, and it continues its forward drive under head of design Carolyn Massey.
CHALLENGES
“I always like the idea that someone would go into a store and reconnect with Lyle & Scott in a way that they used to. That’s something I always aspire to when designing because if you can prompt that reaction in a customer, that’s when a brand feels right — when you’re true to who you are and what you do,” says Massey. “One of the biggest compliments we have received as a design team is that ‘Lyle & Scott feels like Lyle & Scott again.’”
Balancing tradition and contemporary relevance is but one test. Globalization is another. “It always proves to be a challenge but we are well on the way to finding partners that can effectively communicate the brand in emerging territories,” Martin stated in Drapers. I can only imagine the fantastic stories in 10 years’ time, when Lyle & Scott turns 150.
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The Lyle & Scott 140th anniversary collection is available at General, C1 Building, Upper Ground Floor, Bonifacio High Street Central, Taguig City.
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