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(accessed 06.01.2020)

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A Fred Perry Subculture Film #1: Born To Be Wild

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The store was a lot bigger than Fred Perry and had 2 floors. From the outside it was already busier as it is in a central location. They had a lot more staff working and they approached you as you entered the shop. The shop appeared more commercial compared to Fred Perry as unlike Fred Perry there was little about the heritage of the brand or the history behind it. This is interesting to see considering the brands came from similar sporting backgrounds.

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The products in store were displayed on rails, folded or presented on mannequins. The mannequins allow customers to see the clothing on a real life like person.
The products felt cramped in the shop as there was little space to move between fixtures. In addition to this, there were little mirrors and only a small fitting room area which does not fit in with the huge area of the shop.
The male section took the whole of the downstairs floor compared to the kids and women upstairs together. This immediately demonstrates how they appeal to their target audience.

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Fred Perry have a close link to music through subcultures. In the 60s MOD fashion inherited Fred Perry as a brand and due to this their music became influential to Fred Perry's image. For example the likes of The Who who would regularly perform wearing the famous Fred Perry wreath on their shirt. This later lead into the Britpop movement and once again the indie genre inherited the Fred Perry style. Not only indie music but Fred Perry took on the Punk subculture. Worn by the likes of The Kinks and the Sex Pistols. People who are influenced by this music today still identify with the fashion they adopted. (accessed 06.01.2020)

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Browse Fred Perry Subculture alphabetically by musical genre.

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The promotions in the store were at the front of the shop and very visible to customers. They were offering up to 50% off on some item.
They were displayed on a table, folded up and kept neat by the associates that worked there.

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(Accessed 17.01.2020)

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We are excited to announce that we have been chosen as an Official Supporter for Team GB for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and beyond. Ben Sherman will create exclusive looks to be worn by the British athletes during the official Opening Ceremony as well as additional looks to be sold in retail.

This multi-year agreement will support the nation's finest competitors during the world's greatest sporting event. Ben Sherman Creative Director, Mark Williams, comments,

"It's a real honour to be tasked with designing the collection. We will use the brand's heritage, authenticity and aesthetic excellence to inspire the very same athletes who inspire us with their dedication and sportsmanship. The design elements will hold true to the spirit of the Olympics and Great Britain. We want the athletes to feel an immense sense of achievement and unity while representing the nation during the Opening Ceremony."

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We are excited to announce that we have been chosen as an Official Supporter for Team GB for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and beyond. Ben Sherman will create exclusive looks to be worn by the British athletes during the official Opening Ceremony as well as additional looks to be sold in retail.

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On the Fred Perry website they have an area where they provide information on the origins of their brand. This includes subcultures that are influential even today and appeal to certain customers who shop at Fred Perry.

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Bradley Wiggins is an olympic cyclist who was chosen to do a collaboration with Fred Perry. This incorporates the sporting influence and the MOD subculture that Fred Perry are famous for. Wiggins appeals to the subculture for his famous haircut and style. (accessed 06.12.2020)

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Bradley Wiggins
Thursday 25th October 2012
In October 2012, after a string of successes over the summer, Bradley Wiggins talked to the team at Fred Perry about meeting his heroes, the cross over between sports and music, the 'Mod' look, and more....

'I've got to meet many of my heroes the past few months. And some of them being slightly in awe to meet me is very strange, and that's through sports. I got to watch the Stone Roses, and they were brilliant and Miles Kane. It's bizarre but that's what really nice about the crossover between sports and music. Everybody wants to celebrate cycling and the successes of the summer by wearing this heritage crossover piece. As I said, the timing couldn't have been better for everybody.

For me, looking back, the mod look will always be about the Small Faces. I met Kenney Jones a while back after the Olympics, and he's one of the original forefathers. But then after that obviously Weller and The Jam, the revival thing, and then again in modern day, him being able to be a trendsetter as well as evolving it and not being a cliché in that look; he has taken his own stamp on it. But then also for me, it's weird for me to try and take my own style into all this. Because people look at me like that now, which is nice, it's nice to have that. And I've seen a lot of stuff in the Press like 'Mod' on the cover of The Sun, or the Mirror and that and I guess it has given it a revival in a way really.

When I was on the Tour, I was there with my photographer Scott who's also a photographer for The Moons. He'd always hang around at the finish because I would always go back to the hotel in a separate car from the team, and we were listening to the promo of The Moons new album a lot. Songs like English Summer and Jennifer. That became a bit of a soundtrack for the third week of the Tour for us, and the Olympics. And then we were hanging out with Andy Croft a bit after the Olympics, and he was really surprised we were listening to that. So The Moons' new album really sums up this summer for me.

There are many tracks that I listen to often, but for me, again, it's all about the Small Faces. I never tire of listening to Ogden's, forty years on from when it was made. I was talking to Kenney Jones about that - he was 15 years old when he wrote Ogden's. They were all teenagers when they wrote that album, but the sound of it; it could be a band today. It's just brilliant. That proves how good they were as musicians and songwriters. That whole album has still stood the test of time. For me, it's a benchmark that everyone followed.

When you're a teenager you're at your most easily influenced. I was 15 when Paul Weller's Stanley Road came out, so a lot of the songs on that have meaning. Definitely Maybe by Oasis came out I was fourteen. When you're a teenager you always sway towards the rebellious - I grew up with Oasis. It's still stands as much today as it did then. When I was a teenager I was attracted by that rebellious character - that was definitely the case for me.

I'm coming up to the point where I've spent more time in the North of England than the South. I moved to Manchester when I was eighteen because that's where the national cycling centre was and I've been up there ever since. I got really into the heritage of the music - Northern Soul I really got into big - so I started collecting a lot of vinyl; the Wigan Casino stuff and the Twisted Wheel. And I really got into the whole Manchester band thing that happened; with The Smiths and everything, it's a whole different scene up there. It's a much more untapped scene, whereas the London music scene has the whole history with Carnaby Street and that area, and it's become a bit too commercialised and touristy. In comparison to that, the Northern scene's stayed much more underground.

I've always struggled being at the forefront of something, whether it's as a team leader or whatever, I don't like being the front man. I like to be in a position where I can be in the background a bit. I don't like being the voice of something. I've suppose always swayed towards bass players- people like John Entwistle, who's my hero, musically. I always liked that even though he's probably one of the best musicians in the world for what he did, but you might not ever recognise him in the street. And he was just very humble and modest about what he did. I would have loved to have been as good a bass player as him.

I think Miles Kane has the potential to go on and be the next Weller. Definitely, over the next few years. There's other bands too - Gun Club Cemetery have started to get a little following together on Twitter, The Moons again, and Little Barry, they've got some good singles. They're the bands I'm backing.'

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Thursday 25th October 2012 In October 2012, after a string of successes over the summer, Bradley Wiggins talked to the team at Fred Perry about meeting his heroes, the cross over between sports and music, the 'Mod' look, and more.... 'I've got to meet many of my heroes the past few months.

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Initial plan made for marketing strategy

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Initial plan made for marketing strategy

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Made on the 4.01.2020

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Fred Perry are on social media and active daily. They involve themselves on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to interact with their fans. (accessed 15.01.2020)

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This includes British symbols such as the classic polo and football shirt. Although the collection is sports related it is also clear here that the range is casual as well. The football shirt are being worn on the catwalk with causal trousers or jeans. (accessed 08.01.2020)

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Acorn was used to help identify the type of customer that would shop at Fred Perry. They would typically be students who may be financially stretched due to balancing a social life and job. They are users of technology but more for streaming music or downloading films rather than social media.

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Ben Sherman are doing a collaboration with the Olympics for Tokyo 2020. The logo is reworked and the British lion is incorporated into the products. The collection does have sustainable items like the Fred Perry range will have. (accessed 17.01.2020)

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The 20-piece collection will launch in May 2020, and is comprised of menswear items including Harrington jackets, T-shirts and polo shirts, as well as kidswear, glasses and sunglasses.

Key items include the Lion polo shirt - an organic cotton short sleeve style with lion-print sleeve detailing. The Ben Sherman "target" logo has been reworked in celebration of the GB connection in a special "union target" incarnation, which references the Union Jack flag.

Other patriotic details in the collection reference the Union Jack motif, and there is stripe detailing through the collection.

Sustainability is an important focus for the Tokyo games - for example the gold, silver and bronze medals will all be made from recycled materials. The collection is following suit, and sustainable sourced materials are at its core.

The collection will be available for wholesale, and retail prices range from £25 for a belt to £120 for the Harrington jacket.

A portion of the proceeds from all sales of the Ben Sherman x Team GB collection will be donated to Team GB athletes.

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First look: Ben Sherman's collaboration with Team GB

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The 20-piece collection will launch in May 2020, and is comprised of menswear items including Harrington jackets, T-shirts and polo shirts, as well as kidswear, glasses and sunglasses. Key items include the Lion polo shirt - an organic cotton short sleeve style with lion-print sleeve detailing.

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Before conducting the comp shop I planned in detail what shops I would go to and what to look for in each shop to ensure a in depth comparison.
Whilst walking around the different stores I made sure to keep note of the atmosphere on the high street as well as in the stores.
When in stores I would consider the five P's (Product, price, people, place and promotion). This would ensure the comp shop was covered and fair when comparing the brands.
Taking pictures was also critical to compare the stores once back in the classroom.

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Spider diagram of what to look out for when entering the stores and how to approach the comp shop.

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13.12.2019

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Store visit completed on 20.12.2019. This will include competitors and Fred Perry store in London.

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According to (acorn), ‘student life’ is in the age bracket of 18-24 year olds. This is the biggest age group for this category. The range for Fred Perry will target this age group.

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The largest income bracket for this age range is £20K - £40K. The income of 0-20K is not far behind and this would be the income I would expect for the customer profile for Fred Perry. It is vital to know the income for the target market to be able to price the products that are sold in the range.

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When looking for an example of the type of customer that may shop at Fred Perry or similar it was hard to find. This example has similar connections but not as specific as it could be. The similarities include social media. As the site suggests this type of people should not be communicated through social media necessarily as they are more likely to use internet for music etc. They are also the same age category and would live in city areas compared to country.

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The comp shop was completed on the 20.12.2019. The weather was dull with heavy rain and strong winds. Despite the weather, the high street was extremely busy due to the time of the year. Carnaby Street was the main area for conducting the comp shop.

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What generation is attracted to Fred Perry?

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What generation is attracted to Fred Perry?

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Fred Perry caters to both millenials and Gen Z. For millennials, who are very brand loyal they buy Fred Perry due to connections they have with the brand and the heritage that comes with the label. Millennial men are more likely to remain loyal to Fred Perry rather than Gen Z who may shop at cheaper stores to save money.

However, although the older generation is brand loyal, Fred Perry also offer the younger generation reasons to shop with them. Whilst maintaining their history and image they attract people through social media. For example, Fred Perry have their own Spotify playlist for customers with songs relating to their indie / punk subculture.

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"now is the perfect time to start working on growing platforms, but also cautions that success is measurable in a less tangible way than on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram." (Ellie Hernaman, 2019)

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"When deciding where to shop, their primary motivator is price, according to a Business Insider survey of more than 1,800 Gen Zers." (accessed 2019)

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By Mary Hanbury

Generation Z's approach to brands is part of what sets it apart from previous generations.

When deciding where to shop, their primary motivator is price, according to a Business Insider survey of more than 1,800 Gen Zers.

Since they frequently document their life on social media, they feel a pressure to always have new clothes. That is fueling growth in unconventional forms of shopping, like rental and resale.

Being unique - and balancing that with saving money - is a defining trait of this generation.

Amanda Chernin, age 20, from Delray Beach, Florida, says she shops online almost every day.

She is not loyal to any one brand or store. Instead, she shops wherever is most affordable. She rarely goes to a physical store to try clothes on, and if she ends up not liking a piece she buys, she resells it online.

"Older generations grew up without this technology and being able to shop online," she said. "I literally order something online every day."

While Chernin's approach to shopping might still be alien to some consumers, she is an example of a Generation Z consumer. She is part of the first truly digital generation, which has grown up cradling a smartphone and has never known a time without the internet and social media.

For the past decade, brands have scrambled to serve millennials, the first internet-obsessed generation that's been blamed for killing dozens of industries and forcing retailers to rethink their online-selling strategies.

Now, brands are bracing themselves for the next wave of shoppers, between the ages of 13 and 21, who are gearing up to enter the workforce and become a formidable force in the economy.

Experts say that Gen Z will not be an extension of the previous generation and should not be thought of as millennials 2.0, but instead as a distinct set of people with unique experiences, beliefs, and behaviors. This generation, they say, will fuel a massive change in how people shop.

They don't want to pay full price for anything

Gen Z is thrifty above all, experts say.

"They are very fiscally pragmatic and practical with their money. They are looking for value," Jason Dorsey, a Gen Z consultant and researcher who delivered a TEDx Talk about this generation, told Business Insider.

Dorsey said that value can be achieved in two ways: by shopping for clothing from brands that already have low prices, or by buying more expensive things that last longer.

"I can't afford nicer brands of clothes," Chernin said. "I like to save and would rather have money in the bank than be broke."

"Older generations grew up without this technology and being able to shop online. I literally order something online every day."
Amanda Chernin

Tanner Frick, 21, majors in business at the University of Sioux Falls, in South Dakota. He's a self-described "brand freak" and says he shops at Nike, Lululemon, and Patagonia. "I trust them more," he said, referring to these brands and the warranties they offer.

Patagonia, for example, has an unlimited returns policy on unworn items and offers a repair service for worn clothing.

"In the end it's worth it," he said, referring to Patagonia's relatively high prices. The outdoors retailer sells men's vests that range from $80 to $200 and jackets that cost up to $280.

For others, low prices are more important. This was evident in Business Insider's recent survey of 1,884 Americans between the ages of 13 and 21. This national poll was conducted with SurveyMonkey Audience partner Cint on behalf of Business Insider and ran January 11-14.

When asked what was the biggest factor when deciding whether to purchase items from a particular brand, 60% of respondents said price.

"They don't want to pay full price for anything," Dorsey said, adding that these spending habits were likely passed down to Gen Z by their parents and teachers, who were shaped by the recession.

The median-age Gen Z shopper, currently 17, would have been 6 when the financial crisis began, in 2008. While they were not in the workforce yet, they were old enough to remember it and see how their parents and older friends struggled, Dorsey said.

An obsession with price instantly makes them less loyal to brands.

"There really isn't loyalty like in the past," Marcie Merriman, the executive director for growth strategy and retail innovations at Ernst & Young, told Business Insider.

They "are highly informed and want to take charge of their lives and their futures," Merriman wrote in a recent EY report about Gen Z. "Getting these consumers to be loyal to your brick-and-mortar will be more challenging than ever."

Taryn Merari, 19, a design major at New York's School of Visual Arts, told Business Insider that she rarely shops by brand. She is almost always led by price.

She shops, she said, by the mantra "'What clothes do I need?'"

"If I need leggings, I look for leggings by color or by texture." This way she can get the best deal and the best quality.

Getting a Gen Zer to be loyal to a brand is nearly impossible. Brands need to work extra hard to earn their trust.

Members of Gen Z have largely been made skeptical by their ability to verify almost anything online.

For this reason, experts say that Gen Zers value transparency and authenticity in the brands that they shop from, and retailers are gradually responding to this idea.

Younger brands such as Everlane and Toms have led the charge, but increasingly legacy brands such as American Eagle Outfitters are shifting to offer greater transparency in their products and marketing.

Aerie, American Eagle's lifestyle and underwear brand, is a good example of this. It was applauded by customers for its decision to ban any photo retouching in its ads in 2014. And this has shown up in its financials: In early June, the company reported earnings for the first quarter of 2019. Same-store sales at Aerie were up 14% during the quarter, which marked its 18th consecutive quarter of double-digit growth.

Meanwhile, competitors such as Victoria's Secret, which has been more resistant to changes in branding, have suffered. Same-store sales of the Victoria's Secret brand were down 5% for the first quarter.

Anya Ortakales, 17, a high-school senior at Kearsarge Regional High School, in New Hampshire, compared Aerie and Victoria's Secret to show just how important the brand's message is in her decision to shop there.

"It's very important to show that anyone can buy stuff like that and look good in it," she said, referring to Aerie's undoctored images and the "real women" it features in its ad campaigns.

"It makes me feel better about buying from Aerie and supporting them," she said.

