A lot of people don’t know that Lyle & Scott started out in the late 19th century, equipping the Victorians (yes, that really was a long time ago) in their hometown of Hawick, Scotland, in high quality underwear.
After a brief beginning (sorry), their ware was taken up by golfers, and the expanded team over at William Lyle and Walter Scott’s started to produce polo shirts, jumpers and cardigans, finally culminating in a game-changing range of argyle sweaters – the iconic, overlapping diamond design derived from Scottish clan tartans.
This historic edge to Lyle & Scott firmly cements their worth as a heritage brand, but often, their perception is overtaken by ranges of tight fitting polo shirts and jumpers which found themselves entrenched on the terraces. Terrace wear often derives from sport, mainly courtside, and while the absorption of heritage brands – think Barbour, Acquascutumn, Burberry – into Terrace culture isn’t unusual, Lyle & Scott often aren’t associated with that ilk. Oi Polloi, bastions of culture, are here to change that, by collaborating with Lyle & Scott on a range that throws back to the beginnings: not the underwear, but the golf.
In Oi Polloi’s Mohair for the People (Part II), Lyle & Scott return to the diamonds, stripes and knits that they pioneered.
Head over to their blog for a breakdown on why the Rudeboy Cardigan is so important, and how it manages to marry the terrace back to golfing in a very European-stylish way.
Embedded above is a video from the very talented Rawtape, capturing the boozer-loving Britishness that a range of cardigans can inspire, as well as stills below, featuring a scene very reminiscent of the honourable institution, British Tapas.
Oi Polloi’s Mohair-laden Lyle & Scott collaboration is available exclusively from their site and store.
