Our Story
Pringle of Scotland - South Africa
Two Centuries in the Making
Founded by Robert Pringle in 1815, initially within the partnership Waldie, Pringle & Wilson in Hawick, Scotland, Pringle has built its name on timeless fashion, luxurious knitwear and golfing icons. Recognised for our classic styles, Merino wool and signature Argyle diamonds, for over two centuries this brand has embraced the traditional, the innovative and the unexpected, dressing business trailblazers, country club regulars and sporting champions today.
The Striker Lion
First introduced on garment labels in 1934, the iconic Pringle lion is integral to the brand’s visual heritage: the fire in our bellies, the roar of our passion. It still appears on signature pieces throughout our Men’s and Women’s collections.
The emblem is traditionally known as the “Striker Lion” (or “Lion Rampant”), a term describing the lion’s stance: depicted in profile with its forepaws raised. Historically, the Striker Lion has graced the coats of arms of royal heraldry across the UK and Europe, symbolising bravery, nobility, strength and valour. This icon sits proudly on the nape of every Pringle golf top, inspiring those values in players the moment they step onto the green.
Innovating Knitted Nostalgia
Two hundred years of Scottish knitting knowledge and expertise sit behind every Pringle knitwear collection, paired with a modern outlook on everyday style. Since 1815, Pringle has combined a mindful approach to making with the latest technology to ensure the finest quality in every piece.
While honouring the legacy of our Scottish heritage, in South Africa we craft our knitwear from signature Merino and lambswool, alongside blended and cotton fabrics. We work only with partners and suppliers who meet our standards of quality and design. Smart casual is at its most luxurious when made by Pringle.
Iconic Argyle
One of Pringle’s most recognisable hallmarks is the geometric Argyle pattern, most fondly associated with the putting green. It has a rich history spanning 500 years, evolving from the tartan of Clan Campbell of Argyll in the Scottish Highlands before being adapted into luxury knitwear by Pringle.
In the 1930s, our designer Otto Weisz turned a knitting machine pattern 90 degrees to produce the signature intarsia diamond motif overlaid with diagonal overcheck lines. The pattern gained cult status when HRH the Duke of Windsor wore the geometric knits while playing golf, quickly becoming the unofficial uniform of the sport and the fashionable elite.
Many fashion brands have since reimagined the motif, but Pringle remains proud to be its inventor, and continues to incorporate the pattern in our designs with a contemporary sensibility.
Ladies of Luxury
Pringle has a long history of outfitting ladies to go from the office to cocktail hour. Under the direction of the brand’s first full-time designer, Otto Weisz, Pringle of Scotland invented the famous twinset in the 1930s, favoured by Queen Elizabeth II: a matching short-sleeved pullover and buttoned cardigan that gave women a practical yet elegant alternative to restrictive corsets. Around the same time, the Pringle Argyle transitioned from a menswear staple into a beloved, unisex style sported by female golfers and fashionable women.
We achieved global fame in the 1950s when Hollywood icons such as Grace Kelly, Brigitte Bardot and Jean Simmons regularly wore Pringle of Scotland, cementing our brand as a wardrobe essential for women of timeless style. Today, our cardigans, dresses and golf wear are made for career women, ladies who lunch and golf legends, reinventing our classic pieces with modern, innovative design while never losing our Scottish craftsmanship. Most recently, we collaborated with emerging women’s golf professional Gia Raad on our Timeless Legacy campaign, styled in one of our signature Argyle knitted jumpers.
Golf Gamechanger
Pringle revolutionised golf wear, bridging the gap between high fashion and sportswear to become the premier luxury golf and leisure brand: from sponsoring Pringle of Scotland Tournaments in the 1960s to the vivid, colour-coordinated Argyle explosion of the 1980s, cemented when six-time major champion Nick Faldo became the face of Pringle Golf Wear in 1981.
Today, our South African team is based in George, with its famous ties to golf and countryside lifestyle. Since 2022, Pringle of Scotland South Africa has proudly supplied apparel for the NTT Data Pro-Am, hosted annually at Fancourt, including four-time Sunshine Tour champion MJ Viljoen in 2026.
Geometric George
A contemporary twist on our signature Argyle, Geometric George began as a happy accident.
This playful, abstract cartoon character adorned Pringle of Scotland knitwear in the 1990s. “We began by deconstructing the traditional Argyle grid, inverting, halving and quartering the famous diamond. George didn’t appear immediately, it took several attempts before he finally emerged from the knitting machine, echoing the diamond in every limb,” recalls then Head of Design, Doreen Kean. Originally named Geometric Jim, he was renamed George in honour of Kean’s spaniel.
Geometric George was catapulted to fame when Nick Faldo wore the jumper while winning the Masters in 1990: demand grew so high that we manufactured 90,000 George jumpers a week. In 2022, Head of Design Gaby Day reimagined the 90s icon for a modern, unisex collection, reviving both the single-figure sweater and multi-George interpretations.
Worn with heritage. Made for today.
From the Striker Lion to the Argyle diamond, every Pringle piece carries two centuries of Scottish craftsmanship onto South African soil, and onto the green.
Pringle is famous for its knitwear. From classic Scottish cashmere to bold argyle diamonds and from Grace Kelly’s twinset to golfing icons, over two centuries this brand has embraced the traditional, the innovative and the unexpected.
Today, Pringle is recognised as a pioneer of British knitwear and a champion of British heritage and fashion talent. Our modern knitwear collections are a celebration of two-hundred years of knitting knowledge and expertise, combined with a progressive outlook on modern life and style.
Knitted Nostalgia
One of Pringle’s most iconic signatures is the geometric argyle pattern. Perhaps most fondly associated with the putting green, it was originally elevated to cult status by HRH the Duke of Windsor, who was soon copied by his fashionable set. Many fashion brands work with the recognisable diamond motif, but it is commonly accepted that Pringle was its originator.
In 2019 we launched Reissued: a collection celebrating the argyle pattern designed with a contemporary sensibility. Styles are unisex, and borrow vivid colour combinations from archive collections and historical fashion references. The campaign to launch Reissued featured established and up-and-coming industry talent including Lennon Gallagher, skate legend Lucien Clark, musician Tara Lily, model & music video producer Jyrell Roberts, and model Kasper Kapica. The collection was launched exclusively in the world-renowned fashion retailer Dover Street Market in London and Ginza-Japan.
In 2020 we revisited our appetite for nostalgia once again. From The Archives is a capsule collection inspired by the cult status for Pringle’s famous pastel v-necks during the 1980s. Featuring our famous ‘Striker’ logo, the jumpers were originally a mark of your fashion tribe. Were you Pale Blue or Lemon Yellow? Everyone had (and has) a favourite
Modern Collaborations
Mindful Making
Pringle has long been associated with a mindful approach to creating. Since 1815 the company has combined knitting traditions with modern technology to ensure the finest quality. In keeping with the legacy of our Scottish heritage, we are proud to still make many of our cashmere garments in Scotland, using signature, Scottish-spun yarn. In recent years this conscious approach to craftmanship has extended beyond cashmere, and we strive to work with partners and suppliers who meet our standards of care, transparency and community. We are not perfect, but we are always looking for ways to do better, as we continue to make the timeless and beloved clothes and accessories that Pringle is known for
Dinner Party Fact
