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Pringle Needs More Fine-Tuning
By Godfrey Deeny
Photos by Gruber-FWD
MILAN, Jan 17, 2003 /FWD/ --- The weight of expectations can be a burdensome thing.
Pringle, the venerable Scottish brand in the midst of a major revamp, staged its first
ever men's collection Wednesday in Milan, and the big question on everyone's mind is,
will this label become the new Burberry?
Designed by Stuart Stockdale, who made a highly respectable debut with Pringle women's
line in London last September, the men's collection combined humor, street-credible
dandyism and rustic chic.
It also delighted the throng of young women who crowded into the atmospheric Banca Cesare
Ponti on Piazza Duomo in which it was held, and even held in thrall a flock of Italian gals
peering in from outside.
Guests downed drams of 10-year-old McCallan whiskey and munched on miniature roast beef
and Yorkshire pudding sandwiches, before the show kicked off. Stockdale referenced almost
the entire collection on the Teddy Boys, arguably the UK's first modern youth movement.
Unknown in the US, the Teds had a fairly preposterous aesthetic mingling rock-a-billy jeans,
brothel creepers and slicked-back hair with Edwardian frock coats.
But as an inspiration for a men's collection, it turned out to be smart.
The big problem with Pringle is that the label's image is cemented to its diamond patterned
sweaters and twin sets, but by pairing them with denim kilts, peg leg jeans, winkle
picker shoes and knee length cardigans, the pattern looked new and hip.
Better yet was the smart manner Stockdale played with the diamond pattern, sending out teal,
pink and gray sweaters and tank tops and embroidering it in creamy wool onto a cool white shirt.
And the new lion buckle belts will be definite best-sellers.
However, there was a slapdash air about the proceedings in the bank decorated with four
huge stags' heads and Pringle logos.
One couldn't imagine the author of Burberry's remarkable renaissance, CEO Rosemarie Bravo,
staging an event like this, which reeked more of an amusing graduation than the rebirth
of a luxury label.
Pringle was created back in 1815 in Scotland and its famed sweaters evoke the highlands,
rustic honesty and golf links.
On the opening hole of Pringle's comeback, Stockdale definitely hit his opening shot onto
the fairway but there's still a long way to go to the winning putt.
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