Chad Kessler, global brand president at American Eagle, recently expressed his excitement about Gen Z becoming Aerie's target shopper.

"Gen Z wants to support and participate in brands that they believe in and that reflect them," he told Business Insider. "They are loyal to brands that they feel understand them and reflect their values. We have always been a brand that stands for inclusivity, diversity, and youth empowerment, and I think that resonates with this customer."

But there is no guarantee that these shoppers will stay loyal, experts say. Gen Z is more fickle than previous generations, and if brands are slow to engage or if they break their promises, these young shoppers will move on.

They also do not use brands to define their identity like past generations may have done.

"The rules of dress when millennials were younger and the ways that they determined the appropriate things to wear were about the brand and what the brand was. As long as they were in the right brand, they felt confident," Merriman said. "That brand represented more of who they were, and it made them feel safer or more secure in their decisions."

Merriman said that the reverse is happening now. Gen Z is creating its own personal brand.

"It's not the brand leading the consumer; it's the consumer using the brand or the product in whatever ways they want," she said. This is partly driven by the influencer community, she added. Traditionally, a brand image was determined by the company and how it chose to market it.

Now, a brand image is increasingly about how it is perceived and marketed by the influencer who wears it.

Living life in pictures means you need a lot of outfits

Gen Z may be more sustainability-minded than previous generations, but they also face constant pressure to wear new items given that they are likely to be the most photographed generation.

In the past, this would have been easily remedied by fast fashion, and for many it likely still is. Fast fashion that is created cheaply and discarded quickly contributes to waste, however. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, 26 billion pounds of textiles end up in a landfill each year. Shoppers with an eye on sustainability and who also want to wear unique clothes have given rise to nontraditional modes of shopping such as rental and resale or thrift.

Rent the Runway, which was recently valued at $1 billion in a $125 million round of new funding, is paving the way in clothing rental. Its core subscription service, targeted at an older demographic - women in the workforce - plays into the hands of customers who not only crave newness but are more conscious about sustainable living and preserving the environment. This positions it well to appeal to Gen Z shoppers in the future.

"There are kids at school who think it's stupid to shop at American Eagle because then you all end up with the same clothes. They go to the smallest stores they can find, that they know no one else is shopping at, so they know they have something different."
Anya Ortakales

"Gen Z lives their life in the cloud - their content, entertainment, and music all exist in the cloud with unlimited choice," Rent the Runway CEO Jennifer Hyman told Business Insider. "We are offering them the exact same thing for their physical lives."

Hyman said that Gen Z is one of the first groups to adopt this new style of shopping and to feel that it is the norm.

Legacy brands have adopted similar services. Express recently launched its Express Style Trial service, which allows consumers to rent up to three items at any given time for a monthly fee.

And in March, American Eagle launched a near-identical clothing-rental subscription model known as American Eagle Style Drop.

For $50 a month, members can rent up to three items at a time and make an unlimited number of exchanges. The shipping costs are covered each way, and dry cleaning is free. If customers decide they like a piece, they can purchase it at a discount of 25% or more.

"There is a trend toward clothes having a second life or being used again," Kessler said. "This is part of their focus on quality, value, and thoughtful purchasing, and I think these [rental services] are just different ways for them to participate."

Gen Z is thrift-shopping for the same reasons. Online resale site ThredUp recently estimated that one in three Gen Z consumers will buy used clothing in 2019.

"There is an obsession with freshness," Karen Clark, the vice president of marketing communications at ThredUp, told Business Insider, adding that the company posts 1,000 new items online every hour.

"They want to flip their wardrobe, but they want to do that without doing damage to the environment," she said.

Chernin, for her part, turns to Poshmark when she wants to sell a piece of clothing she no longer likes or has use for. Poshmark, which allows users to list and sell their own clothes, is said to be preparing to file for an IPO later this year, The Wall Street Journal reported in April.

Jessica Pruitt, an associate manager of marketing at Buffalo Exchange - a thrift store that buys and sells used clothing at 49 stores across the US - told Business Insider that the store has seen an uptick in Gen Z shoppers as the stigma around resale fades.

Secondhand shopping also affords Gen Z the chance to dress in unique ways. They use thrift to build their own identity and create their own story, Lennox Thomas, Goodwill NYNJ's executive vice president for retail operations, told Business Insider.

Ortakales has found that some of her classmates have become so "obsessed" with creating a look that "sets them apart" that being unique has become a trend in and of itself.

"There are kids at school who think it's stupid to shop at American Eagle because then you all end up with the same clothes. They go to the smallest stores they can find, that they know no one else is shopping at, so they know they have something different," she said.

Ortakales said she believes that this desire to be unique stems from the important societal and cultural changes that have occurred during this generation's upbringing, which has made them more accepting of diversity.

"My generation is so focused on accepting people that are different that there's this mindset that if you do want to follow what other people are doing, it's frowned upon," she said. "We are trying so hard to make sure everyone feels included and accept everyone, so you have to be different to be involved in that."

Reporting by Mary Hanbury
Editing by Madeline Stone, Cadie Thompson, Matt Turner, and Alyson Shontell
Design by Samantha Lee and Skye Gould
Photography by Hollis Johnson
Graphics by Shayanne Gal

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Gen Z is leading an evolution in shopping that could kill brands as we know them

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Generation Z's approach to brands is part of what sets it apart from other generations. When deciding where to shop, their primary motivator is price.

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Ben Sherman was one floor of clothes. It had changing rooms and was located on Carnaby Street. From the outside, it was clear who the target market of Ben Sherman was clear. They had the MOD symbol in their front window showing their target market was similar to Fred Perry's and they are addressing their audience straight away. The staff member on the tills was friendly and helpful although he knew little about the olympic range that Ben Sherman have just begun for 2020. The shop was not busy at all and the shop felt empty with stock. There was a lot of room to move around. This may have been due to the fact that a lot of stock was folded under tables rather than displayed on rails. They had a small promotion on which was clearly displayed on the tables. Unlike the other two shops, Ben Sherman had little about their heritage in the shop and therefore it may make it had to new customers to see who they are and where the brand has grown from.

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This allows customers to check online for something they have failed to find in store in their size. This is very useful and may appeal more to the tech savvy shoppers who can then order into store or home to collect.

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The clear history of Fred Perry and the subcultures who have previously and currently are attracted to the brand is clear throughout the store. For example, they have old pictures of Fred Perry himself, this reinforces the creation and inspiration for the brand. The music in store also reflected the MOD image they possess as The Who played on that particular day. The staff who worked there also have a particular look. The man in the store on that day had a haircut similar to the cut popular during the Brit pop era (Liam Gallagher).

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The products in the store are displayed hanging or folded on display tables. They have only one product each to create an exclusive feel for customers. The famous wreath logo is displayed on all on the clothes and reminds customers of the famous history the brand has gained throughout the years.
Whilst many items are sourced from outside the UK, the famous polo's and some one off items are made in England. This once again reinforces the British identity the brand holds so tightly onto.
The quality of the clothes is very important to the brand and this is clearly shown through the products. The materials on the polo tops are thick and comfortable material. The price reflects this as it is not cheap to buy from here. A polo top costs from £50 - £65.

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In this store they also offered free newspapers which displayed their collaborations and new products. This fits in with the authentic feel of the brand and the store.

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The initial influence came from the sporting background of Fred Perry himself. The polo was made for sportswear however the mod movement did cross the sportswear's and leisure fashion over creating what today is know has 'athleisure'. (accessed 06.01.2020)

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In a year of unprecedented British sporting achievement, it is fitting that the legacy of a tennis great is also being celebrated. A little more than 60 years ago, Frederick John Perry, the Stockport-born son of a cotton spinner and the first British player to have won all four Grand Slam events, showed remarkable prescience by giving his name to a simple sweatband.

As a player, Perry had wrapped medical gauze around the wrist of his right hand to protect his racket and wipe the sweat that beaded his brow while winning Wimbledon in three consecutive years, from 1934 to 1936 - the last British male to win in SW19.

In the late 1940s, Perry was approached by the Austrian footballer Tibby Wegner with the idea of an anti-perspirant to be worn around the wrist; Perry's subsequent prototype was made from towelling - and hardly lightweight. But, with a few tweaks, Perry's first commercial enterprise went into production in Leicester, and he and Wegner marketed the idea by giving them to top players for free and persuading them to wear them during tournaments.

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Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

That simple sweatband afforded Fred Perry Sportswear a remarkable level of success and the pair went on to create a slim-fitting, knitted cotton pique shirt in the crisp white of the game's traditional dress code. As a pipe smoker, Perry initially planned to use a pipe as the emblem of his company, but was soon talked out of this by Wegner, who "didn't think the girls would go for it".

Instead, Wegner suggested the laurel wreath, that ancient Greek symbol of victory, achievement and status that adorned Perry's Davis Cup sweater and touring blazer. Surprisingly, given Perry's history of conflict with the All England Tennis Club - he was frowned upon as a working-class upstart whose level of showmanship meant he was branded "not one of us" in the traditionally exclusive game - Colonel Duncan MacCauley, then secretary of the club, gave permission for the wreath to be used as a logo.

And so the now-iconic polo shirt went into production in 1952. Again the distribution strategy saw Perry and Wegner hand out shirts to the top players of the time, who found the slim fit a welcome relief from the baggy styles that had previously been worn.

"Being a realistic man," Perry wrote shortly before his death in 1995, "I have never worried about admitting that my name is better known worldwide not for winning Wimbledon three times, but because of Fred Perry shirts and sportswear." But how did his brand become such a perennially cool label? Although Perry and his business partner had come up with a marketing and distribution strategy that was distinctly forward-thinking, it was the rise of the mod movement - and subsequently that of the many subcultures it spawned over the past 50 years - that indelibly sealed the success of Fred Perry.

"The birth of the mod movement is where sportswear crossed into fashion and streetwear," says Richard Martin, director of marketing for the brand, which was bought in 1995 by Japanese company Hit Union. "Urban streetwear was about the cut of your suit, the length of your trousers, the covert rebelliousness and flamboyance this communicated - and Fred Perry was very much a part of that."

The fastidiousness of the look - a slim-cut, single-breasted three-button suit in sharkskin or mohair worn over a Fred Perry shirt buttoned to the top - represented a time when people began to look forwards rather than back. By 1960, the young British working classes had the freedom and funds to explore their own sense of style without the pressures of conscription or financially supporting their family. And so the mod movement found a foothold among boys showing off to other boys. The resulting peacock-ish demands for shirts with more variety led to the introduction of colours to the range and, later, the implementation of the now-trademark twin tipping on shirt collars and cuffs. This was later a big hit with football fans, who could wear their team colours with typically mod-ish attention to detail.

For the brand's anniversary celebrations, the British director Don Letts has created a series of films that explore the cultural scenes and hierarchies of the past 60 years, tracing a linear connection from the teddy boys of the 1950s via mods, rockers, punks, skinheads, rude boys, Two Toners, soul boys, new wavers and ravers to Britpoppers in the late 1990s. Watching the archive footage of mods on the Southend seafront, skinheads with their buzz cuts and Sta-Prest trousers, and, more recently, Damon Albarn and the Gallagher brothers leering moodily into the new millennium, all sporting Fred Perry, the continued relevance of these sartorial references and their influence on current designers is clear.

A strong part of Fred Perry's appeal is the sense of nostalgia that the clothes evoke. But the continued impact of the brand is also the fruit of a series of relationships that have been both off the cuff and precisely considered.

For many, Blur frontman Albarn embodies the contemporary brand more than anyone. Since the release of Blur's second album, Modern Life is Rubbish, in 1993 and the accompanying promotional image by Paul Spencer, "British image 1", the musician has frequently been seen wearing a Fred Perry polo shirt and Harrington jacket. "During Blur's 2009 reunion we got a call from [Damon] asking for eight of a particular style of shirt which he then wore all the way from Colchester Tramshed to the Hyde Park gigs and Glastonbury," reveals Martin.

In these days of corporate sponsors elbowing their logo into any situation, no matter how out of place it might appear, this sort of natural promotion is almost priceless. In Fred Perry's case, it literally is, as the brand refuses to pay people to wear its product - a policy begun by Perry himself in the 1970s. Albarn, adds Martin, wears a different colour shirt and Harrington jacket for each of his different roles in Blur, Gorillaz and Dr Dee.

Another musician who affiliated herself with the brand was the late Amy Winehouse. "She was a massive Perryhead," says Martin. "We spoke to her management years ago about doing a collaboration through her stylist. She was going through quite deep trouble at that stage - those Blake, Camden years - and we decided to pick it up when she was in a better place. A year elapsed and we got the call from her manager. When we met Amy, it was quite difficult to get her past purist Fred Perry products. She'd say, 'It's so perfect, how am I going to move it on?'"

The designers spoke to her about her own retro sense of style, incorporating the 1950s pin-up details she favoured. "She took traditionally masculine pieces and feminised them with a capped sleeve or a semi-sheer fabric. She always wore them with the collar up, so we made them that way," says Martin. When the singer died last year, the brand had to decide whether to continue the line and how to do so. After speaking to Winehouse's family and management it was decided that the range would live on, with profits going to the foundation established in her name. Designed by Winehouse's friend and sometime costume designer Amy Molyneaux of PPQ, the line continues to sell very well, particularly in the Far East.

"We obviously build up the music legends who wore the uniform of the subculture we were a part of," says Martin, before reeling off a list of entries from the Fred Perry hall of fame: "Terry Hall, Paul Weller, Ray Davies, Damon Albarn - but there is also a continued, contemporary relevance with bands such as Two Door Cinema Club and Everything Everything."

Striking the right balance between the past, present and future on one axis and sport, music and fashion on the other is part of a complicated and far-reaching strategy for the brand. And proof of its success comes in double-digit growth year on year, season on season. In part this is because, as the economy contracted, retailers hedged their bets with well-known classic brands, often with concrete ideologies and fan bases to ensure sales. Fred Perry is currently focusing on its expansion in the Far East, South America and the Middle East.

Menswear is the main focus of the brand, accounting for the lion's share of turnover, and while the classic 1952 cotton pique shirt is still a bestseller, more recently collaborations with designers such as Richard Nicoll and Raf Simons have helped to expand the company's horizons. This season, Nicoll's last designing womenswear for the brand's limited-edition Laurel Wreath line, features classic 1960s styles updated with equestrian motifs and a modern take on traditional fabrics. Of his appointment in 2010, then-marketing director John Flynn says, "Richard's signature style of feminising traditionally masculine shapes and silhouettes suited us perfectly."

Simons, recently installed as creative director of Dior, designed the Laurel Wreath menswear collection between autumn 2008 and spring 2011, and resumes the role for spring 2013 with a line that has already received critical acclaim. "He is a highly conceptual designer but also understands what you have to consider to ensure the range sells," says Martin. "His understanding of British creative culture has influenced his collections since the 1990s, whether it was Peter Saville, Paul Weller or Joy Division, and Fred Perry has been part of that. When I initially emailed him [about working with us], the yes came about five minutes later."

"The collaboration came about quite naturally," says Simons of the project, "probably because we share the same spirit and mind. Quality is very important for me."

The most recent addition to the brand's line-up is one that dovetails nicely with the founder's initial career: Bradley Wiggins' collection of cycling shirts tipped in the Olympic colours. Modishness is a defining part of the Olympian's identity, and the shirts that bear his name - rather sweetly on a tag sewn in as if on his PE kit - are classics of that era of design. "He didn't want it to be a technical cycling collection," explains Martin. "Other people do that, we don't. If you go back to the early 1960s, the cycling shirt - in block-coloured Merino wool - was part of the London-based mod's wardrobe."

Released earlier this year, halfway through Wiggins' winning Tour de France push, the collection sold out in weeks. "Bradley could have fallen off in the first week, but he won it and then a week later he won the gold medal time trial," says Martin. "He is now on this path of transcending his sport and becoming this wonderful cultural icon."

"I remember my first Fred Perry shirt," adds Wiggins of his love of the brand. "I got it in 1989, the standard polo in blue, I bought it myself. I'd watched Quadrophenia and started getting into the mod look - that's when I first knew Fred Perry. For me, the mod look will always be about the Small Faces and then, after that, obviously Paul Weller and the Jam, the revival thing. It's nice for me now that people like Paul Weller have thanked me for the shirt."

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Everyone for tennis: Fred Perry celebrates 60 years as a sportswear

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In a year of unprecedented British sporting achievement, it is fitting that the legacy of a tennis great is also being celebrated. A little more than 60 years ago, Frederick John Perry, the Stockport-born son of a cotton spinner and the first British player to have won all four Grand Slam events, showed remarkable prescience by giving his name to a simple sweatband.

