REBECCA
MARCH 02,2022
Alan Paine and the history of the cricket sweater.
Whether you’re attending a sporting event or taking a leisurely stroll through the English countryside on a summer’s day, the cricket sweater is an iconic staple of classic ‘preppy’ style, and as such it can generally be associated with some of society’s most prestigious individuals, including HRH Edward the Prince of Wales – records suggest His Royal Highness ordered a number of traditional cricket style sweaters personalised with his regimental colours.
Happily, you don’t need to be a member of the Royal family or an exclusive country club to pull one off! The colourful trim options and cable knit make it a stylish layering piece when paired naturally with a pair of chinos; the style possibilities are endless!
The 18th season of County Championship Cricket in England was in 1907, the year Alan Paine was born. Nottinghamshire won their first title and England played their sixth test series against South Africa, but it was first to be held in England.
England dominated international cricket during the 1950s, (not losing a test series between March 1951 and December 1958) and featured an array of stars such as Colin Cowdrey, Denis Compton, Fred Truman, Brian Statham and Jim Laker.
The England cricket team selected Alan Paine to produce the official team sweater in the 1950’s. Detailing the Crown and 3 Lions, the heraldic symbol represented England’s heritage and tradition.
It wasn’t long before the sweaters gained popularity among other sportsmen and women, at a time when sportswear was increasingly fashionable. By 1920 Paine’s specialised in adding the club colour trim to cable knit sweaters and supplied ranges to quality menswear shops. In no time, the club colours were worn by every cricket, tennis and rowing club.
Alain Paine has carefully archived a record of the club and college colours, with specially dyed wools being stocked to match the club silk ties.
Our classic cricket sweater is available in white, ivory, cream or off-white cable-stitch knit with a v-neck fashioned from heavy cotton or wool. Traditionally, the sweater features one or more coloured bands along the neckline, with optional bands on the sleeves and lower waist.
Looking forward to Spring/Summer 2022, the Alan Paine pure cotton cricket sweater retains its traditional cable structure, though now enhanced with contemporary colours, coloured trims and a revised fit. If you’re looking to expand your collection of cricket sweaters, or explore the cable knit style, our latest edition provides each customer with a combination of Alan Paine’s history whilst staying on trend with the current sportswear.
