Pringle of Scotland, a knitwear brand with 196 years of brand history

History of Pringle of Scotland

In 1815, at the age of 20, Robert Pringle founded his first company and factory in Hawick, Scotland.
Originally producing fine underwear and becoming the first proprietor in Hawick’s underwear industry, in 1920 Robert Pringle and his son founded a new company with 120 employees and began producing the finest cashmere and silk products.
The company went on to offer knitwear as a going-out wear and spawned Pringle’s trademark argyle checks and twin sets.
It was in 1950 that the company registered the Scottish Rampant Lion (a lion standing on two hind legs), the famous Pringle logo, as its trademark.
In 2000, the company switched to the capital of a Hong Kong firm, and when Kim Windsor, a Scottish-born Englishwoman, became CEO, she embarked on a bold reimagining of Pringle.
While retaining Pringle’s heritage, she revamped the company’s marketing, design, and product lineup, transforming Pringle from a manufacturer of knitwear into a total apparel company offering a complete range of products.
In 2002, Pringle simultaneously opened flagship stores on Bond Street in London and in Aoyama, Tokyo.
Since 2003, Pringle has participated in the London and Milan collections.