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The article explains who the football causals are and what they wear as well as main inspirations. (accessed 08.01.2020)

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[Back To Main Site Click Here - www.football-hooligan.com]

History of the Football Casual s

British football support has had a strong fashion-led subculture element since the rise of the teddy boys in the mid 1950s. This continued with the mods of the early 1960s, the Skinheads of the late 1960s (and later), and the mod revialists of the late 1970s.

The casual subculture began in the late 1970s after Liverpool F.C.and Everton F.C. fans introduced the rest of England to European fashions that they acquired while following Liverpool at their 1977 European Cup quarter final against the French side St Etienne.These Liverpool fans arrived back in England with expensive Italian and French designer sportswear, most of which they looted from stores. The fans brought back many unique clothing brands that had not been seen in the country before. Soon other fans were clamouring for these rare items of clothing, such as Lacoste or Sergio Tacchini shirts, and unusual Adidas trainers, which are still associated with Liverpool supporters today. At the time, many police forces were still on the lookout for skinhead fans wearing Dr. Martens boots, and paid no attention to fans in expensive designer clothing.

In the 1980s, other clothing labels that became associated with casuals included: Pringle, Burberry, Fila, Stone Island, Fiorucci, Pepe, Benetton , Ralph Lauren, Henri Lloyd, Ben Sherman, Fred Perry, Kappa and Slazenger. Fashion trends frequently changed, and the casual subculture reached its peak in the late 1980s. With the arrival of the acid house, rave Madchester scenes, the violence of the casual subculture faded.

In the mid-1990s, the casual subculture experienced a revival, but emphasis on style had changed slightly. Many football fans adopted the casual look as a kind of uniform, identifying them as different from the ordinary club supporters. Popular clothing brands included Stone Island, Aquascutum, Burberry, Lacoste,Prada, Façonnable,Hugo Boss,Maharishi,Mandarina Duck and Dupe. In the late 1990s, many football supporters began to move away from the brands that were considered the casual uniform, because of the police attention that these brands attracted. Several designer labels also withdrew certain designs from sale after they became associated with casuals.

Casual fashion experienced an increase in popularity in the 2000s, with British music acts such as The Streets and The Mitchell Brothers sporting casual outfits in their music videos. Casual culture has been highlighted by films and television programmes such as ID, The Firm, The Football Factory and Green Street. Although some casuals have continued to wear Stone Island clothing in the 2000s, many have detached the compass badge so as to be less obvious. However, with the two buttons still attached, those in the know are still able to recognise the clothing items. Other clothing labels associated with casuals in the 2000s have included: Adidas Originals Lyle &Scott, Fred Perry, Armani, Lambretta, Lacoste, Nudie,Edwin, Superga. Many casuals have adopted a more subtle and underground look, avoiding more mainstream clothing brands for independent clothing labels.

Some of the most important casual brands...

Lyle & Scott

Stone Island was founded in 1982 by Massimo Osti who was inspired by his love of sailing, and hence where the famous compass motif originated from. In the nineties and noughties, if you were serious about about having a row - this was the brand to be seen in. It's robust design, hard wearing fabric and high quality finish had made this brand a mainstay in Football Casual fashion.
The compass motif badge is an optional button-on with the jackets. Although historically a status symbol amongst the Football Casual crowd, the brand can now be seen more widely in popular culture and therefore is rapidly losing it's status amongst the Football Casual elite. Some fear the saturation of fakes on eBay have damaged the brand beyond repair.

Lacoste has historically made it's name through tennis - it's founder was French tennis star René Lacoste who launched the clothing company in 1933.
Having diversified through the years to incorporate more clothing lines, Lacoste had a crisis of confidence in the 70's and 80's - just as the brand was becoming prominent on the football terraces. However, it is still very much an essential brand in the Football Casual wardrobe. Acceptable as sweaters, knits - or most popularly polo shirts. The green crocodile motif came from René's nickname "Le Crocodile".

Similar to Lacoste, Fred Perry has it's origins in tennis shirts and was founded by a star of the sport. When the fledgling mod movement of the 50's and 60's took off, Fred Perry actively promoted themselves as a fashion brand by adapting to the requests of the market, becoming widely accepted by off-shoots such as ska and skinheads.
By actively embracing the fashion market of those consumers who enjoyed the durability of the honeycomb cotton fabric and it's smart aesthetics, Fred Perry has long been a staple brand of the Football Casual diet. However, by diversifying in recent years into the lower-end market, it has somewhat devalued the brand.
The polo shirts are still iconic lines of clothing and credible football fashion items.

Sergio Tacchini

One of the world's biggest sports brands is adidas. This in itself would put off some sub-cultures, but what adidas offer the Football Casual is something unique. A sub-culture within a sub-culture. Their back catalogue of trainers are hugely sought-after collectables and are the ultimate accessory. The rarer the better in terms of Football Casual culture.
Although perfectly acceptable in the form of vintage footwear, it doesn't apply to all ranges of clothing. I would recommend seeking out Samba, Trimm Trab, Munchen, Stan Smith, SL72, Italia, Gazelle and Forest Hills as a good base to start from.
Although wearing a pair of chunky climacool is probably comfortable but it isn't Football Casual.

Henri Lloyd was established in Manchester in 1963, to cater for yachtsmen and sailors looking for robust sailing wear.
Its arrival on the Football Casual scene seemed to have come to prominence in the 90's, as more and more Football supporters were looking for stylish brands that had roots in other sports which could be introduced as credible brands on the football terraces.

The label Polo was originally founded in 1968 as a necktie business by Ralph Lauren. Since then the company has become known as Polo Ralph Lauren and has become a multi-billion dollar fashion empire.
Polo Ralph Lauren's philosophy has been based on creating long-term durable fashion wear. This approach has developed a respect from the Football Casual for the polo shirts and casual shirt ranges in particular.

Lois

Chester Perry as the company was originally called, was setup in 1975 with the view of bringing together the simplicity and style of working class attire with a military robustness. It's unique approach to adding as much individuality as possible to each garment and using non-conventional fabrics, quickly gave rise to their popularity within the Football Casual scene.
Regularly spotted in the 80's, it wasn't long before every self-respecting casual had one or more pieces from the brand. Now part of the Stone Island family, C.P Company seems to be the more favored of the two brands these days. The natural, and some would even go as far to say better quality successor to the former king of the casual brands - Stone Island.

Paul & Shark was founded in 1921 in Varese, Italy. The men's sportswear arm of the company was launched in 1977, and has been a popular brand on the Football Casual scene ever since.
The brand was first spotted in the mid to late 80's and is now a staple brand, particularly with firms based in the north. It's arguably a more popular brand on the continent, but has a continuously loyal fan base in the UK. The sweaters, with their simple styling and subtle branding, make this particular range of clothing very popular amongst many of the Casuals.

In 1906, William Riley, a 33 year old English expatriate, founded the New Balance Arch Support Company. Originally specialising in arch supports, the company didn't make its mark until 1961 when they launched a shoe called the 'Trackster' - the world's first running shoe with a ripple sole. Also, it was the first running shoe to be offered in varying widths and soon became a favourite with running coaches and athletes. Its success at that point was purely down to word of mouth, until in 1972 when Jim Davis bought the company. It's Boston heritage allowed the company to catch the running boom of the 80's where it prospered at the height of the jogging phenomenon. Today, 40% of all New Balance's European trainers are made in England.
New Balance was a peripheral Football Casual brand from the 80's, and although couldn't break the adidas stranglehold as a whole, was still a credible addition to the wardrobe. Since then the shoes have become favourites for indie kids, skater types and parrot heads and it's popularity amongst casuals has faded as a result. It's sleek, light and retro design - as well it's durable sole and varying widths really make this brand a real favourite. We would recommend the 410's, 574's and 576's as good entry points into the brand.

Barbour
J Barbour & Sons were established in South Shields in 1894 by Scotsman John Barbour. Originally a maker of drapery, Barbour expanded into clothing as the docking and fishing industries were flourishing in the North East of England in the early 1900's. Still a family-run business, Barbour has developed it's reputation by branching into other markets such as clothing for fishermen, farmers, hunters and country gents. Barbour's reputation for creating durable garments is legendary.
Barbour is a brand that was spotted in Football Casual culture as early as the 1980's. The Wax Cotton which Barbour has built it's reputation on, took a while for many Casuals to be comfortable with as the brand was so strongly associated with toffs and country types. For the last twenty years or so Barbour's reputation for quality and durability has made it a growing favourite in many a casual's wardrobe. Highlight jackets include the classics "Beaufort","Northumbria" and "Liddesdale".

6876
6876 was created in 1995 by noted mens fashion designer Kenneth MacKenzie. Its name was derived from the year of the French students revolution of 1968 and when Punk broke in the UK in 1976.
A relative newcomer to the Football Casual scene, the brand has enjoyed a loyal fanbase as its design principles are in tune with that of the casual. Focus on detail and high quality fabrics have made the jackets in particular a chaps favourite. The iconic Capandula is a collectors piece and is much sought after. The Sonora jacket is also finding its popularity gaining fast.

Victorinox
In 1884 a young cutler by the name of Karl Elsener formed his own business in Ibach-Schwyz, Switzerland. Within 7 years his business were supplying the Swiss Army with soldiers' knives for the first time. In order to make them stand out from copies, he soon introduced the now world famous cross and shield emblem onto the products. The company got its full name of 'Victorinox' in 1921 when Elsener decided to combine his mother's name of 'Victoria' and the name for Stainless Steel which was also known as 'Inox'. In 1989 the company expanded its range outside of Swiss Army knives into watches. In 1999 they expanded even further into high quality luggage. In 2001 a clothing collection was developed for the North American market.
Victorinox clothing only came into the Football Casual consciousness in recent years. The ethos of high quality finish, functional design and clean lines appeal to those looking for a clinical style. Some casuals have gone as far to suggest that Victorinox has every chance of toppling Stone Island as the most definitive Casual brand, but only time can tell if the brand's attraction will be a mainstay. We recommend jackets, knitwear and polos.

Looking for designer clothing online? Then visit The Casuals Directory - www.thecasualsdirectory.com

This is one for the football casual - Designer Clothing Online

|Football Casuals| Football Casuals Clothing| The Casuals Directory| Designer Clothing Online| Menswear|

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Football Casuals - British football support has had a strong fashion-led subculture element since the rise of the teddy boys in the mid 1950s. This continued with the mods of the early 1960s, the Skinheads of the late 1960s (and later), and the mod revialists of the late 1970s.

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This article shows the connection between football 'casuals' and the music that Fred Perry endorse. (accessed 8.01.2020)

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Spend any length of time on football Twitter, and one comes across whole accounts dedicated to casual culture. Whether the focus is on photography, history and nostalgia, fashion, music and tifos or scuffling fans and hooligan iconography, there is a considerable following out there for all things casual. Considering that the casual scene in Britain had its heyday in the seventies and eighties, the ongoing fascination with a movement often associated with violence - and long ago subjected to a suffocating mass of fictional biopics, critically excoriated sequels, pastiches, parodies and cynical memoirs - will be a source of bemusement to many outsiders. For those still invested in casual culture, however, it is as relevant now as it was in the days of derelict terracing, Adidas originals, The Jam and meticulously tracksuited firms.

The casual subculture began to emerge in the late seventies, and was considered by many to be a spiritual heir to the Mod movement of the previous decade. Both afforded working-class youngsters in Britain a social space to engage with fashion, this at a time when there was still much stigma born of the tension between traditional masculinity and having an interest in new styles and designer clothes. The casual aesthetic was a rebellion against the staid fashion of an older generation in this sense, but there was a degree of conformity to casuals which was lacking in the sartorial creativity of the Mods. Casual fashion was a uniform of sorts, and a way of identifying oneself with the tribalism and camaraderie of football.
READ MORE: My Double Life as a Hooligan Cost Me My Job, My Relationship and a Lot of Money
Often linked to the success of English clubs - especially Liverpool - in Europe during the seventies, the growing popularity of designer European labels saw football casuals become a recognisable group on the streets. Most often wearing overseas brands like CP Company, L'Alpina and Lacoste, not to mention their customary Adidas trainers, sporting certain logos on matchday was a way for young men to make a statement and attract attention to their status as football fans. This was not always a good thing, of course, with casual culture often going hand in hand with violent clashes between supporters. The word 'casual' is now semi-synonymous with 'football hooligan' in this country, and no sooner did brands like Stone Island, Fila and Diadora come to prevalence in the eighties than they gained an air of notoriety.

As with eighties hooliganism itself, elements of casual culture have been exaggerated and glorified retrospectively, with mid-noughties films like Green Street and The Football Factory especially culpable. While it was no doubt a minority of casuals who were habitually engaged in violence on matchday, there are many outsiders who now view the entire subculture through that particular lens. While this might be expedient for those who have adopted the casual style for the sake of reflected machismo, the majority of those who identify as casuals today seem far more concerned with football, fashion and music than street fighting, as well as the social side of the casual phenomenon. Just as the original casuals had links to the Mods, their successors are often devotees to some form of Mod revivalism, whether it be the various musical guises of Paul Weller or the casual stylings of Oasis and Cool Britannia, which helped to sustain the scene well into the nineties.

Though there was a brief revival in the aftermath of Green Street and its box office rivals, casual culture began to wane around the turn of the millennium. Whether owing to the spate of absurd and derivative hooligan flicks which followed Elijah Wood's unlikely outing as a West Ham diehard (see: Rise of the Footsoldier, Green Street Hooligans 2, and so on) or the shifting zeitgeist of British youth culture, the casual look lost even more cachet during the late noughties and faded further. That said, it persists in some regions of the country more than others, while there is still a specialist casual community on the fringes of both football and fashion. Much of this community seems to have migrated on to the internet, where fan forums, online clothing stores and social media allow casuals to share anecdotes, style tips and differing perspectives on the casual way of life.

One of the most interesting aspects of the casual scene on social media is that many accounts are run by football fans overseas, either in North America or Europe. The veneration of casuals on the continent is a textbook example of cultural exchange, with the young Brits who once admired European fashion now admired by young Europeans in turn. Take the Casual Ultra for instance, a Twitter account run by a supporter of Dutch Eerste Divisie side SC Cambuur. Based in the Netherlands, he agreed to talk anonymously to VICE Sports via email about his interest in casual culture, and why he spends a considerable amount of time promoting his take on the scene in 140 characters or less.
READ MORE: The Battle of Beverwijk - Dutch Football's Brutal Hooligan Nadir
"Being a casual is a way to separate yourself from regular supporters through your clothing and lifestyle," he says. "The casual style is getting more popular every day in Europe. I'm a casual myself and and the club I support, SC Cambuur, has many casuals as well. In my opinion, there are many casuals in the Dutch scene. After England we're for sure in second place." While the Casual Ultra account mainly tweets photos of pyro displays, away days and the usual fashion brands, there are also videos of pitchside brawls and menacing group shots of masked supporters. The spectre of genuine hooliganism haunts many of the casual accounts on Twitter and Facebook, and there's no avoiding the fact that the thrill of violence appeals to some of their following.

The man behind the Casual Ultra account admits that he's interested in "the hooligans, casuals and ultras scenes" and that his Twitter and Facebook accounts have previously been suspended for posting material deemed to be inappropriate. One wonders whether the availability of hooligan videos on social media has not contributed to the marginalisation of the casual scene, with the feeling that casual culture is a niche interest only furthered by the conspicuous link to matchday violence. This link is arguably overemphasised on social media, with accounts often generating engagement with violence which is unrepresentative of the scene more generally. Certainly in Britain, CCTV and the liberal use of banning orders have made football hooliganism much more difficult, while logic dictates that modern hooligans ought to avoid casual brands in order to make themselves less obvious to the police.

Casual culture means different things to different people, evidently, and may well have maintained more of an edge outside of Britain. What casuals across the world have in common is their continued dedication to the brands of the seventies and eighties, which the man behind the Casual Ultra account says can lead to "a very expensive lifestyle." Someone who would know all about the cost of the casual aesthetic is Daniel Wilson, who runs an independent clothing store called Casual Cultures in Derby. Dan is a lifelong Derby County fan, and credits both his club and his family with getting him into the casual scene.

