How do you honour the rich heritage of a classic brand while continually pushing it forward? For Fran Stringer, Pringle of Scotland’s Women’s Design Director, it’s about fusing the past and the future together. With the newly-relaunched Pringle Bulletin, she’s done just that.
Launched in 1949, the Pringle Bulletin was started as an internal magazine for the staff of Pringle of Scotland to inform them of everything currently happening at the brand. Made monthly, it comprised of words from the chairman, news of the latest items in production, events taking place, marriage listings, births and golf results. Becoming quarterly in the 70s before eventually being retired, the Pringle Bulletin was the ultimate compendium of an iconic and storied British brand. Now, almost 70 years after it began life, Fran has brought it back as an exclusive zine.
“This is one of the things I love most about Pringle: it has so many stories and so many memories for so many people,” Fran says in her editor’s letter, under the title The Importance of Pringle, opening the new Bulletin. “Reinterpreting and honouring the Bulletin for this project has been a brilliant journey. Pringle has always told stories. And from cover to cover, this edition does the same.”
It only takes a cursory glance at the list of collaborators on the masthead to confirm that the new incarnation is a product of the best creative forces out there right now. From a Harley Weir-shot, Fran Burns-styled editorial set against the Scottish coast, celebrating the ancient charm of Scotland, to a portfolio of London’s style gatekeepers by Oliver Hadlee Pearch and Fran Burns — featuring the likes of Lucien Clark, Wilson Oreyma, Letty Schmiterlow, Ronan McKenzie, and i-D’s own Holly Shackleton — the best of British is at its core.
Elsewhere, William Scarborough opens proceedings with a photo series shot in the town of Hawick, “The Home of Cashmere” and the longtime location of Pringle HQ, Angelo Pennetta shoots model of the moment Lili Sumner in a celebration of the versatility of cashmere, and Julie Greve shoots archive pieces deep in the woods of Wales.
The zine’s most nostalgic moments come via reproductions of actual pages from the original Bulletin and cut-outs of archive fashion editorials. It’s a reminder of the importance of generational local industry as much as it is a document of what’s hot, fresh, cool, in, now. “Pringle will always endeavour to champion the incredible Scottish knitting industry. There are so many heart-warming things about this story, but the thing I love the most is that the end result is a jumper that has been loved and looked after on its journey,” Fran finishes with. “For me, that is true quality and true luxury.”
With the impact of fast fashion and our culture of disposable clothing becoming a global crisis, above all the Pringle of Scotland brand is a reminder of the importance of investing not buying, cherishing not owning.
