Top image: Backstage on Moonrise Kingdom (2012) dir. Wes Anderson

Founded in 1815 by Robert Pringle in the town of Hawick, Scotland, Pringle of Scotland has since grown into one of the world’s most renowned brands. Now the brand is globally recognised for its commitment to heritage fabrics, innovative technical innovations (they were one of the first key players in the fashion industry to implement 3D printed elements into their textiles), and its signature argyle pattern, intarsia.

As men’s design director, Massimo Nicosia incorporated the heritage company’s 200-year-plus history into the new FW17 collection. Using the brand’s vast archive as an inspiration springboard, the Italian designer then wove contemporary nuances and wider cultural reference points into his designs, from John Lydon’s distressed knits to Moldovan artist Alexander Tinei, through Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom.

Here, Nicosia takes us through the ideas behind his latest collection, blending the brand’s artisan knitwear craftsmanship and patterns with progressive techniques.

“We truly focused on technical detailing of the many stitches and gauges that we use throughout a collection. Textures and patterns are executed both classically and through reinterpretation – Argyle, Aran, honeycomb, cable and rib. For some garments there was even a patchwork of stitches.”

“One of the twists was to make something contemporary that has the appearance of old-fashioned darning and mending – the way fishermen’s jumpers would be lovingly patched and stitched together. A combination of artisanal needlework and modern techniques to achieve the desired texture and finish.”

“Of course, tartan is iconic to Pringle and to our Scottish heritage. It always plays a part, but we dialled this up for FW17 – layers of bold tartan combined with the more traditional, subtle versions. We also explore the relationship between Argyle and traditional tartan, lifting colours from signature tartans for new Argyle hybrids.”