Pringle of Scotland @ FW2013 Men & Women Collection

Pringle of Scotland FW2013 Men collection offers wardrobe staples that combine traditional tailoring and outerwear with the ease and comfort of knitwear. Innovative knit techniques are explored to offer pieces that are textural but lightweight; herringbone knits are presented in charcoal with burgundy and navy with grey, whilst a traditional cable hand knit is enlarged for a rope like effect, executed in the finest Scottish cashmere. The brand’s heritage of creating knitwear as outerwear is developed through the combining of knit with woven fabrics and leather throughout the collection; structured woven blazers are softened with knitted shawl collars, and jackets and coats are fitted with knitted panels, cuffs and trims that add an ease of movement and contrast in texture, to elevate these classic wardrobe staples.

The brand’s iconic argyle diamond appears in a range of interpretations; from the diamond quilting on jackets and sweaters, to needle punch treatments on woven fabric bonded with knit in navy, black and charcoal, to 100% cashmere argyle sweaters. The twinset theme is also explored with the use of knit from jacket to trouser throughout a complete look, and the pairing of knitwear pieces; seamless merino sweaters are layered under more substantial outerwear knits and a woven suit partnered with a co-ordinating woven shirt.

Heritage themes are developed and combined with innovative techniques including a reversible Harris Tweed coat, a cashmere mac with water repellent treatment and a wool blazer lined with technical mesh fabric. traditional tartan appears in an all over cashmere weave in black and navy, and is referenced through gingham, which is developed across knitted trousers and outerwear in tonal grey with black and chalky tones. An ‘archive edition’ of two original 1970’s intarsia designs has been developed to showcase the best traditional.

The women collection offers clean and structured silhouettes offset and softened by a tonal colour palette and luxuriously layered knitwear, to create a collection that is simultaneously strong and feminine. As always, innovative knitwear is at the heart of the Collection with knitted dresses a key component; from a merino rib with tiered panels, to a fitted colour block day dress in cashmere silk, to a flowing rayon pleat dress featuring a delicate lace hole knit effect.

The brand’s iconic argyle pattern is explored subtly through a pointelle diamond knit, and texturally through a merino and silk argyle in teal and burgundy hues, as well as across cashmere silk graphic intarsia sweaters. The twinset theme is explored through the matching of fabrics across looks, including a luxurious moiré fabric that appears on trousers and coats in dusty pink and teal variations, and through the incorporation of panels to dresses, shirts and jackets that can be draped as a matching scarf or wrapped as a belt to complete the look.

A duck egg blue cashmere coat is styled underneath a shorter matching jacket, taking the traditional twinset into the realm of outerwear. There is a geometric feel to the collection with the use of panelling and layering to bisect looks and create stepped waistlines and hems. Woven skirts and jackets feature knitted panels in a contrast of colour and texture overlaid to sit at different heights to graphic effect. This geometric theme is continued with the brand’s signature twinsets that are colour blocked in navy, storm blue and black, and peony, dusty pink and taupe combinations.

This spirit of juxtaposition is central to the collection; smooth rubberized leather is bonded with the contrasting texture of felted wool, whilst a knitted dress pairs soft merino with smooth leather panels. The use of contrasting colour and bonded fabrics mean that the interior of garments become as much a feature as the exterior; a reversible jacket combines black with dusky pink and skirts and trousers in the same fabric boast contrasting colour belts and turn ups in a luxurious take on utility.