"I would probably say I inherited my love for casual culture from my old man and family," Dan says. "He used to take me to the football from an early age and I instantly loved matchdays, and whenever he couldn't make a match my granddad would take me down to the old Baseball Ground. As well as the football, my old man was also into his clothes and music and I developed my own tastes from that. I remember listening to Oasis, Black Grape, The Charlatans and The Verve on the way to matches and also wearing brands like Stone Island, Henri Lloyd and CP Company from a really young age - at the time I didn't really think anything of it, but I was wearing a £100 Stone Island sweatshirt to school and none of my mates really knew what it was.

"I think I got my first season ticket for Derby County when I was about 14, and that's when I really got into the clothing side of things. I saw older lads wearing the Burberry caps and Aquascutum scarves and wanted to be like them. It helped that my old man was a bit of a dresser, as I started nicking his stuff to wear and it snowballed from that really. Whenever you went on an away day you would see different lads wearing different things and start taking influence from them, and that starts to form your identity."

For Dan, casual culture is about camaraderie, fashion and music, though he recognises that it's not the same for everyone. "I've never really been into the violence side of things," he says. "For me it's dressing well, listening to good music, following your team home and away and having good craic, but I know lads who get a buzz from fighting and being in a firm." While banning orders and intensive policing have made it near impossible to scrap regularly at Premier League matches, there is evidence to suggest that football violence still persists below the top flight where the risks are slightly less prohibitive. Nonetheless, as the owner of a clothing store, Dan is more concerned with identifying new brands and labels than matchday bravado. He has even set up his own brand, Lombes, with its gritty, post-industrial logo based on the old Derby Silk Mill.

As well as providing a sphere in which football fans can bond over fashion, it seems there is an element of competition and internecine rivalry to casual culture. This is reflected in Dan's mantra when it comes to selling clothes and pushing certain brands. "Starting off I used to sell some of the bigger brands that were having a mini revival, like Lyle & Scott, Fila et cetera. After a few months I realised that I was on to something, stopped selling the larger brands and decided only to sell independent labels, which goes back to the idea of one-upmanship and selling things which aren't mass produced. I started to stock brands like Casual Connoisseur, Basläger, The Beautiful North, Stand and so on. All these brands are made in the UK by football lads themselves, and I liked the idea of selling stuff which you couldn't get on a high street in Derby, for example."

With Lombes, Dan limits everything he produces to 50 items, meaning that buyers get something exclusive and which, in his words, they can be "dead proud of." This teases out an interesting theme in the world of casual fashion, in that the conformity and kinship of the casual dress code is qualified by touches of exclusivity. There is something innately fraternal about casual culture, which at its heart comprises both the one-for-all and all-for-one spirit of brotherhood and the almost comic competitiveness which comes with it. This no doubt limits the scene's appeal across the gender spectrum - along with the ingrained misogyny of some casuals - while there are many men for whom the all-pervasive Cain and Abel vibe will feel a bit daft in the cold light of day.

As for why he feels that casual culture is worth perpetuating, Dan says: "All youth need an identity to latch on to, and I suppose the casual movement is a type of identity that gets passed down from generation to generation... You've got people like Drake wearing Stone Island now and brands like Supreme and Engineered Garments have a cult following." In general agreement is Vaios, a spokesman for the Casual Factory, an online clothing store which also specialises in casual clothing. He told VICE Sports via email: "The meaning of casual culture is obviously something personal to each person, but I think there is always an element of wanting to be an outlaw, of respecting and emulating those living closer to the edge." The idea of 'respect' for other football fans, not least those with a reputation for violence, is another exaggeratedly macho element of casual culture. Tribalism among young men is something which transcends football, and there is something almost clannish about the casual lifestyle. "It's not just football fans, they style has moved way beyond that at this point," he adds, pointing out that one is as likely to see casual clothing on matchday as at a Stone Roses gig.

Some final perspective on the competitive nature of the casual scene comes from Luke Taylor, editor-in-chief of Real Clobber Magazine. Focused mainly on fashion and set up as a reaction to companies which "live in a fantasy world that has no connection whatsoever to the people who end up buying and wearing the gear," the magazine features big brands as well as independent labels. Speaking about the emergence of the scene, Luke says: "The casual subculture was built around fashion in the beginning, with designer sportswear becoming a big thing to avoid police detection whilst the police were still looking for a Dr. Martens, skinhead type. As time progressed the term 'casual snobbery' evolved, kind of similar to the whole bling thing associated with rap. 'My Stone Island jacket costs more than yours' and such. The look now associated with casuals... I think it's a way out of the weekday rut for everyday, working-class people - to get down the pub with your mates and your £500 jacket is a feelgood factor. It's escapism if you like, to let off some steam. Who looks the best, who's got the best gear on?"

While the idea of 'casual snobbery' might seem ironic in the context of a predominantly working-class movement, there is clearly a hierarchy even within the casual scene. The desire for young men to climb that hierarchy, to strive with each other for approval and dominance, is an aspect of casual culture which long predates Adidas, football, and most likely civilisation itself. One might argue that such machismo is a form of escapism, but there is also a sort of self-expression in casual culture which is about absconding from a mundane reality, something which most of us can relate to on some level. That is why, despite the ongoing association with violence and the more unsavoury elements of the scene, many feel that casual culture is as relevant as ever.

Where necessary, quotes have been lightly edited for clarity.
@W_F_Magee

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Why Is Casual Culture Still Relevant In Football and Fashion?

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Spend any length of time on football Twitter, and one comes across whole accounts dedicated to casual culture. Whether the focus is on photography, history and nostalgia, fashion, music and tifos or scuffling fans and hooligan iconography, there is a considerable following out there for all things casual.

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The idea that Fred Perry as a brand link the origins back to the brand is critical. They provide tennis lessons for young people and encourage them to get involved in sports. This is similar to the range as although it is commercial the underlying message to encourage people to be involved with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. (accessed 08.01.2020)

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Led by Wimbledon Head Coach, Dan Bloxham, alongside other great local coaches, the day started off in Fred Perry's hometown at Stockport's Cale Green Park. Tennis players aged between 8 and 11 warmed up on our black / champagne tennis courts, learning tips and tricks from the best coach in the business.

The day rounded off in Manchester's Chorlton Park courts, with kids not letting the rain stop play. Thanks to everyone who came down. Stay tuned for the next Fred Perry coaching clinic near you.

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Led by Wimbledon Head Coach, Dan Bloxham, alongside other great local coaches, the day started off in Fred Perry's hometown at Stockport's Cale Green Park. Tennis players aged between 8 and 11 warmed up on our black / champagne tennis courts, learning tips and tricks from the best coach in the business.

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"The Fred Perry brand believes that connecting with its multi-generational audience is all about having the right conversations in the right places. It uses a combination of email marketing, online advertising, and social media to maintain a consistent relationship with the people that know and love the company’s heritage." Stewart Hodgson (2018).

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They had a small promotion table where items were folded up. This mainly included knitwear and old winter collection products.

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They have displays in the shop where they promote their social media account to appeal to the younger audience that may shop there. On the instagram they can see clothes and collaborations.

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This hashtag is used on WGSN to help with the research for my trend. (accessed on 08.01.2020)

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WGSN | Creating Tomorrow | Trend Forecasting & Analytics

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Log in to WGSN's suite of industry-leading trend forecasting, analytics and consumer intelligence tools to remove risk and start empowering your decisions.

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On Edited 'Tokyo 2020' is trending. They have examples here to show how other brands have incorporated this trend into their clothing This helps the range development however, my range is more inspired to the casual sportswear compared to the current trends of Tokyo fashion. (accessed 08.01.2020)

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Edited show the key garments that are predicted to trend in SS20. Polo tops are included in this and are important to the range for Fred Perry. (accessed 08.01.2020)

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This article is about the changes that experts predict will happen to the high street in 2020. It gives an insight into current problems and how they aim to solve them.

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Steven Cook, managing director fashion, home and beauty, Debenhams

Volatility seems to be the new normal

It's no secret that customers are looking for unique experiences, and retailers need to work harder than ever before to entice shoppers into stores. For retailers, volatility seems to be the new normal.

However, talk of the death of the high street is premature. In 2019, consumers spent increasing amounts on well-being and experiences. Their focus on ethical and sustainable retailing is rising.

These trends look set to continue in 2020 and, fortunately, department stores are well placed to cater for them. The retailers that thrive this year will be those that truly understand and anticipate how their customers' needs are evolving.

At Debenhams, having been through what was undeniably a painful restructuring last year, we are now looking to the future with a mixture of realism and confidence. We are managing costs tightly while looking at all our processes to ensure we are choosing the sustainable option.

Since becoming a member of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) in 2019, we have sourced the equivalent of nearly 2 million units of BCI cotton product across all our brands.

In 2020, we'll continue to play to our strengths: making designer fashion accessible, offering a fantastic range of brands and providing great value, which has been at the heart of who we are for the last 200 years.

Holli Rogers, CEO, Browns and chief brand officer, Farfetch

I'm looking forward to continuing to make changes in sustainability

The most important thing for Browns as a business will be the progression of our "Conscious" [sustainable] categories and our endeavours around sustainability. We have seen such growth and change in relation to shopping habits - rental, resale and more - as well as how we think and feel, and what we do around this topic. I'm looking forward to continuing to make changes in this area, alongside the fashion industry as a whole.

As a retailer, we will continue to look at how the physical store acts as a "venue" as well as a simple shopping space, to create a unique 360-degree environment that allows customers to engage with both product and experience.

Additionally, 2020 and the new decade marks a significant milestone for us. Browns turns 50 this year, and we will open our new flagship on Brook Street in London.

As we celebrate and reflect on the last 50 years, we will also be looking at the next 50. We'll be thinking about what retail will look like in the future, building on experiential and community-led initiatives, and how we continue to bridge the offline and online worlds.

Nigel Oddy, CEO, New Look

Where there are challenges, there are also opportunities

Last year was exceptionally busy for both the retail sector and New Look, and I expect 2020 will be no different. The market will remain challenging and customers' expectations will understandably continue to rise.

A lot has been made of the difficulties the sector has faced over recent times, and these shouldn't be underestimated. But where there are challenges, there are also opportunities.

At New Look, we enter 2020 with a degree of optimism.

We remain committed to the high street. The convenient locations of our stores are a key differentiator and we will continue to invest prudently to further enhance our multichannel capabilities. We are delivering record levels of click-and-collect orders and this will remain a focus as customers increasingly expect to shop seamlessly across channels.

We have a broad customer base, and our customers tell us they want stylish product with wide appeal. This means buying into successful trends quickly.

Looking to 2020, we will continue to invest in our people - bringing in more new talent while continuing to get the best out of our great team of colleagues. Here's to an exciting year ahead.

Paul Marchant, CEO, Primark

We need to give customers more reasons to come into our stores

The in-store experience will become increasingly important for high street retailers in 2020. We need to give customers more reasons to come into our stores. We will continue to invest, test and trial new concepts, and introduce new experiential opportunities.

Our Birmingham store, which opened last year, has changed the perception of the Primark shopping experience. It is a progressive and innovative retail environment, showcasing an amazing variety of food and beverage, beauty, licensed shop-in-shops and personalisation services, in addition to our full and ever-evolving product range.

We continue to firmly believe in the high street and will grow our footprint this year. We expect to open 19 new stores across nine countries together with several relocations and extensions in the current financial year. We are excited to continue our expansion in central eastern Europe, where we will open our first store in Poland in the spring, followed by our first store in the Czech Republic later in the year.

A key area of focus for 2020 will be the ongoing implementation of our Primark Cares strategy, which will focus on being a responsible retailer, and delivering sustainable and recycled products to our customers. We recently announced an expansion of our cotton programme to train 160,000 farmers in more sustainable farming methods, which will mean more sustainable cotton products for our customers next year.

Andy Long, CEO, Pentland Brands

Those that rely on 'good enough' will continue to suffer

There will be continued global uncertainty in 2020 that impacts trade and consumer confidence, but there will also be lots of growth opportunities for brands and businesses that focus on getting their market, channel and consumer propositions right. Those that rely on "good enough" will continue to suffer.

Sustainability will continue to become more important as consumers shift their purchasing behaviours towards retailers with clear sustainability credentials.

Consumers want to buy where, when and how they want. Social media continues to be a core pre-shopping destination to drive consumers into both physical and ecommerce retail channels. Embracing this, alongside creating differentiated brand offers for our retailers with great bricks-and-mortar locations, will be essential.

As consumers look for brands that resonate with who they are, our focus will be on our brands being there in more moments that matter. For example, at the Tokyo Olympics this year, athletes wearing Speedo will once again take centre stage in the swimming pool. The brand will use this platform to connect with and inspire more people around the world to love and enjoy being in the water.

Peter Ruis, managing director of international, Anthropologie

There will be some significant 'like-for-like' opportunity

Like the last three years, 2020 is almost impossible to predict. Much of the political and economic uncertainty is unlikely to be completely resolved. The news is likely to be full of deadlines, extensions, referenda and trade deals.

However, the industry will be comparing against a very volatile 2019, so there will be some significant "like-for-like" opportunity. In addition, the sad demise of some key brands, and the closing of physical doors within existing brands, will open up potential market share gain.

I do not see the coming years as being about any one transformative new technology trend, or dramatic change in consumer sentiment and habit. It is never "one size fits all". As always, we are all beholden to drive innovation across our proposition, using the best of what is around and what we are creating.

As fashion retailers, we must deliver the optimism and escapism needed to drive the consumer forward. Fashion is fun, and we need to create that sense across all our channels.

We'll be expanding across the UK and internationally in 2020 and, therefore, will have the chance to introduce our brand to many new customers. We will be launching some ground-breaking new clothing collaborations.

Max Bittner, CEO, Vestiaire Collective

The need for brands to innovate will dominate the landscape

The retail industry is experiencing a time of significant change. The dynamics driving this shift will become stronger in 2020, as the importance of sustainability increases for the customer. The need for brands to innovate will dominate the landscape. There will be disruption as younger, agile brands continue to challenge the way established brands operate. All brands will need to learn to self-disrupt to stay ahead of the game.

Customer experience continues to be a key concern within the growing digital landscape. Millennials and Generation Z are driving the growth of the second-hand market and ecommerce generally. Both are generations that have grown up with technology, so brands will continue to explore ways to innovate in this sphere. Artificial intelligence and blockchain will increase in influence as more brands use AI to develop enhanced customer experiences, and the need for traceability in luxury products increases.

Customers will continue to question and change their approach to consumption. They are becoming more conscious of both sustainability and the impact of consumerism, which will ultimately force brands to rethink their current model.

Ali Hall and Julie Lavington, co-founders and joint CEOs, Sosandar

The sector will continue to see challenges that may well prompt further discounting

Consumers are becoming increasingly discerning and the businesses that are seeing success are the ones that have customers' needs at the centre of everything they do. In 2020, it will be more important than ever for fashion retailers to invest in great customer service and to ensure they are engaging properly with their customers.

Given increasing concerns around sustainability, we also believe there will be an increase in demand for high-quality, well-made clothes that last but are good value for money, while also being fashion forward.

Shopping via social media has become the norm for women of all generations and this shows no sign of slowing down. Customers expect to be inspired by the great styling of different pieces, as well as seeing how they can be worn for different occasions. Once inspired, they expect to have the ability to quickly and easily purchase any of the items shown.

We are under no illusions: because of the wider macro environment, the sector will continue to see challenges that may well prompt further discounting across the high street. At Sosandar, we focus on full-price product that customers are prepared to pay for by offering newness and a high-quality product range that inspires them. Despite the wider environment, we were delighted to report a record year of trading and we are predicting very strong growth for Sosandar this year.

Steve Cochrane, managing director, Psyche

Brace for at least another 12 months of Brexit doldrums

I'm expecting 2020 to be significantly better than the past two years, but not because of an upswing in the economy. Brands and retailers need to brace themselves for at least another 12 months of Brexit doldrums.

At Psyche specifically, I have spent a lot of time reviewing our costs and systems, and have identified many areas where I can make significant improvements and savings this year.

For example, I have already cut stock levels by 20% in 2019, as we were giving customers too much choice and had a lot of similar products. This focus on product will continue in 2020.

I have also reassessed job roles and staff responsibilities, and Psyche is committed to carrying out much more staff training. The results should come to fruition this year and help to develop our customer service. Another way we will navigate trading conditions is through our new, custom-built accounting software. This will allow us to risk-assess various business scenarios and outcomes.

