Pringle of Scotland....Clare Waight Keller, Tilda Swinton and Ryan McGinley

I have recently taken notice of the fashion label Pringle of Scotland, seeing it more and more at some of the shops I frequent.  Pringle is one of the oldest fashion houses in Scotland and it was the birthplace of the British knitwear industry.  Founded in 1815 by Robert Pringle, it became one of the first luxury knitwear brands in the world with customers in Europe, the United States and Japan.  The Pringle label has been knitting cashmere since the 1870's and basically coined the term knitwear.  Some interesting tidbits for you fashion historians out there:  Pringle is credited with the creation of the Argyle pattern which became popular with the Duke of Windsor and the fashionable set of his time.  Another  innovation that Pringle spearheaded in the 1930's was the creation of a stylish new item called the 'twinset' - a sporty two-piece cardigan.  The new twinset was paired with a single string of pearls and a trademark of classic British style was born.

Claire Waight Keller was appointed the brand's first Creative Director in 2005 and her collections are now presented during Milan fashion week.  Classically, the line was worn by such society icons as Grace Kelly and Brigitte Bardot.  Today, starts like Madonna, Guy Ritchie, Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman, Sharon Stone and Scarlett Jonansson wear the line.

I have found it interesting that this month, both Harper's Bazaar and Elle Magazine have articles on Pringle of Scotland.  I definitely think this is a brand to watch...

Claire is invigorating the brand.  Harper's takes us inside the designer's London home, which she shares with her husband, twin daughter's and dog (Harry).  The Harper's website has not been updated with the article, so here is a quick peek.  Go out and buy this month's issue (on newstands) to read the full article.  Photographs are by Christopher Sturman.

I enjoyed the understated, clean look of her home.  The bold pillow jumps out and makes a statement against the neutral tones of the sofa.  It reminded me of our Black Links Needlepoint Pillow, which is currently priced at $60.

You will really have to head to the newsstand to purchase the magazine, because I didn't scan all pages, but Clare's bed is strikingly similar to my Hollywood Bed (which we sell to adults and children alike, please note):

You can catch a glimpse of the headboard in the photo at top left here.  I enjoyed seeing Clare's neutral color palette and how she peppered her rooms with  hints of black and brown thrown in for good measure:

I especially enjoyed the inlaid Syrian chest that Clare uses to house her collection of more than 100 chunky cashmere knits (all Pringle, I assume!)

As I rode home on the plane from the Bahamas today (where I sat at the table next to Kevin Costner at Nobu Saturday night - just my luck!), I perused the pages of Elle magazine and enjoyed the write up on Pringle's latest ad campaign, featuring Tilda Swinton.  Another step in the reinvention of this storied brand, Clare and her team had Ryan McGinley create a beautiful art film featuring Swinton and the designer's clothing.  Read the full Elle story here (they have their site current...ahem, Hearst...)  Ryan McGinley is famous for earning a solo show at the Whitney when he was just 26 and for his "provocative photos of the young and restless".  His goal in making the seven-minute vignette was to take away the lack of movement in typical fashion photos and bring the clothing to life.  I just watched the film and it is unique.  The scenery is breathtaking.  Take a few minutes to sit back and watch the short film here, especially if you are fan of Tilda Swinton.  Her stark beauty is perfect against the backdrop of nature.

Photo from Pringle of Scotland

Tilda represents the ultimate modern icon for Scotland, according to Keller.  An interesting new way to showcase a classic, 195-year old brand.  She is definitely one to watch!  Enjoy!

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