AN exhibition charting the history of an iconic Scottish-born fashion brand will be unveiled this week.

 

Following a successful preview at the Serpentine Gallery during London Fashion Week in February, Fully Fashioned: The Pringle of Scotland Story is heading north of the border and will open in Edinburgh on Friday.

Created to mark the 200th anniversary, it traces Pringle of Scotland's journey from its inception as a small hosiery firm in Hawick to blossoming into an international name.

In addition to rare pieces of early knitwear and archival records, it features brand imagery of model Stella Tennant, artists David Shrigley and Robert Montgomery, actor Luke Treadaway and Edinburgh Fashion Festival founder Anna Freemantle - all shot by esteemed Scottish photographer Albert Watson.

Curated by fashion academic Alistair O'Neill, the retrospective exhibition includes three short films choreographed by Michael Clark that explore the role of knitwear in the development of the modern wardrobe including archived items drawn from the Royal Wardrobe, Hawick Museum and The Women Golfers' Museum.

Speaking at the London launch, Tennant described the brand as one with "a 200-year tradition of innovation, clever engineering and an incredibly rich heritage."

The free exhibition will be on show at the National Museum of Scotland until August after which it will tour America and Asia.

Pringle of Scotland, founded in 1815, is credited with creating the intarsia design known today as its signature argyle pattern.

It also took a sporty two-piece cardigan and sweater set from the golf course and re-tailored it to create the twin-set - a favourite of Hollywood film stars.

A simple black cashmere Pringle cardigan that the late Princess Grace of Monaco passed on to her eldest daughter, Caroline, is featured in the exhibition.

Among those to work for the brand in recent years are Scottish actor and fashion muse Tilda Swinton and Turner Prize-winning artist Douglas Gordon.

The autumn/winter 2014 collection saw Pringle of Scotland head of design, Massimo Nicosia, collaborate with architect and material scientist, Richard Beckett, to create a series of 3D printed fabrics.

There will also be a special one-off event titled Spotlight On: Pringle of Scotland on May 28 which will see an expert panel discuss the brand's intriguing evolution.

Fully Fashioned: The Pringle of Scotland Story opens at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh on Friday and runs until August 16. For more information, visit nms.ac.uk