More generally, ecommerce will continue to grow, and I expect more businesses will fail as they struggle to adapt to the changing retail environment. It won't be long before 50% of all clothing and footwear spend is online, and retailers need to be prepared. I also expect to see less discounting, as retailers racing to the bottom will have already got there!

However, there's a lot of great product for spring 20 and if that continues into autumn, and retailers manage to hold their nerve, then 2020 should be a much more positive year.

Peter Youell, managing director, Skechers

The high street will be as difficult and challenging as ever

There is no doubt that 2020 will bring about a whole new load of challenges and adjustments for the footwear market.

The UK has chosen its new government and it remains to be seen whether it can negotiate [and gain parliamentary approval for] a Brexit deal or not. The outcome will certainly have a material impact on our country and industry - starting immediately this year.

As ever, the new year will reveal which retailers had a good Christmas trading period and who didn't. This will prove especially interesting. We hope everyone does well over the period: if they do, it might be a sign of market stability, and if trading isn't so good, then we'll probably see more casualties, which nobody wants.

All in all, I imagine the high street will be as difficult and challenging as ever this year. Government and landlords need to ease the pressure of rents and business rates, in order to encourage retailers to continue to invest in bricks-and-mortar stores. If these measures don't balance more favourably, then I fear the high street will suffer even more than it already is.

At Skechers, I expect our ecommerce business will continue to grow. We will watch closely to see how this impacts consumer shopping habits, as this will affect our forward planning. We're also launching our biggest-ever marketing campaign in 2020, which aims to drive brand awareness, demand and sales.

That said, we're on an exponential growth curve, so we'll knuckle down and continue to do what Skechers does best - produce great product that is stylish and comfortable, at an affordable price.

Michael Kliger, CEO and president, Mytheresa

We will continue to work on our vision to become the best luxury experience platform

It promises to be a very exciting year at Mytheresa. We will launch menswear on the site this month. This new section will be home to 120 brands and have its own distinct look and feel. It will have a clear focus on the product edit, similar to our approach in womenswear.

Our customers are at the core of everything we do, and we will continue to work on our vision to become the best luxury experience platform for our customers. Mytheresa is well established in Europe, and we will continue to grow in these markets while also focusing on our international expansion in the US and China. We will continue to work on being the best partner for all our women's, men's and kids' brands and have a host of exciting campaigns, exclusive capsule collections and pre-launches and global events lined up.

Juls Dawson, owner, Just a Group

There is opportunity in the form of sustainable and vegan brands

It was a challenging year in 2019, as reduced consumer confidence, coupled with economic uncertainty, took its toll on the high street and our sales lines. However, we are feeling positive for this year. There is opportunity in the form of sustainable and vegan brands, our focus on the premium sector through our new showroom, Occam - home to brands including include Nigel Cabourn, Good News and RAX by Russell Athletic - and some great new brands that we will be adding soon.

Pricing continues to be a challenge and getting the right mix of full-price and off-price product is key for this year, along with creating new categories for our brands to take advantage of gaps in the market.

It's not getting any easier out there, but if we can continue to understand the end consumer and sustain strong relationships with brands and retailers alike, then we can continue to grow.

Christoph Barchewitz and Patrick Schmidt, co-CEOs, Global Fashion Group

The trend will lie with the consumers

global fashion group co ceos Patrick Schmidt and Christoph Barchewitz

It's an interesting time for the fashion industry. Many of the trends we saw in 2019 will continue in 2020: the biggest being sustainability and more considered consumption.

In 2019, sustainability was a big trend among retailers. We saw more and more retailers introducing sustainable lines - including our Australian etailer, The Iconic - and making bigger sustainability commitments.

In 2020, the trend will lie with the consumers. They will be more focused on shopping according to their personal sustainability values: where have my clothes been made? Who made them? What is the composition? What is the carbon footprint? It won't be enough for a brand to just have a sustainable line. To see how this will develop, and at what pace, will be interesting.

Read The Drapers Interview with Christoph Barchewitz and Patrick Schmidt, co-CEOs, Global Fashion Grouphere

Sandeep Verma, managing director - Europe, Allbirds

In 2020, I hope we'll see other brands committing to lowering their carbon footprin

Climate change is the problem of our generation, and the fashion industry is finally waking up to the catastrophic impact it's having on our planet. At Allbirds, we believe that businesses should be part of the solution. A big moment for us last year was when we became 100% carbon neutral through the Allbirds Carbon Fund, which invests in emissions-reduction projects.

In 2020, I hope we'll see other brands committing to reducing their carbon footprint, too - first by understanding how to measure their emissions, then offsetting them, and finally finding ways to reduce them. The industry will realise that sustainability is not only good for business, but a requirement.

We've reached a tipping point where brands can no longer afford to have wholesalers at the heart of their business. Being fully direct to consumer allows us to have a deeper direct relationship with our customers. We have access to invaluable insights from every touchpoint in the customer journey, whether they're browsing our website or visiting our physical stores.

The focus should be on putting consumers at the heart, rather than investing in expensive technology or trying to guess the next mini trend. For us, this is all about being purpose led, designing to solve problems with great products, and doing it all with an incredible amount of care.

Daniel Rubin, founder and executive chairman, Dune

If we get a final Brexit decision, at least one of the uncertainties will have gone

It is hard to believe that 2020 will be more challenging than 2019, given all the difficulties footwear retailers faced last year. If we get a final Brexit decision, at least one of the uncertainties adversely affecting consumer confidence will have gone.

The casualisation of footwear fashion will continue, although I feel there will be a resurgence in a dressier aesthetic. I mean, how many pairs of white trainers can a person have in their wardrobe? I also predict a long hot summer with booming sandal sales - or perhaps that's just wishful thinking!

The sustainability agenda will become even more prominent, especially among millennials. The fashion industry will come under more pressure to clean up its supply chain while facing increasing costs - a difficult conundrum to solve.

Helen Brocklebank, CEO, Walpole

This year will be all about a response to climate emergency

For luxury fashion brands and retailers, this year will be all about a response to climate emergency. For start-ups and fledgling brands, sustainability is hard-wired into their business models. We'll see the big, established brands sharing what they've learned on plastics, packaging, waste, fabrics, responsible sourcing and so on with the whole eco-system as everyone works together towards a more sustainable future.

Consumers will drive brands towards much greater transparency, and there will be zero-tolerance of "greenwashing". The most important luxury trend for the coming year is a clean conscience.

Simon Forster, managing director, Selfridges

Customers expect retailers to lead the way on addressing sustainability

This year marks the start of a vital new decade in the race to secure a sustainable future. As a business with sustainability at its heart, Selfridges will be gearing up towards a major new campaign that will set the direction for the next 10 years of our journey. There are increasingly clear signals coming from customers that they expect to see retailers - and in particular the luxury sector - leading the way on addressing this issue.

In our most recent customer research, two-thirds of those we asked said they expect luxury retailers to be more sustainable and responsible than non-luxury retailers. The vast majority of our customers (85%) tell us that they're more concerned about sustainability and climate change than they were a year ago.

Tom Beahon, co-founder, Castore

Strong brands will find a way to win

I am a born optimist and see huge opportunity in 2020 despite the obvious uncertainties. As in any business environment, strong brands will find a way to win, and weaker brands will find excuses for why they failed.

The continued digitisation of retail will be a key trend this year - brands with a great product offering, strong DNA and agile operating models will capitalise on ever-evolving consumer expectations. This is also making international growth more achievable than ever before. Castore is experiencing rapid growth in countries across Asia, and having a truly global outlook will be crucial for those who want to grow.

Creating exceptional product and strong brand desire will never go out of fashion, and those able to do this will be successful next year. Those who approach 2020 with ambition and a risk-taking mindset will capitalise on the opportunities that will undoubtedly present themselves.

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The fashion industry's forecast for the year ahead

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Steven Cook, managing director fashion, home and beauty, Debenhams Volatility seems to be the new normal It's no secret that customers are looking for unique experiences, and retailers need to work harder than ever before to entice shoppers into stores. For retailers, volatility seems to be the new normal.

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Fred Perry have had an increase in sales leading into 2020. (accessed 08.01.2020)

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The retailer said the increase was helped by its continued "firm control of the overhead cost base". Turnover increased by 3% to £122.2m compared with the same period 2017/18, and was boosted by its operations outside of the UK and Europe.

Gross profit rose by 10.5% to £66.1m from £59.8m. Fred Perry said the year-on-year increase was the "result of a change in the sales mix and positive currency hedging". Net assets rose to £133.1m from £122.3m.

Fred Perry plans to focus on building the brand by controlling the distribution channels of its product and improving the quality and depth of its product ranges.

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The retailer said the increase was helped by its continued "firm control of the overhead cost base". Turnover increased by 3% to £122.2m compared with the same period 2017/18, and was boosted by its operations outside of the UK and Europe. Gross profit rose by 10.5% to £66.1m from £59.8m.

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“Fred Perry has been part of the subcultural uniform since the 1950s, and the Laurel Wreath [logo] remains a signature of both individuality and of belonging”, (Richard Gilmore, Fred Perry managing director.) Fred Perry have opened new flagship store in SoHo in NYC. The managing director still believes that the history and image of Fred Perry is transferred across the waters. Although the brand is British and been developed through British history they have a strong and clear enough image to transfer it to a different audience. (accessed 08.01.2020)

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The 700 sq ft store is located at 483 Broome Street. As well as Fred Perry's latest collections, the SoHo shop will also sell a range of its latest collaborations with fashion designer Raf Simons, musician Miles Kane and the Amy Winehouse Foundation.

Fred Perry's Brooklyn store at 306 Grand Street, New York, remains open.

"Fred Perry has been part of the subcultural uniform since the 1950s, and the Laurel Wreath [logo] remains a signature of both individuality and of belonging", Richard Gilmore, Fred Perry managing director, said. "We're excited to open a space where everyone is invited to experience the true sense of the brand, and what it has meant to people - from elite sportsmen through to fringe subcultures."

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First Look: A new home for Fred Perry in NYC

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The 700 sq ft store is located at 483 Broome Street. As well as Fred Perry's latest collections, the SoHo shop will also sell a range of its latest collaborations with fashion designer Raf Simons, musician Miles Kane and the Amy Winehouse Foundation. Fred Perry's Brooklyn store at 306 Grand Street, New York, remains open.

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Inspiration was taken from the Fred Perry Raf Simmons range. The idea of the photograph printed on the T - shirt appeals to my range and links the range back to the origins of Fred Perry. It will include a photograph in large print of Fred Perry himself. This also links back to the sporting origin of the brand and the range. (accessed 09.01.2020)

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A crew neck T-shirt in cotton jersey. Designed in a classic skate fit, with a photographic design screen-printed on the body, taken from George Plemper's archive.

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The first ever garment to be made for the brand was a white polo shirt. It was available in one colour and was made for tennis. The polo shirt is the main garment the brand have embodied for their fans. It is their best seller and now it has been developed into more than one colour and style. The purpose has changed over the years and now is seen as street wear rather than sportswear. (accessed 08.01.2020).

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The Fans The Shirt

The Man

Fred Perry was the son of a cotton spinner,
who went on to become world table tennis champion at 19,
before switching to lawn tennis and winning Wimbledon
three times with a killer forehand.
He honed his self-taught shots at his local public courts
in west London, going on to be a successful Davis Cup captain,
winner of 10 majors and the first player to win a Career Grand Slam
- Fred remains the only British player ever to achieve this.

Fred Perry was the son of a cotton spinner,
who went on to become world table tennis champion at 19,
before switching to lawn tennis and winning Wimbledon
three times with a killer forehand.
He honed his self-taught shots at his local public courts
in west London, going on to be a successful Davis Cup captain,
winner of 10 majors and the first player to win a Career Grand Slam - Fred remains the only British player ever to achieve this.

Yet still, his success was always unexpected, and despite his unprecedented contribution to British tennis, Fred was not accepted by tennis authorities until later in life due to contrasting sharply with the privileged background of most players associated with the sport. In 1984, a statue of Fred was unveiled at Wimbledon - a permanent tribute to the champion.

"The strokes are the same,
the angles are the same,
the spins are the same."

"The strokes
are the same,
the angles
are the same,
the spins
are the same."

"I didn't aspire to
be a good sport...

1928

World Table Tennis Champion

1929

World Table Tennis Champion

1933

US Open Champion

1934

Australian Open Champion

US Open Champion

Wimbledon Champion

1935

Australian Open Champion

French Open Champion

US Open Champion

Wimbledon Champion

1936

US Open Champion

Wimbledon Champion

...champion was good
enough for me."

...champion
was good enough
for me."

"I was generally regarded
as the best dressed player
of my time...

"I was generally
regarded as
the best
dressed player
of my time...

...I'm a great believer
in trying to look the part.
It's a fetish with me."

The Shirt The Man

The Fans

What inspired Fred also inspired a generation of tennis players.
And then inspired a generation of rebels, musicians, film-makers,
and full-circle back to sports stars. But always at the heart of it,
just above the heart of the player, was the Laurel Wreath.
The shirt that you can recognise from across a room,
across a dance floor, across a football stadium.

One shirt, for ever.

One shirt,
for ever.

A part of British subcultural uniform since the 1950s,
adopted by each generation as their own.

The uniform of
the non-uniform.

Adopted, never forced.

Adopted,
never forced.

The Laurel Wreath remains a signature
of both individuality and of belonging,
from elite sportsmen to fringe subcultures.

The Laurel Wreath remains a signature
of both individuality and of belonging,
from elite sportsmen to fringe subcultures.

The Man The Fans

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The Fans The Shirt The Man Fred Perry was the son of a cotton spinner,who went on to become world table tennis champion at 19,before switching to lawn tennis and winning Wimbledonthree times with a killer forehand.He honed his self-taught shots at his local public courtsin west London, going on to be a successful Davis Cup captain,winner of 10 majors and the first player to win a Career Grand Slam- Fred remains the only British player ever to achieve this.

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Fred Perry are ranked the lowest possible score in terms of sustainability. This is a weakness as the hughstreet is now becoming more environmentally conscious like the customers are demanding however Fred Perry fail to keep up with this. (accessed 10.01.2020)

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Rank a Brand
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Fred Perry & sustainability

Sustainability summary

Fred Perry has achieved the E-label. This is our lowest possible sustainability score, and Fred Perry has earned it by communicating nothing concrete about the policies for environment, carbon emissions or labor conditions in low-wages countries. For us as consumers, it is unclear whether Fred Perry is committed to sustainability or not.

Brand owner: Fred Perry Ltd.
Head office: London, UK
Sector: Casual clothing
Categories : Male, Female
Free Tags: Bags, Caps, Shirts, Pullover, Jackets, Shoes

What's your sustainability news about Fred Perry?

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Rank a Brand becomes GoodOnYou

1. This website is no longer maintained because Rank a Brand becomes GoodOnYou.eco. Click here for the rating of Fred Perry at GoodOnYou!

Last edited: 13 April 2017 by Mario
Last reviewed: 13 April 2017 by Mario

Questions about Climate Change/ Carbon Emissions
0 out of 6

Questions about Environmental Policy
0 out of 12

Questions about Labour Conditions/ Fair Trade
0 out of 16

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Fred Perry and sustainability: E-label | Buy sustainable brands

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Fred Perry has achieved the E-label. This is our lowest possible sustainability score, and Fred Perry has earned it by communicating nothing concrete about the policies for environment, carbon emissions or labor conditions in low-wages countries. For us as consumers, it is unclear whether Fred Perry is committed to sustainability or not.

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In the range selected garments will be made from recycled cotton. This does not only appeal to the younger target audience of Fred Perry due to the changes in attitude towards sustainability but also shares ideas with the Olympic medals. They are being recycled this year out of small unused electronic devices. The idea that the range includes some recycled materials proves the brand fits in with the purpose of the collaboration.  (accessed on the 10.01.2020)

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The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games

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We have closed the collection of small electronic devices for the Tokyo 2020 Medal Project at the end of Sunday 31 March 2019. The medal design will be announced in the summer of 2019.

The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) conducted the "Tokyo 2020 Medal Project" to collect small electronic devices such as used mobile phones from all over Japan to produce the Olympic and Paralympic medals.
In the two years between April 2017 and March 2019, 100 per cent of the metals required to manufacture the approximately 5,000 gold, silver and bronze medals have been extracted from small electronic devices that were contributed from people all over Japan. Every single medal that will be awarded to the athletes during the Tokyo 2020 Games are made from recycled metals. We are grateful for everyone's cooperation to this project. We hope that our project to recycle small consumer electronics and our efforts to contribute to an environmentally friendly and sustainable society will become a legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Games.
The "Tokyo 2020 Medal Project" is an official "Tokyo 2020 Nationwide Participation Programme".

