Pringle talking to retail designers

Pringle of Scotland is in talks with Wink, founded by Wallpaper magazine’s Tyler Brûlé, for the design of its first London flagship store. It is also in talks with Hosker, Moore & Kent.

While a site has not yet been finalised for the store, which will mark the next phase of development for the Pringle brand, Pringle is in negotiations for a plot in London’s New Bond Street, chief executive Kim Winser confirms.

‘We have spoken to a few design consultancies about designs for the flagship store,’ Winser says.

‘We have just appointed Wink to do our Spring 2002 [advertising] and we have also had tentative discussions with Tyler [Brûlé] about retail design – but we have also talked with other people about retail design, so we haven’t finalised that.’

Winser adds that a fourth subbrand, a Green Label, to add to Pringle’s Red, Grey and Black Labels, is scheduled to launch next spring in Selfridges sports hall, in conjunction with FutureBrand creative director worldwide David Davies, who worked on last year’s brand repositioning and identity for the Hong Kong-owned textiles group.

‘To open in retail you’ve got to open at the top and you’ve got to open with your flagship. We’re a British brand so we have to open in London first,’ she continues.

Winser also adds, ‘We may employ [a person] specifically to work on addressing the history and the archives of the company.’