Fred Perry and British Youth Culture

The classic Fred Perry shirt was modernised during the late 1950’s due to pressure from the Mods to introduce different colours. The Mods affectionately called the shirt the Fred and realised it was extremely adaptable as could be worn under a mohair jacket or more casually with a parka and jeans.

Fred Perry’s unique Englishness and fitted cut provided the Mod with a staple outfit for the rest of the 60’s. Another youth sub-culture to indulge in the Fred Perry brand was the skinheads. The early skinheads however were far different to the later incarnation of tight jeans, braces and bovver boots. Pioneering skinheads wore expensive American shirts, suits and brogues. Manchester in 1977 saw another youth sub-culture emerge. The Perry Boy! So called because of their love of Fred Perry, this movement had many different names. However the Perry Boy ultimately became the Casual. Football and more importantly football violence was the leading campaign for the Perry Boys who sported wedge hair cuts Fred Perry shirts and designer trainers. This era also saw icons such as The Jam’s Paul Weller sporting Fred Perry and today Paul Weller is involved with the Fred Perry Collaboration range.

The 1980’s saw Fred Perry being adopted by the Two Tone movement spearheaded by The Specials and Madness. Pork-pie hats, Tonik suits Fred Perry shirts and loafers were the preferred look. This era is a great influence on today’s Fred Perry Laurel collection with influences from the legendary Terry Hall of The Specials and the bright monochrome of Two Tone’s black and white check.

During the 1990’s Fred Perry still refused to be outdone by competing brands and was as popular as ever being incorporated into the indie Brit-Pop scene with such bands as Blur and Oasis flying the flag for the all-English Fred Perry brand through their all-English music.

Fred Perry has always been popular amongst young working class men; this is due to the fact that Fred Perry has always had an affiliation with working class roots. Fred Perry himself was from Stockport and triumphed over upper class snobbery at Wimbledon. This along with the working class man’s desire for snappy smart dressing and generations of musical and sporting youth sub-cultures endorsing the brand has entitled Fred Perry to stay ahead of the game and remain brand of the people.

In today’s modern society it is increasingly difficult for young men to carve out their own niche of sub-culture to belong to. As globalisation saturates the market and banality is rife among popular culture it would be easy to see why young men find it hard to be individuals. However Fred Perry Laurel offers the style and elegance of the past whilst incorporating modern aspects to the range. Fred Perry Laurel truly is a mark of excellence, with endorsements by such style and music icons as Paul Weller, Ewan McGregor, Steve Cradock, Rankin and Norman Cook. “Fashions may come and go, but style is timeless.”

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