For at least a certain generation, Fred Perry has become a definitive part of British fashion. Definitely upper-crust and a bit preppy, the clothing is as much an advertisement of a lifestyle as it is one of a brand. This athletic brand turned lifestyle line is definitely memorable, and a huge part of why it’s so easy to spot is because of its logo. If you’re looking into the history of Fred Perry, taking a look at how and why the Fred Perry logo has managed to stand the test of time is a great way to better understand the brand.
Fred Perry Logo Design Elements
The most famous aspect of the Fred Perry logo is, of course, the laurel wreath. This is the element that’s easiest to identify, and the one on which the brand has been built. The wreath is an ancient Greek symbol of victory, one that’s quite reasonable for a brand that got its start as a primarily sporting-based clothing line. If you’re looking for solid symbols, you can do far worse than this.
The color of the logo does tend to change between products, but you’re usually looking at black or white. This makes sense, as both colors stand out on clothing and neither clashes with the design elements. It’s a solid color choice that helps users to identify the brand at a distance no matter what the clothing item looks like. In terms of font, you’re really just looking at a basic version of the company’s name – enough to help make sure that the branding is identifiable, but not so much that you’ll actually have to put in an effort to make sure that the wordmark blends in with the rest of the outfit.
Changes and Evolution
1. Shape
The shape of the logo is absolutely influenced by sports in general. The laurel wreath is a timeless logo in and of itself, and marrying it with the name of the company indiciates that the company was named for a winner. The real Fred Perry was, of course, a multiple-time champion and keeping his wins as part of the company’s history is a major marketing coup. Considering the fact that the logo shape really hasn’t had to be updated in order to fit in with today’s market, it certainly seems like a success story.
2. Color
The Fred Perry logo is proof positive that color doesn’t necessarily make a logo. Fred Perry doesn’t have a signature color insofar as the logo is concerned, and it’s never needed one. Sticking with black or white helps the clothing company to put more focus on its clothes and prevents it from having to redesign the logo to fit in with more modern clothing color trends. It’s a solid choice that has paid off well so far.
3. Font
Fred Perry’s font is fantastically simple. It’s not going through any major changes, which indicates either that the company doesn’t place a huge priority on the font or that the font continues to work well enough for the company that it doesn’t need to be changed. In either case, the continued use of the font indicates that it certainly wasn’t a mistake that needed to be rectified.
Influences/ Inspiration
The Fred Perry logo is one that definitely takes notes from its period of development. Other upper-end, preppy sports clothing brands have a very similar design. It’s not necessarily the most common type of logo, but you can see something very similar from brands like Lacoste logo and Ralph Lauren logo. It’s unlikely that Fred Perry took any direct inspiration from either of those brands, but it was clearly born out of the same design family.
Likewise, the Fred Perry logo is of a type rather than being particularly innovative. There aren’t any modern brands following its lead, outside of those brands trying to trade on Fred Perry’s reputation.
Trivia
- Fred Perry is named for a 1940s-era British tennis champion.
- Fred Perry’s first product was a sweatband
- The use of the laurel wreath to indicate supremacy in sports goes back to at least ancient Greece.
- Fred Perry products eventually were only made in white, but were produced in multiple colors after high consumer demand.
Conclusion
The Fred Perry logo is a classic. Simple and to the point, it works well to describe exactly what the brand is about. Part of the family of simple sporting goods logos, Fred Perry still manages to make its simple logo stand for excellence. In that, it has become a huge success.
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