Project Result

We are pleased to introduce the result on the collection of used mobile phones and small electronic devices, and a number of other project-related initiatives.

Collection Period

From 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2019

Amount of Devices Collected

Amount collected by municipal authorities across Japan (used small electronic devices including mobile phones): Approx. 78,985 tons
Amount collected by NTT docomo shops across Japan (used mobile phones only): Approx. 6.21 million used mobile phones

Final Amount of Metals Collected

Gold: Appx. 32kg
Silver: Appx. 3,500kg
Bronze: Appx. 2,200kg

Participating Municipalities

1,621 muncipalities
Of the 1,741 wards/cities/towns/villages nationwide, over 90 per cent participated.

From Collection to Smelting

The small electronic devices donated by people across Japan will be classified and dismantled and by contractors accredited in line with the government's Act on Promotion of Recycling of Small Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. The medals will be produced after the gold, silver and bronze elements have been extracted by the smelting contractors.

Classification operations

Initiatives to Date

Since the project was launched in April, athletes, students from partner universities and members of the public cooperated with the project by collecting used small electronic devices.

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Tokyo 2020 Medal Project: Towards an Innovative Future for All｜The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games

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We have closed the collection of small electronic devices for the Tokyo 2020 Medal Project at the end of Sunday 31 March 2019. The medal design will be announced in the summer of 2019.

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This link below shows the benefits and disadvantages of using standard cotton in clothing. It challenges the use of cotton and offers organic or sustainable cotton as an alternative to make clothes more sustainable.

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Organic cotton is another sustainable alternative to chemically-based or synthetic fibers. There are strict standards in the United States for organic cotton, and it is not easy to become a certified organic cotton operation. "Organic" means the cotton is produced to a set of strict USDA standards, enforced by USDA-certifying agents who must annually inspect fields and the operation for adherence to National Organic Program (NOP) standards. NOP standards require a 3-year conversion for land before organic crops can be harvested, so becoming an organic cotton producer is a long-term decision.
Interest in organic cotton has increased among retailers and brands but there is no sustained, measurable increase in the organic cotton supply, which is estimated at only 0.55% of global cotton production. In fact, the entire world supply of organic cotton would fit on one medium-sized cargo ship. And that's understandable when you look at what it takes to become organic - tough standards and more management because of the standards that prohibit various synthetic inputs and practices. Generally, organic production means higher costs, which typically translate into premiums of 50% to 100% in raw fiber prices. From a production perspective alone, it would take an additional 6 million acres - 40 percent of the current harvested cotton acreage in the U.S.-to meet the current market demand for U.S. cotton.

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Cotton and Sustainability Frequently Asked Questions

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Organic cotton is another sustainable alternative to chemically-based or synthetic fibers. There are strict standards in the United States for organic cotton, and it is not easy to become a certified organic cotton operation.

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Statistics on customer opinion to recycled cotton. 

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Statistics on customer opinion to recycled cotton. 

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24% of shoppers are willing to pay more for a recycled cotton material.
32% of shoppers look for 'recycled' clothing when shopping.
Only 5% believe recycled materials are sustainable.
customers are more likely to buy if the clothing label uses words such as "natural" or "environmentally friendly". (accessed 10.01.2020)

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The link shows the differences between standard cotton farming and organic cotton farming. It helps explain the pros and cons each system and is broken down to be easy to read and understand. It also shows how organic cotton benefits workers by providing personal stories. (accessed 10.01.2020)

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What is organic cotton farming system and how does it work?

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An organic cotton farming system is one that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. Find out how organic cotton farming system works.

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Example of retailer using organic cotton

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Example of retailer using organic cotton

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I researched the retailer 'People Tree' as they use organic cotton in a high percentage of their products. I compared a women's standard T shirt (they only stock women's) to Fred Perry. Using organic cotton the selling price for the t shirt was £42. Fred Perry do not use organic cotton and for a plain top is £45. Although the price range is naturally higher in Fred Perry this proves it is not impossible to use organic cotton and keep prices high. (accessed 10.01.2020)

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Organic Cotton

Organic Cotton is one of People Tree's main fabrics and was 83% of our total 2017 order.
Our organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment with systems in place to replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilisers, and build biologically diverse agriculture. More advantages to using organic cotton include:

It is Hypoallergenic. It does not cause any allergy or irritation when it touches human skin

Organic cotton farming helps lock CO2 into the soil, helping mitigate climate change

Better quality fibre than standard cotton

It avoids potentially toxic pesticides, preventing the associated health problems and deaths common in non-organic cotton production

There are many different stories about the high water consumption of Organic Cotton. A large amount of our organic cotton comes from Chetna, in the rain fed states of India.

More about what is considered 'conventional' cotton, this term is used mainly to describe cotton used by fast-fashion brands.

* This is cotton grown using Genetically Modified seeds and pesticides, so that the plant is usually bigger and the yield is higher.

* Cotton growing and the production are not regulated so there are no standards to keep to.

* There are new initiatives that have started to bring in standards for cotton farming, such as Better Cotton Initiative, which works with farmers to improve conventional cotton conditions.

92% of PT cotton (2017) is Global Organic Textile Standard Certified Cotton (GOTS).

This is organic cotton that is traceable from the seed to the finished product. Products carrying the GOTS symbol have met strict environmental and social criteria during processing and have been certified by an independent, third party. So not only is the seed and farming organic but all of the production processes including dyeing and printing do not use any harmful chemicals. READ MORE >

42% of People Tree organic cotton in 2017 was dual certified as Fair Trade Cotton (FLO) and Global Organic Textile Standard Certified Cotton (GOTS). Fairtrade cotton farmers are paid a fair trade minimum price and receive a premium price which they can use to cover production costs and fund community development projects. Cotton which is 'dual certified' organic and Fairtrade is considered the 'gold standard' for sustainable cotton. READ MORE >

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Organic Cotton is one of People Tree's main fabrics and was 83% of our total 2017 order. Our organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment with systems in place to replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilisers, and build biologically diverse agriculture.

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Many retailers have joined the BCI to try and improve their sustainability profile. Since sustainability has become a popular topic in the media it is important for retailers to keep up to date with current trends. (accessed 10.01.2020)

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The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is the largest cotton sustainability programme in the world.

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This is Fred Perry's profit and loss account for the year ending 31st March 2019. It is clear to see they have increased their profits from the previous financial year by a large number. This indicates they are still current on the hughstreet in order to gain this kind of profit and increase. (accessed on the 15.01.2020)

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Fred Perry offer tennis lessons to working class children to help with their involvement with sport.  "The aim from day one was to engage with kids from traditionally working class areas. Fred Perry was a working class guy. That's where he came from – he was the son of a factory worker based in Stockport." (Director Richard Martin)
(Accessed 15.01.2020)

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The brand is targeting working class youngsters with its sponsorship of the Urban Cup table tennis tournament, which came about due to brand founder Perry being a table tennis champion before going on to win the Wimbledon tennis championships.

Richard Martin, Fred Perry marketing director, told Marketing: "The aim from day one was to engage with kids from traditionally working class areas. Fred Perry was a working class guy. That's where he came from - he was the son of a factory worker based in Stockport."

The brand is hoping to reach 120,000 kids with the tournament this year, which culminates with the final on 3 December.

The tournament was set up in 2007 in association with the English Table Tennis Association (ETTA) and its popularity resulted in the Premier League 4 Sport partnering with the project in 2010.

The Premier League 4 Sport works with the 20 Premier League football clubs to get them engaged with a variety of sports in their local areas.

To date, Fred Perry has invested around £300,000 in its sponsorship, which includes sponsorship of Olympic hopeful Darius Knight. Fred Perry's current investment in the sport stands at a six-figure sum, but this could be set to increase.

Martin said: "The desire is to engage more kids to get involved, which will require an increase in investment - we are looking for 5% to 10% more engagement this year."

The Urban Cup reaches out to youngsters via the 20 Premier League clubs, who are involved in sporting initiatives with around six local schools each.

Kids are encouraged to get involved with the sport through workshops and open days in schools, notices in football club's match day programmes and websites, Facebook activity and local advertising.

Martin revealed that the brand will steer clear in getting involved with marketing activity around the Olympics, because it is not a core sportswear brand.

He said: "My main concern is, how do we access it and leverage it? The truth is we won't really touch it because the concern is getting lost in all the other activity."
Follow Matthew Chapman on Twitter @mattchapmanuk

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Fred Perry targets 'working class' kids with table tennis sponsorship

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The brand is targeting working class youngsters with its sponsorship of the Urban Cup table tennis tournament, which came about due to brand founder Perry being a table tennis champion before going on to win the Wimbledon tennis championships.

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Differences between generational shopping habits. 

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Differences between generational shopping habits. 

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This shows the shopping habits of the generations and how they interact with brands. (accessed 15.01.2020)

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The Perry boys were from Manchester and Salford. They were a small subculture but not highly recognised due to the smaller scale compared to other "new romantic" subcultures. In the article The Smiths, Marr, was interviewed and asked what inspires his fashion, he replied "every Perry Boy who’s ever walked around the centre of Manchester.... When I went to France and New York and all those places, I expected to see all these amazingly dressed people but, honestly, the Perry Boys in Manchester have got so much more class than anybody else in the world..." (accessed 16.01.2020)

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Manchester and Salford, England's Perry Boys (a.k.a. Town Boys, "real" mods) and Perry Girls were a late '70s-'early '80s cultural movement that embraced expensive continental sportswear, Tamla Motown and glam rock, auburn-rinsed wedge haircuts, and in some cases, love of Manchester United and shoplifting across Europe. They were the regional rivals to Liverpool's Scallys and pre-cursors to Boys, The Nameless Thing, and Casuals. But for many young boys, being a Perry was all about the clothes rather than violence, petty theft, and soccer hooliganism.

Ian Hough's amazing books, Perry Boys: The Casual Gangs of Manchester and Salford and Perry Boys Abroad: The Ones That Got Away, are part-memoir and part cultural history but both are low on photos. Perry Boys, despite having roots in the Northern Soul subculture, were not associated with only one specific musical genre, like the slightly later New Romantics. As a result they were not as carefully documented visually as other subcultures, which is a real shame.

Hough describes the Perry Boy look:

Bowie and Bryan Ferry were the dual lighthouses that served to guide kids' blinkered coolness into a new harbour. Then, they slowly emerged, from Northern Soul and football roots, to coalesce in a new look that seemed so right; Clarke's Polyveldt, Hush Puppies and Adidas Kick were the featureless tadpoles from which numerous forms sprang. Peter Werth polos, burgundy chunky sweaters and Fred Perries were the shirts. Levis and Lois were the jean. The hairstyle was the wedge.

-snip-

...side-partings and old-fashioned short-back-ands-sides became more popular. The hair at the nape of the neck became subject to a particularly intense work-up...the fringe was grown low over one eye, and layered around the side, describing a horizontal line across the ear... An absolute lack of sideboards was a priority.

Amoeba blogger Eric Brightwell included a few more iconic clothing brands in his description:

In addition to Fred Perry, the Town Boys (as they were also sometimes known) also favored (preferably burgundy-colored) Peter Werth shirts, Fila Borgs, raglan sleeve shirts, Harrington jackets, Sergio Tacchini and later replica football kits. Preferred trousers included Levi's 501s or Sta-Prest, Lee corduroys, and Lois jeans. Popular shoes included Adidas Stan Smith, docksiders, Kios, and Kickers. Other approved labels included Aitch,French Connection, FU, and Second Image.

Fred Perry traditional pique tennis shirts were as sought after as Izod Lacoste polo shirts among the upper middle class in the U.S. The mods in London had been wearing them since the early '60s, as had skinheads, suedeheads, rude boys and punks in Manchester and Salford, who had worn the black-champagne-champagne version. But the shirt acquired a legion of unlikely poster boys in the late '70s.

Perry Boys were notorious for attending Manchester United matches abroad and shoplifting luxury brand clothing and jewelry from upscale boutiques. They were also willing to get blood on those expensive shirts. Hough describes the Perry Boys' reputation for violence, which was immortalized in The Fall's Mark E. Smith's song "City Hobgoblins":

People feared Perries, but they were a rare sight in the mid-70s, favouring night-life over day, Soul over Glam-Rock and music over football. Despite the obscurity, they were feared as nasty lads, very insular and ready to strike at anyone who looked at them, full stop.

Native Mancunian Morrissey had nothing but negative memories of the movement when he discussed them in a Melody Maker interview in 1986:

They're still there. Trouble is, now they're all 33 and they're still doing the same thing. The memories I have of being trapped in Piccadilly Bus Station while waiting for the all-night bus or being chased across Piccadilly Gardens by some 13-year-old Perry from Collyhurst wielding a Stanley Knife. Even when I was on the bus I would be petrified because I would always be accosted. They were the most vicious people. They would smack you in the mouth and ask you what you were looking at after.

The impeccably well-dressed Johnny Marr credited the Perries for having a sharp style sense. In a 1984 Record Mirror interview Marr was asked "Who is The Smiths' favourite fashion designer?" His reply was:

Every Perry Boy who's ever walked around the centre of Manchester. They are really important to me. When I went to France and New York and all those places, I expected to see all these amazingly dressed people but, honestly, the Perry Boys in Manchester have got so much more class than anybody else in the world. I stole all my fashion ideas from them.

Last year he recalled the Perry Boy style affectionately:

This shirt that I'm wearing now - my sister and I used to wear these shirts in the late '70s. These guys called the Perry Boys used to wear them. They always made quite an impression on me. In the Smiths, when I used to wear a sheepskin coat and these necklaces over a sweater and sweaters around my waist - that all came from the Perry Girls. That's something I saw girls on the street wearing. They weren't very rock and roll. They were sort of street. Rock 'n roll in the late '70s in the UK - there were a lot of students involved. It was kind of an intellectual thing. I'm talking about working-class people who considered music press to be pretentious. They were probably right. I always liked and admired their style even though I was into music press and rock 'n roll.

Drawing of a Perry Boy by author Ian Hough

Blogger Eric Brightwell listed several diverse U.K. and American bands as Perry favorites:

As with all the best youth subcultures, music played a central role for Perries. The Perry soundtrack included Disco, Soul, Roxy Music, David Bowie and neo-psychedelic post-punk bands. Favored American neo-psychedelic bands included Athens's R.E.M., Milwaukee's Plasticland, Rhode Island's Plan 9, St. Paul's Hüsker Dü and Los Angeles's Paisley Underground (The Dream Syndicate,Green on Red, Rain Parade, and The Three O'Clock) as well as Liverpool's Echo & the Bunnymen and Teardrop Explodes. Local post-Punk bands with Perry Boy elements in their audience included Joy Division, The Chameleons, Crispy Ambulance, Magazine and Vibrant Thigh. And they liked The Cramps. Tellingly, few if any bands from London made the grade.

Pips Disco in Manchester, behind the cathedral, had five themed dance floors, including the the Bowie Room, the Roxy Room, where you were encouraged to "dress smart," according to the admission tickets, and a Perry Room. Although there were no self-identified Perry bands, Stockholm Monsters had Perry Boys (and one Perry Girl) among its personnel, as did Happy Mondays, Hungry Sox, The Stone Roses, and Inspiral Carpets.

The co-existing '70s Mod Revival look outlived the Perries, and other fashion-oriented subcultures eclipsed them in the '80s, but that Perry wedge haircut was seen on several New Romantic, synth-pop, and New Wave bands for years (Japan, Spandau Ballet, Soft Cell, The Human League, early Duran Duran). And the perennial Bryan Ferry "flick" haircut will never, ever die.
Don Letts' 2012 Fred Perry Subculture series, Mods:

Fred Perry Subculture, '80s-'90s:

Fred Perry Subculture, Soul Boys:

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Fashion Victims Unite: Manchester's late '70s-early '80s Perry Boys subculture

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Manchester and Salford, England's Perry Boys (a.k.a. Town Boys, "real" mods) and Perry Girls were a late '70s-'early '80s cultural movement that embraced expensive continental sportswear, Tamla Motown and glam rock, auburn-rinsed wedge haircuts, and in some cases, love of Manchester United and shoplifting across Europe.

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Updated version of week by week plan.

