Fred Perry partners with Westminster Menswear Archive ahead of 75th anniversary

British fashion and sporting brand Fred Perry has announced a new research partnership with the Westminster Menswear Archive, the world’s first dedicated public archive of men’s clothing at the University of Westminster, ahead of its 75th anniversary celebrations in 2027.

The partnership forms part of ‘Fred Perry Retold,’ the creative direction for the brand’s diamond anniversary year, which was unveiled at the first fashion show to be staged at V&A East Storehouse, designed to allow the brand to “reshare their rich and varied stories” with future generations in an authentic way.

The research project has been led by Andrew Groves, professor of menswear at the University of Westminster and director of the Westminster Menswear Archive, and Dr Danielle Sprecher, curator of the Westminster Menswear Archive to revisit Fred Perry’s history, drawing on archival research into its founding years, its personal archives, company records, patents and sporting press to document the brand’s sporting origins from 1952 to future audiences.

In a statement, the Westminster Menswear Archive, which holds more than 3,000 garments and related objects, said that the research considers not only individual products, “but also the people, decisions, distribution networks and collaborations that helped the brand develop from tennis clothing into a wider cultural presence”.

Commenting on the partnership, Groves said: “Brand anniversaries can easily become a sequence of familiar products and images. Our research with Fred Perry has been about reconstructing the system behind them: the people, decisions, sporting networks and methods of collaboration that allowed the brand to move beyond tennis and become culturally significant. That gives Fred Perry a rigorous foundation from which to retell its history and consider what comes next.”

Rob Gaitt, brand director at Fred Perry, said the research into the company’s founding years had provided “a wonderful blueprint” for its approach to 2027 by highlighting a brand built around functional product, aspiration, direct relationships with players and supporters, selective distribution and collaboration.

“A brand founded on product that was fit for purpose, aspirational not elitist, which talked directly to fans and players,” added Gaitt. “Using selective distribution, authenticated by champions via collaborations. Sportswear not just tennis.”

This research will also be manifested in a new sportswear range from Fred Perry to mark its milestone year, which will push the brand’s original tennis codes “into a more progressive and performance-driven space”.

Richard Gilmore, managing director at Fred Perry, said: “As we commemorate this landmark anniversary, we honour the heritage of our brand and the principles set on and off the court by the man himself, all whilst looking forward to many decades more of championing the Laurel Wreath.

“We remain modernists, our ambition and absolute dedication set a brave new agenda for where the next 75 years will take us.”

In addition, Fred Perry added that it has also become a British Fashion Council Patron, and will work “to amplify and celebrate some of the most creative designers in the UK,” using its global platform and targeted distribution around the world. The brand has previously collaborated with British design talent, including Craig Green, Charles Jeffrey and Nicholas Daley.