Today, argyle socks are as synonymous with holiday giving as poinsettias and apple pies. But if it weren’t for a chance meeting, they might have been relegated to a few European golf courses.
Today, argyle socks are as synonymous with
holiday giving as poinsettias and apple pies. But if it weren’t for a chance
meeting, they might have been relegated to a few European golf courses.
Typified by overlapping diamonds bisected
by intersecting diagonal lines, the pattern originated in western
Scotland as a simplified version of the Clan Campbell of Argyll’s tartan.
The punchy, hand-stitched stockings became a favorite of golfers overseas, but
they didn’t arrive stateside until Brooks Brothers’ president at the time, John
C. Wood, spotted a friend wearing them in 1949, and instantly fell in love with
the vibrant look. A manufacturer in Kirkcudbright, Scotland, was able to
replicate the hand-framed design perfectly. The first pairs went on sale at
Brooks Brothers in 1952, becoming an instant best-seller and a fashion-must for
stylish New Yorkers.
Since then, argyle has become a mainstay of American style, and a perennial favorite here at Brooks, adorning everything from ties and sweaters to suiting and skirts. Of course, you’ll always find a selection of the iconic socks that started it all, still made with a hand-linked toe and crafted in Italy.
Brooks Brothers Vietnam:
– Ho Chi Minh: L1 – 19 & 20, Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, District 1 – ☎ (028) 3939 0477
– Hanoi: 31 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem District – ☎ (024) 3266 8206