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(accessed 17.01.2020)

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Britain dominated the world of lawn tennis in the mid-1930s thanks largely to Fred Perry. For three years he was the undisputed world number one, winning a string of major titles and making a vital contribution to Britain's domination of the premier international competition in tennis, the Davis Cup.

His legacy remains powerful today. Visitors to Wimbledon often stop to peer at the three-quarter-life-size statue of Perry, unveiled 50 years after his first victory at the Championships, showing him smartly attired and hitting his famous forehand drive.

Today Perry has iconic status, but it was not always so: this champion was once Britain's unsung tennis hero. A hundred years on from his birth, it should not be forgotten that in his prime playing days, and for many afterwards, Perry was acclaimed across the tennis world but was not universally admired in his homeland.

Top, but not 'the best'

Journalists watching him defeat the Australian Jack Crawford to lift the Wimbledon crown in 1934 commented on the "strange lack of excitement" among spectators, and one American magazine went as far as to say: "Perry is not a popular champion at home". In an incident that rankled for the rest of his life, Perry's elation at taking the title turned to anger when he overheard a Wimbledon committee member saying to Crawford in the dressing room after the final that this was one day "when the best man didn't win".

A major factor in explaining this coolness towards Perry was his social background. The Perry family had northern working class roots and Fred only had the chance to take up tennis when his father, developing a career in left-wing politics, moved after the First World War to an area of London where suburban tennis clubs were expanding rapidly. Instead of being confined exclusively to the rich, tennis was becoming an option for aspiring families such as the Perrys.

But as he sought to make his way in the game, Fred Perry faced many who saw him as not 'one of us' - the traditional public-school educated middle classes who still dominated British tennis as players, administrators and officials. One insider summed up the attitude towards Perry when he first won a place on the Davis Cup team by saying: "as we've got to have the bloody upstart, we might as well knock him into shape and try and get the best out of him". As the dressing room episode in 1934 illustrated, even winning Wimbledon did not remove all traces of social prejudice.

Perry was not entirely a passive victim of the class distinctions in British society between the wars. His abrasiveness and refusal to "let people tell me what to do or order me about" made him enemies in tennis circles. Players in the 1930s were expected to behave with decorum; 'gentleman Jack Crawford' was known for his exemplary court manners. Fred Perry, by contrast, possessed a ruthless streak, refused to conceal his ambition and indulged in gamesmanship such as making offensive personal remarks to opponents.

Despite dominating the world scene he offended the sensibilities of well-to-do Wimbledon spectators because his court persona was so much at odds with the ethos of the day.

It also mattered that tennis remained firmly wedded to amateur principles. The idea that the game should be played for pleasure not profit - and in the right spirit - had been rigorously enforced since the Victorian period by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). Lacking the pedigree and temperament of traditional gentleman amateurs such as Crawford, Perry clashed with the authorities and was increasingly tempted to cash in on his global fame.

Simmering difficulties with the LTA continued until, at the end of 1936, he left Britain to join a small professional circuit living and touring mostly in the USA. This move enabled him to make large sums of money but meant he was banned from the world's top amateur events, including Wimbledon and the Davis Cup.

At the start of 1937, Perry thus found himself a sporting outcast in his homeland. He was relieved of his honorary membership of the prestigious All England Club - awarded to him as Wimbledon champion - and when his professional tour visited Britain he was barred from appearing on the courts of any LTA-affiliated club. There was no campaign in Britain in the late 1930s to find and cultivate new champions in Perry's wake. Instead, the most successful player the nation had produced became almost a non-person in the eyes of the tennis establishment.

After the Second World War, Perry built a new life based around business enterprises (notably the famous Fred Perry sportswear label), coaching and commentating. Based mainly in the USA, which he found less hidebound than Britain about social distinctions, his frosty relationship with the All England Club and the LTA improved slowly over the years, especially when tennis finally embraced professionalism after 1968.

Even so, it was only towards the end of his life that reconciliation became complete. The same bodies that once shunned him were ever more anxious to honour Perry, in part because his reputation soared as the years passed in which no British man was able to match his success. His appreciation of the unveiling of the statue in 1984 was enhanced when the All England Club chairman said he hoped that Fred agreed Wimbledon was "today the most hospitable of clubs", in contrast to the unfriendliness of earlier times.

In the same year, a quarter of a century ago, Perry was the only tennis player listed in a survey of 2,000 Britons aimed at finding the 'Best of the Best' British sportsmen of the 20th century. At long last, Fred Perry was no longer Britain's unsung tennis hero. His place as a domestic sporting legend was secure.

Frederick John Perry

Born: 18 May 1909, Stockport Died: 2 February 1995 in Melbourne, attending the Australian Open

Claims to fame: Won Wimbledon on three successive occasions (1934, 1935 and 1936); the first man to win all four 'grand slam' titles - Wimbledon, Australian, French and American championships - though not in the same year

Playing style: immensely quick, with all-court ability; trademark shot a deadly 'early-ball' running forehand

Wimbledon record: reached semi final once in five attempts before 1934 and won mixed doubles twice

Other achievements: won a total of eight grand slam titles, three in the USA and one each in Australia and France. He also played a pivotal role as Britain won the Davis Cup four years running (1933-36)

British players at Wimbledon

Since Fred Perry's last victory in 1936, four British women have won the singles title:
Dorothy Round (1908-82)Claims to fame: one of only two British women since 1920s to win Wimbledon twice; refused as a Christian to play on Sundays Angela Mortimer (born 1932)Ann Jones (born 1938)Virginia Wade (born 1945)
HW 'Bunny' Austin (1906-2000)Mike Sangster (1940-85)Roger Taylor (born 1941)Tim Henman (born 1974)Kevin Jefferys is professor of history at Plymouth University. His publications include This article was first published in the June 2009 issue of BBC History Magazine Finest & Darkest Hours (Atlantic, 2002) and Politics & the People (Atlantic, 2007) Playing style: all rounder comfortable both at baseline and net Wimbledon record: reached quarter finals four times; lost in final 1933; took title in 1934 and 1937; won mixed doubles three times, twice with Perry
Other achievements: won Australian championships (1935)
Before Andy Murray's victory at Wimbledon, few British men have even come close to taking the singles crown since Perry:

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Tennis and table tennis player Fred Perry (1909-95) was a three-time Wimbledon champion - winning the tournament in consecutive years, 1934-6 - and one of Britain's greatest 20th-century sportsmen.

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Personal Experience on subcultures and Fred Perry. 

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Personal Experience on subcultures and Fred Perry. 

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In this article / questionnaire the MOD  and skinhead subcultures and their influence on Fred Perry is discussed. It is useful to find out more about the history of the brand and what people viewed it as at the time. "Yes Fred Perry should collaborate with musicians and strong characters such as Wiggins that transcend their sport with a subcultural slant; it doesn’t have to be purely music based." (Reuben Billingham, 2016) This quote shows how customers like to see collaborations including history and the sporting heritage. (accessed 17.01.2020)

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Fred Perry has been adopted by generations of British subcultures including Mod. Reuben Billingham is a fashion consultant who has worked with Fred Perry for many years and has worked on their collaborations with the likes or Paul Weller and Bradley Wiggins.
Who or what influences your style?

Reuben: Today in my mid-40's it's a more Suede head/Ivy League style I just think it's more age appropriate and it's subtler than my style used to be. Ultimately it's most strands of the Modernist scene that influence my style from 1950's through to some revivalist elements.

I've also worked within the men's fashion business since I was 17 years old and so I've appropriated fashion brands that dip into Modernist details from high street brands, vintage to £300 shirts; I'm not a label snob.

When I was younger my influences were quite obvious; The Small Faces, Early Rolling Stones, Paul Weller, Blue Note musicians, French and Italian 1950-60's films, The Avengers & Man From U.N.C.L.E 1960's TV and original 1960s magazines. Perhaps most importantly older more established Mods and dressers in Birmingham.

I never really took to the revivalist look of Jam Shoes, Fishtail parka as I was too young to have caught that period and it seemed too bold for me. I got into the scene around 1989/90 when I started going to pubs and clubs in Birmingham city centre as a spirited 18 year old. At this time I met with Ocean Colour Scene at The Ship Ashore pub and became friends, I also met with Trish Keenan while she was setting up the band; Broadcast at pubs & parties in Moseley and a great weekly night called The Sensateria at a club called the Hummingbird in Birmingham city centre. These types of crowds had an influence on my style I subconsciously too, and would say its more mid 1960's European in its tone.

Since 2001 there has been a barrage of images available purely down to the Internet. On-line societies and blogs have allowed all scenes to be influenced by images that have not been seen since the original movement. This combined with all of the great books that have been published such as: "A very British phenomenon" by Terry Rawlings and "Mods the new religion" by Paul Smiler Anderson, continue to influence me today and have to some extent re-energised the scene.

What does being a Mod in today's society today mean to you?
Reuben: I've spent the last 25 years being shaped by Mod style; where I live, my wife, where I travel, my career, my modes of transport, my friends and so in a way I don't think about being a Mod. My passion to learn more about Modernism however shows no signs of diminishing.

I have certain quirks that normals would find odd; for example only frequenting independent; pubs/restaurants/shops -too many landmark establishments are being lost to modernisation which is quite ironic I suppose. I refuse to wear overt sportswear and trainers. I never set foot on a London bendy bus I walked rather than get on one and I was very pleased to see a version of the Route Master back on the streets. So in a way I try to support a more traditional way of life that aligns with my style choices.

I've had a great opportunity in the last 10+ years to be able to travel far and wide. Today we can search out Lambretta dealers in Vancouver, Soul nights in Tokyo, Record shops in Sao Paolo and live gigs in Clarksdale Mississippi all of which I've done. So whereas up until 10 years ago being a Mod was London focused, I'm now learning about the scene internationally and made friends along the way. I'm still meeting people here in the UK too based on the way I look usually along the lines of "I used to be a mod" that is the strength of the movement it has undeniable attitude steeped in history.

Some of the younger mods coming onto the scene today look closer to original modernists (pre-1964) than we did aged 17/18 and its down to the internet for sure the details of dressing can be studied to the exact point. The sussed element maybe not as strong as Original, Revivalist and 90's Mods because these groups had to trawl clubs/markets/tailors etc to search out the right sounds/looks and converse with like minded people along the way and ultimately learn more about the scene. Its great to see young mods coming onto the scene however they approach it though, we need more.

Importantly original Mods have come back into the scene, which has been great for these men and women to pass on the true facts again thanks to the Internet and symposiums, which I'm personally a big fan of. I've heard some really heart warming stories recently of old Modernists finding old friends, bands reforming and club DJ's playing out again.

Having worked with Fred Perry what does the brand mean to you? Why do you think Fred Perry has been adopted by so many different generations of subcultures?
Reuben: My first Fred Perry was "borrowed" from a tennis fanatic uncle and I remember getting approving nods from the older boys at school on none uniform day when I was 13. It's the first branded item I'd ever worn and so that stuck with me for years; the notion of guys you looked up to acknowledging an item of clothing fascinated me.

It might seem odd but in a way it meant more to me when I was a young fledging mod as you could be immediately considered as a mod if you had a Fred polo on or at least that's what I believed at the time.

When I joined Fred Perry in May 2005 this was ultimate modus operandi to act in some small part a custodian of that emotional attachment that the brand leaves with individuals. I accept that there are trends within the fashion world but certain brands such as Fred Perry do not have to mould to every one.

Initially Fred Perry was adopted by Modernists as it was aspirational it was relatively uncommon for say a 16 year old working class Modernist from Stamford Hill to play tennis in his whites in 1960. It was a step towards the jet set and all of the international romantic connotations it bought with it (Ralph Lauren plays on this to a much larger extent today) this need to bettering yourself through peoples perception of you, as a Mod is essentially the movements raison d'etre. Fred Perry went in an out of trend from 1960-66 as it was worn by none modernists off court too, here and internationally and so not deemed a pure modernist style. From 1966 Hard mods, suede heads and leading up to 1968/9 skinheads took the Fred Perry shirt back as their own as it was utilitarian not hippy and denim was being worn increasingly too, now that Jeans were more readily available.

It was this period of the shirt being worn as day wear with: Jeans, desert boots/loafers and a Harrington/3 button jacket for example- everything just right, simple but very stylish that has been set in stone and etched I believe into the British psyche. Most mods would still wear tailoring in the evening club nights/gigs. This mid-1960's period combined with the most influential music the world has seen is a freeze frame of cool that has been used by every creative industry to date.

So when 1978 Mod revivalists, skinheads and all of the subcultures around it looked at old magazines and spoke with original modernists Fred Perry was mentioned and could still be found in sport shops all over the country and even internationally. It could be worn in a subculture way and you could be part of the movement while you worked out the right detail for your first bespoke tailored piece. It's also important to mention that some 1960's companies had disappeared by 1978 but Fred Perry was still trading. While some purists wore second hand original Modernist/Skinhead items the vast majority didn't want to stand out too much. The fit & quality of 1960's clothing was not brilliant and also a small point but peoples body shapes had changed- the baby boomers were generally speaking very slim.

The 1978 revival period is I would say Fred Perry's most important period as it did genuinely appeal to most subcultures perhaps only Levis are the other brand to achieve this feet- achieving absolute cool.

The Jam, The Chords and Secret Affair and Sham 69 amongst others all went on to feature a Laurel logo on the sleeves of their records and the world took note. An aspiring Mod/Skin at this time in San Francisco or Hong Kong having an interest in British music could see from music magazines, even if they couldn't find the records that the polo shirt or V-neck with the Fred Perry Laurel logo was locked into their chosen sound.

For international subcultures Fred Perry was identified as being particularly British other than Slazenger and as an après sport attire these were the only visible branded labels coming out of the UK. Yes Bukta, Mitre and Admiral and the like were available- but they were for sports only unlike today where all branded sportswear is the norm.

At the end of the day Fred Perry appealed because it was: branded and so immediately identifiable, well priced, relatively good quality, kept a core look and didn't chase trends as brands do today, aspirational in class and other worldly to the none domestic consumer.

During the 1960s music and fashion were both closely linked for the first time, in regards to Mod style do you think that relationship is still strong today?
Reuben: Yes retrospectively its impossible for Mods to ignore the efforts of British bands taking the sound of original Black blues/jazz musicians and combining the sound with the style of dress on album covers.

Revival period and Brit pop was an absolute acknowledgment of the style of the 1960's scene. I'm not sure where I heard this but the original mod was a youth culture, revival was revivalist scene and the latest revival a lifestyle choice of which of course I am wholly guilty.

To this end if you have a band with an outwardly 1960's sound the band will at some stage have at least one member that dresses Mod (i.e Clem Burke drummer in Blondie), it may not be glaring obvious to the normals but a fellow mod would register. Equally a fashion brand that wants to try and portray a Mod style will play 1960's music (Dior Homme summer 2007 /This Dior show was a turning point in menswear style and has a certain domino effect to date). In my opinion the musician will get it right over the clothing designer as a musician has soul and while I'm not a fan of the word -authenticity.

In more recent years bands such as: Eli Paper boy, Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings, Leon Bridges, and most bands on Daptone records while not overtly Mod have a Mod following because the above bands take the time to dress well and move correctly.

Most importantly from a clothing perspective retro music signify to designers and think tanks that there is a heritage scene. Going off subject slightly but this can be seen in the aforementioned Routemaster bus and styling of the new mini, Beetle VW, Fiat 500, vinyl record sales and record players for sale in none specialist shops.

Strangely during the Brit pop period there was no real alignment with fashion houses to return the favour it was all very sportswear driven thankfully the second hand clothes availability was good. I believe most bands at this time looked quite scruffy. There were a few labels started by Mods such as PPQ, Burro and Duffer St George but it was quite a London based effort and not purist. Brit Pop was also surrounded by Rave/House music scene and this appealed to the masses so this also had an influence on clothing companies.

In the past 12 years the likes of: COS/J.Crew's whole design approach from music, store design, marketing is inspired by mid-20th century Modernism. Also brands such as: Prada, Brooks Brothers, Levis LVC, APC, Bass & Co and Thom Browne and high street brands have meant that Mods have been able to stock up on new clothes. Conversely the second hand market has dried up and items are rarer and more expensive due to the fashion/brand houses buying it all up for research development.

