Fred Perry

Passion for tennis, working class pride and sweat wristbands

The origin story of the Fred Perry brand is almost as fascinating as that of its co-founder, of the same name. The legendary tennis player, leader since 1933 of the British Davis Cup team that won four consecutive Finals, and the first athlete to win four Grand Slams - out of a total of eight titles to his credit - was born in 1909 into a humble family in the north of England. The son of a textile worker, he soon moved to London, where he showed great interest in tennis from an early age.

Fred Perry did not have it easy in his early days, and his first foray into the world of tennis was little more than a defeat... at first. When he tried to participate in a tournament aimed at young people from the most influential families in London, his application fell on deaf ears as he was not enrolled in any of the most exclusive schools in the city. However, thanks to his determination and determination - plus the help of a family friend - he managed to compete on behalf of a public school. Game, set and match. And the rest is history.

In 1941, a retired Fred Perry, now settled in the USA, met Austrian ex-footballer Tibby Wegner, inventor of a super-absorbent cotton wristband that prevented sweat from reaching the racket, as well as wiping the forehead. The two teamed up and began marketing the product. Soon after, they would create the garment that has become the flagship of the brand to this day: the Fred Perry polo shirt. Made of twelve-thread-count cotton pique fabric, the classic model features a laurel wreath - the Greek symbol of victory - and two coloured stripes on the collar and sleeve trim. An icon that transcended sport to take root in the fashion and popular culture of several generations.

Mods, hooligans and preppies. From the court to the catwalks

In the 1970s, stylish English mods chose Fred Perry shirts and polo shirts as an indispensable element of their official uniform, which also included Ben Sherman, Dr. Martens, Levi's or Lee, among other fetish brands. After them,other subcultures adopted it, such as the first skinheads - derived from the mods, apolitical and far from extreme right-wing political stances -, the Jamaican rudeboys or the members of the casual subculture, associated with the hooligan fans that proliferated especially in the United Kingdom during the 1980s.

By the 1990s, Fred Perry had evolved into a stylish and practical brand, able to appeal to people of all backgrounds and styles thanks to products such as its Harrington jackets with tartan lining, or its simple and elegant sneakers. And although the British company has always been proud of its proximity to the street and its working class pride, it has been able to innovate through the most interesting creative minds of its time. Proof of this are its capsule collections with prestigious designers (Raf Simmons), collaborations with other brands (A Bathing Ape), or organisations (such as the Amy Winehouse Foundation, as the legendary singer was a self-confessed fan of the brand).

Fred Perry: timeless garments to fill your wardrobe with a piece of British history

More than a brand, Fred Perry is a lifestyle. Its polo shirts, shirts and T-shirts have turned the laurel of victory into a symbol of pride, elegance and distinction for millions of people around the world. Classic garments that transcend fashions, tribes and trends, and that you can now get at FOOTDISTRICT.