70 years of the first Fred Perry polo
Fred Perry polo shirts have been produced since 1952. For 70 years they’ve been worn by generations and across countless cultures. This June the brand is once again celebrating its rich history.
When tennis legend Fred Perry released his first polo in the 50s, it was designed purely for the court. He never imagined it would become part of British - and global - fashion and culture, selling in massive numbers for decades to come.
This June the laurel wreath polo celebrates its 70th anniversary with a new exhibition Fred Perry: A British Icon at London’s Design Museum. The show proves that the polo’s influence goes far beyond music. “People in polos are into R&B, 60s indie, or football fans heading to the stadium or the pub” - says Liza Betts from the London College of Fashion. “There are no limits. My 80-year-old dad wears them just like my teenage daughter and her mates.”
The clean design connects with everyone - helped by collabs with stars across generations: Paul Weller, Amy Winehouse, Arctic Monkeys.
It wasn’t the only polo with a strong logo. French tennis player René Lacoste launched his crocodile in 1933, and Ralph Lauren came with his version in 1972. What made Fred Perry stand out? The laurel wreath - a symbol of victory. “A type of branding that lets the customer weave the style into their own life – whether you’re a tennis player, a music star, a football fan or heading to a job interview” - explains Maria McLintock from the Design Museum.
Perry himself didn’t come from privilege - he was working class, which resonated with the 60s Mods. The polo matched their idea of sharp living in tough conditions - clean, stylish and affordable.
McLintock recalls how Mods first connected with the brand: “The Flamingo Club in Soho was right next to Fred Perry’s first office. Legend has it a group of youngsters broke in, nicked a few polos and shared them around their crew.”
The link with football culture began, according to McLintock, when a West Ham fan asked a Lillywhites shop assistant to make a polo in his club’s colors. That’s how the multi-coloured versions appeared.
Of course not all associations have been positive. Since the 60s some skinheads moved into neo-fascist groups like the National Front, and later the Proud Boys in North America. In 2020 the brand re-released the black-and-yellow polo (mainly worn by PB members) with a statement that it stands for “diversity and independence”.
The company is still based in the UK, but has been owned by the Japanese since 1995, when Fred’s son David sold it a year after his father passed away. The new owners have worked hard to diversify the brand – for over 20 years collaborating with artists and musicians like Amy Winehouse, Gorillaz, Gwen Stefani, Comme des Garçons, Charles Jeffrey and Raf Simons.
So what does a Fred Perry polo mean today? For the most part, politics have faded away. “You wear it to stand out and look good. At the end of the day it’s just a polo shirt - and let’s keep it that way.” - says Dominique Fenn.