You've worked with the modfather himself, Paul Weller, how important do you think it is for brands like Fred Perry to work closely with musicians?
Reuben: Paul Weller had a very clear idea of the shirts he wanted to work with and the first shirt was dark green with light blue and burgundy tipping, split hem and none branded buttons, also had a slightly deeper collar. These were all designed from memory and inspired by his favourite polo shirt from his youth.

Fred Perry has been lucky during my time at the brand 2005-2015 to have worked with brand legends at an early stage: Sir Bradley Wiggins, Amy Winehouse and Andy Murray. The relationship with Terry Hall was also a success, on limited edition knitwear. Fred Perry then went onto collaborate with The Specials for a number of collaborations.

Fred Perry is a sportswear fashion brand that has been closely linked to numerous scenes. This enabled Fred Perry to work easily with Wiggins and Murray the industry and consumers understood why these collaborations had come about equally as with Weller, Whinehouse & Hall. Yes Fred Perry should collaborate with musicians and strong characters such as Wiggins that transcend their sport with a subcultural slant; it doesn't have to be purely music based.

I don't believe though they should grab onto any artist such as a Kanye West, they would need to have a natural Fred Perry anti-establishment. If you look at most luxury predominantly womenswear labels; their campaigns feature A-list actresses. Within the next few years it will become increasingly the norm to have a celebrity model in campaigns. A Rhiana Puma type tie up will also become increasingly visible.

The competitors of Fred Perry from a heritage music clothing perspective possibly labels such as: John Smedley, Levis, Clarks, Dr Martens and Ben Sherman have not tried or failed in my opinion to find genuine links to musicians and manufacture strong collaboration collections. Interestingly John Smedley and Ben Sherman have also linked up with Paul Weller.

The strength of Fred Perry of course is that it has a huge fan base and selecting the correct celebrity collaborations could further help them to take absolute ownership of the soul stylist scenes.

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Fred Perry has been adopted by generations of British subcultures including Mod. Reuben Billingham is a fashion consultant who has worked with Fred Perry for many years and has worked on their collaborations with the likes or Paul Weller and Bradley Wiggins. Who or what influences your style?

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Throughout the article I have highlighted key parts that relate to the shopping habits or values on Genz and millennial shoppers. It is clear that they value sustainability but also contradict this be expecting brands to produce newness and be quick in terms of delivery. They have high expectations of the hughstreet and although they are not brand loyal they agree they would return to a brand if they had an exceptional service.
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Gen Z and Millennials | Drapers Guides copy

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The collaboration was linked to Fred Perry's heritage of sports and MOD style. Bradley Wiggins is Tour de France winner and Olympic athlete. He also has a love for music and hobby for collecting vintage scooters. He made a special appearance at Paul Weller's concert playing guitar for 'That's Entertainment'. These two qualities make a perfect collaboration for Fred Perry. It appeals to the sporting audiences and the MOD audience who will appreciate Wiggins' style. The range included cycling tops and Harrington jackets.

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Fred Perry did a collaboration with the Amy Winehouse Foundation in support of young adults with addictions. They noticed Amy was a big fan of the brand and kept that range within her style. They incorporated women's polos and knitwear into the brand. Her style reflects the brand's original style and the range fits in with original designs. (accessed 17.01.2020)

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THE AMY WINEHOUSE FOUNDATION Back to Black

Named one of the best, if not the best albums of the 21st Century, Back to Black was the seminal album from Amy Winehouse, whose honest lyrics and unique voice captivated the world over.

We reflect on the anticipation of its launch in 2006 with an interview by Laura Jones, who happened to meet the singer one night in a north London nightclub and, perched on the sinks in the men's toilets, was fortunate enough to grab fifteen minutes with her. The image of Amy was captured on a Nokia handset.

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Amy Winehouse Foundation Collection | Tops & Dresses | Fred Perry UK

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Named one of the best, if not the best albums of the 21st Century, Back to Black was the seminal album from Amy Winehouse, whose honest lyrics and unique voice captivated the world over.

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Miles Kane is a northern artist who did a collaboration with Fred Perry. His image and music fits in with the brands identity.The range includes gold wreath and the Fred Perry classics and has put his own spin on them, a spin that is part 70s with its nostalgic pleasure-seeking vibe. (accessed 17.01.2020)

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Playlists and interviews exploring British subculture: Miles Kane

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Name Miles Kane Where are you from? The Wirral, by Liverpool. What do you do? I sing, play guitar and perform and write tunes. Describe your style in three w...

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This graph was taken from Edited and shows that polo tops are increasing as a trend. This was taken after some of the catwalk shows for SS20 and therefore shows that they have been on the catwalk for this season. Polo tops are the main garment in my range and this proves they are trending. (accessed 17.01.2020)

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The sporting background of Fred Perry himself as the creator of the brand inspires this range. As the range is a collaboration with the Olympics the sporting background does inspire the range.

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This shows the assortment mix for Fred Perry, Lacoste and Ben Sherman. It is clear to see that they both have more products than Fred Perry due to the fact they have more and larger stores. Edited, (accessed 17.01.2020)

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This is the pricing architecture of Fred Perry, Lacoste and Ben Sherman. The graph shows that in terms of pricing Ben Sherman is Fred Perry's main competitor as their average prices match and their highest prices are similar. Lacoste has a wider price range. Edited, ( accessed 17.01.2020)

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Discounts for Ben Sherman. The graph shows that the highest percentage of discount (26%) is in the range of 50%-60%. This shows that although they sell more products that Fred Perry they are having to discount a lot of those to get them out of the shop and sold. Edited, (accessed 17.01.2020)

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The graph shows the discounts for Lacoste. The highest percentage discount is 48% at 30%-40%. This isn't as high as Lacoste and therefore shows they can sell their stock faster and more efficiently compared to Ben Sherman. Edited, (accessed 17.01.2020)

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Fred Perry do not have information on their discounts on EDITED. However, looking at their website they have a sale which appears to be 50% discount or more. The differences in discount show that once again Ben Sherman and Fred Perry are more direct competition as they sell a similar way on the hughstreet. (accessed 17.01.2020)

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Edited was used to gather the assortment mix for Fred Perry. (accessed 17.01.2020)

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The pricing architecture was used to chose how much the garments in the range would be. This graph was used from edited as well as research on the website. (accessed 17.01.2020)

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Excel colour mix that have been counted from the range plan and organised into a pie chart and converted into percentages.

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'Digital Blue' is predicted for SS20 in men's collections.
It also explains how blue, white and black are being worn well together. This links to the range for Fred Perry as black and white are used to balance out the bright colours and the neutral. (accessed 25.01.2020)

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The article explains how yellow is being worn for SS20.
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Website (https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/83222/page/1) (accessed on the 25.01.2020)

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Edited was used to gather the assortment mix for Fred Perry.
They stock tops and accessories mostly. Due to the history of the classic polo shirt that began the brand this makes sense. The range reflects this assortment mix as it proves to sell well and therefore it is what customers expect and buy most of. (accessed 17.01.2020)

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WGSN shows that bomber jackets are +10% UK YoY. It is 'consistently commercial' according to WGSN.
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Website : https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/83221/page/4

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Article on how the olympics are affecting and influencing retailers. (accessed 25.01.2020)

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Tokyo has risen up the ranks of the most attractive cities globally for retail. Ahead of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will take place in the Japanese capital this summer, Tokyo has climbed five positions to claim its position as the third-best retail city in the world in the Hot Retail Cities report published in October by global fashion business journal MDS. New York and Los Angeles came in first and second place, respectively.

The city is bolstered by cutting-edge technology, is known as a cultural trendsetter and is sheltered by the robustness of the overall Japanese economy. Research company GlobalData predicts that overall retail expenditure in Japan will grow by 11.5% to reach £825bn between now and 2023. Clothing and footwear expenditure is forecast to grow by 6.2% to £82bn, up until 2023.

International retailers are setting their sights on Japan's capital. Ben Sherman, the official outfitter of Team GB Olympic and Paralympic teams, will debut in Tokyo with a pop-up experiential retail location for the duration of the event. It will open to coincide with the Olympics, which start on 24 July, but further details are yet to be revealed.

Other international retailers are building up a strong presence in the booming Japanese market, including AllSaints, Burberry, Skechers, John Smedley, Supreme, Off-White, Paul Smith, Nigel Cabourn, Margaret Howell and Tricker's.

Why Tokyo?

Several factors make Tokyo an appealing destination for international brands and retailers, says independent retail analyst Mark Pilkington: "Tokyo has always been a very innovative retail market and is currently stepping up the pace in the run-up to the Olympics. Many new concepts are being trialled, including mixed-use spaces [that offer] retail, food stands, coffee shops, art, cultural events and product launches.

"There is a strong emphasis on new technology: virtual reality rollercoasters, mini-radio stations and windows that convert to shoppable screens when the store is closed."

Peter Wood, CEO of AllSaints, which opened its first Japanese store in 2016 and now has a total of 17 stores, concessions and outlets in the market, says: "Japan is the world's third-largest economy, so I believe [Tokyo] is a market that needs to be given serious consideration by any aspiring British brands looking to have international reach."

Demand is growing. Revenue and Customs states that UK clothing exports to Japan reached £67m in the year to 31 December 2018 - an increase of 12.4% from 2016.

Luxury apparel continues to be the leading source of spending for Japanese shoppers - totalling more than a quarter of all spending, says UK country manager at international payments provider Planet, David Perrotta: "It therefore represents a major opportunity for European [and other international] brands to tap into."

Japanese consumers' appreciation for high-quality products and services makes Tokyo a prime market for international heritage, premium and luxury brands.

Martin Mason, managing director of Northampton-based footwear brand Tricker's, which first entered the Tokyo market more than 30 years ago, says: "The Japanese love authentic, quality and original products. They've hunted down 'the best' in every category, for instance John Smedley with the best knitwear, Paul Smith shirts, Burberry raincoats and Ralph Lauren for casual sporting styles."

Bill Leach, global sales director at knitwear brand John Smedley, which has been trading in Japan for more than half a century, agrees: "The Japanese have an inherent appreciation of the build and quality of a product.

"This is not saying that more generic value or mid-market western brands cannot be successful, but consumers are so different. They are not looking for a bargain: they're interested in the right spec, right colour, etc. They will look at every single detail, spending five to six times longer before purchasing. Everything is important in the buying decision."

Japan represents 20%-25% of John Smedley's total sales.
A helping hand
Retailers and brands seeking to enter Tokyo for the first time are advised to find a franchise partner, agent or distributor.

"You cannot simply run a copy-and-paste model in this market," Leach explains. "To try to start this journey in Tokyo without the guidance and support of a Japanese partner would be fraught with danger. It is highly advisable to secure a partner in this market, who can work together with you to come up with the right products for Japanese customers and also recruit specially trained, Japanese-fluent staff."

Mason agrees: "You can't go straight into concessions or stores unless you've established yourself first. You need to find a partner and distributor, which you can do by showing at the big trade shows, such as Première Vision in Paris or Pitti Uomo in Florence. The Japanese still visit the shows and walk through them properly and carefully."

He adds: "The department stores, such as Ginza Six, are very much run with close relationships with distributors, agents and trading companies, so getting in somewhere like that is hugely important for your brand."

Wood emphasises the importance of having the right team on the ground: "Japan is a long way away, so you need to make sure you have great people on the ground aligned with your brand vision and culture. And you need to have a clear medium-to-long-term goal that can be articulated to business partners in the country such as department stores and landlords.

"But fundamentally, like anywhere, you need to ensure you have strong product, great local marketing, and a distribution strategy that makes it as easy as possible for your Japanese audience to find and shop your brand."

However, Pilkington warns traditional franchising can be expensive "because there are two margins involved, rather than one". "In terms of distribution channels, direct investment is seen as very risky, given the vast differences in the business culture and regulatory environment. In terms of partnering, classical franchising - with its multiple mark-ups - is seen as expensive by local distributors, and they are more inclined to want to do joint ventures to keep costs down."

Under the joint venture model, the brand and local partner create a separate company. The brand supplies the product at cost to the joint venture company, which then sells it in the export market. The net profit is then shared between the two partners.

"This arrangement creates lower prices, as there is only one margin involved," explains Pilkington.
Tough competition
Once you have the right partner in place, there can be further challenges for retailers in the Tokyo market. It is competitive, and brands and retailers must make an impact to stand out.

"There are strong [Japanese-owned] brands in Tokyo with very loyal followings [such as Uniqlo, Comme des Garçons and Issey Miyake]," says Wood. "Although I welcome this, as it's important to have competitive tension in any market, it's important to find ways through product, marketing and store environments to stand out and demonstrate your brand DNA clearly."

Another test is limited store space. At £959/sq ft/year, real estate in the high-fashion Ginza district is the sixth most expensive in the world, and Tokyo's dense urban planning and crowded buildings mean large stores are often not available.

Wood says: "Our concessions and stores operate on much smaller square footage than we do in other parts of the world, simply because it is much more difficult to get. This puts pressure on range productivity and means it is very important that the right options are selected because they will have to work very hard to keep the space productive."

Retail store design experts agree that "tight" building plots and the hefty investment needed to create innovative store experiences make Tokyo a difficult market to enter.

Jenny Hillier, managing director at retail design agency Briggs Hillier, says that physically attractive and experiential retail stores are a "must" in Tokyo. She says "Instagrammable" places are top of the agenda for retail stores, alongside photobooths and ensuring places and spaces are "immaculate".

Antony Parham, creative director at global store experience company Imagination, says a cookie-cutter approach to store design does not work there: "Japanese consumers demand unique, digitally enhanced experiences. Hybridisation, or merging retail with lifestyle and entertainment, is vital. There has been a domino effect of outstanding creations that urges the next to be more future-thinking, more complex, or more thoughtful.

"The Japanese are always pushing the boundaries when it comes to technology and era-defining architectural statements. Great examples include the Prada store in [wealthy neighbourhood] Aoyama, designed by architectural practice Herzog De Meuron, and the eight-storey Samsung Galaxy store [in trendy Harajuku], which has a facade decorated with 1,000 smartphones."

Another aspect to consider is the move towards cashless payment methods in Japan. Although Japan is known for its high-tech environment, cash payments are still the overall preferred payment method, not-for-profit organisation Export To Japan reports.

However, Perrotta says retailers "need to get on the front foot with cashless payments" to ensure they are fit for the future: "In Japan, only 20% of payments are cashless, but it's an objective of the Japanese government to increase that.

"Tokyo itself wants to double the ratio of cashless settlements to 40% by 2025 and to 80% eventually to spur labour productivity". [This is according to a report by Reuters, entitled Japan wants to go cashless, but elderly aren't so keen.]

Like any dynamic market, Tokyo has its challenges. It is difficult for retailers to enter without a partner, there is tough competition from domestic brands and heavy investment is needed to keep up with ever-changing trends and innovations. However, these can be overcome by finding the right partner and investing in technology and store design. A burgeoning appetite for international brands and a growing consumer base should place the market firmly in the sights of UK and European brands and retailers seeking to expand.

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Tokyo: Olympic opportunities and hurdles for retailers

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Tokyo has risen up the ranks of the most attractive cities globally for retail. Ahead of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will take place in the Japanese capital this summer, Tokyo has climbed five positions to claim its position as the third-best retail city in the world in the Hot Retail Cities report published in October by global fashion business journal MDS.

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AI is likely to have a significant impact on the retail industry in several ways.

1. Personalisation: AI can be used to personalise the shopping experience for individual customers. For example, it can be used to recommend products to customers based on their browsing and purchase history, as well as their social media activity.

2. Predictive Analytics: AI can be used to analyse data from various sources (such as customer data, sales data, and social media data) to make predictions about customer behaviour and trends in the market. This can help retailers to make more informed decisions about what products to stock, how to price them, and how to market them.

3. Inventory Management: AI can be used to optimise the management of inventory. For example, it can be used to predict demand for products, track inventory levels in real-time, and automate reordering processes.

4. Automation of repetitive tasks: AI can help in automating repetitive, mundane tasks like price checking, stock checking and much more.

5. Chatbots: AI can be used to create chatbots that can answer customer questions, provide recommendations, and even complete transactions without the need for human assistance.

6. Image recognition: AI can be used for automated image recognition for products in online retail, which allows for easier product search and category browsing.

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Although we are facing economic headwinds, multiple tailwinds including Artificial Intelligence (AI), retail media, the transition to renewable energy and the return of demand for physical stores are laying new foundations from which retailers can grow their businesses in the year ahead.

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When conducting secondary research for my competitor shop I will research online. This will include looking and comparing their websites, social media and any articles found on the brands.