Pringle of Scotland has announced Italian designer Giuseppe Marretta as their new menswear design director following the exit of Massimo Nicosia.

Having studied architecture at Turin’s renowned Politecnico di Torino school, Maretta later shifted focus to fashion, attending a fashion and textile course in Milan before joining Ermenegildo Zegna in 2009. Here, he built an impressive knowledge and passion for textiles and knitwear, while consultant spells for Italian labels such as Agnona, Corneliani and Brioni and a stint at Giorgio Armani as the head of knit and jersey further cemented these skills.

“I’m incredibly proud to join Pringle of Scotland,” says Marretta. “It is a company with one of the longest histories in the fashion industry, and it’s amazing to have the opportunity to evolve such a rich heritage into a contemporary brand. Pringle’s strong knitwear DNA is very much the heart of the brand, as well as the heart of my design passion. I’m honoured to be able to contribute to the next chapter of Pringle history.”

Jean Fang, CEO adds: “We are delighted to have Giuseppe join the Pringle family. Menswear has already played such an iconic part of the brand and its history, and Giuseppe has the experience, knowledge and passion for knitwear to evolve this famous history for a contemporary audience and the way men wear knitwear and premium essentials today.”

As a designer concerned with fusing classic design codes with innovative sentiments, Marretta’s influence on Pringle’s menswear will be a transition worth watching.