Fred Perry 90s Pastel

While the Fred Perry polo shirt is undoubtedly a British cultural touchstone, it is most often associated with the subcultures of the 60s and 70s — the Mods, punks, skinheads, and other, more unsavoury types all favoured the shirt as part of their uniform. But it’s easy to forget that the brand had its most visible, mainstream heyday in the 90s, with pretty much any musical act that could be remotely associated with the Britpop invasion — from Oasis and Blur to Radiohead and Primal Scream to bands across the pond like No Doubt (who had a collab with the brand in 2012), Ten years later, groups like the Streets, Amy Winehouse and Arctic Monkeys wore it as a nod to their working class and formulate roots — all donning the iconic Laurel Wreath on their journey across the pond as a kind of visible cultural link to their forebears.

Back at home, though, the brand was carving out a different path, pushing out pastel-hued sportswear that was beloved by the burgeoning rave subculture for both its wavy colour schemes and its relaxed, comfortable fit. The sweatshirts in particular, with their large logo and Times New Roman lettering, struck a particular chord with that era, and now Fred Perry has decided to reissue their 90s heyday design in a plethora of pastel palettes.

Arriving in a variety of colours, lilac, pink and apricot, the new season of Fred Perry brings the sunshine regardless of the weather. With the collection being split between hoodies, crewnecks, polos and t-shirts, there’s a variety of ways to pull off this pastel panache.