Fred Perry’s white polo shirt became an instant classic following its 1952 Wimbledon debut. (In fact, despite the success of his namesake clothing line, the late Perry would probably prefer to be remembered for his many tennis titles—in 1997, he was named one of the ten greatest players of all time.) This year, the U.K.-based label, which built a strong following among those in the underground punk scene, is celebrating its sixtieth anniversary. And to commemorate the milestone, they’re launching a collaborative project and exhibition at London’s Dover Street Market on January 26. For the occasion, Fred Perry brought in a sixty-strong assortment of personalities—including designers (Raf Simons, Peter Jensen, Sister by Sibling, and Christopher Raeburn, among others), artists (Inez and Vinoodh, Terry Hall), musicians (Blur frontman Damon Albarn, Anton Wirjono), athletes (cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins), publications (i-D magazine), retailers (Colette), and other inspiring creatives—to personalize reproductions of Perry’s original ’52 shirt (see the full shirt gallery here). The results are just as unique and diverse as the pool of participants, and will be on display at Dover Street for three weeks, before traveling to Beijing and Ginza, China, next month. The shirts will eventually be auctioned, and all proceeds will go to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which benefits struggling young people.
The team at New York-based advertising agency Mother got their hands messy while reinterpreting the classic polo. Keeping the brand’s tennis heritage in mind, Mother staffers Christian Cervantes and Christopher Rogers brushed off their rackets and launched sixty tennis balls, dripping with Technicolor paint, at the shirt. Mother shared a behind-the-scenes video of the process with Style.com, which debuts below.
For more information on the Fred Perry 60th Anniversary project, visit.
—Brittany Adams
Photo: Courtesy of Fred Perry
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