I know most of us think we know Perry Ellis, but I don’t think we know nearly as much as we think we know. At least I know that that’s what I think I know.
You know?
The eponymous brand was founded in 1978 when designer Perry Ellis launched his own fashion house on 7th Avenue in New York. He wanted fashion to be fun, accessible and wearable, as opposed to high art.
Ellis died in 1986. His brand has undergone several ownership changes and now operates as Perry Ellis International. The company owns several brands, including Ben Hogan. It makes eminently affordable apparel under the Hogan brand, while also licensing the name to Simon Millington, allowing him to continue the Ben Hogan Golf Company.
But we’re not here to talk about that today. Instead, I want to share with you the Summer/Fall 2025 line from another brand in the Perry Ellis stable, and what has become my go-to golf apparel brand: Original Penguin® by Munsingwear®.
Why “OP” is the “OG” in golf apparel
We shared the Original Penguin® backstory with you before, but here’s the short version.
In 1955, a salesman from the Minneapolis-based Munsingwear company was stranded in New York after making some sales calls. He did what most salesmen of the day did: he got snockered at a local watering hole. Leaving the bar, he happened upon a taxidermist shop and saw a stuffed penguin in the window. In what could only be described as a booze-infused moment of inspiration, he bought it.
On the flight home, he knocked the penguin’s head off. A helpful stewardess used the salesman’s necktie to reconnect the penguin’s head to the body and, in words that will live in infamy, said, “You know, that would look good on a shirt.”
The rest is history.
While even the folks at Original Penguin® admit that the story is semi-true, what is fully true is that the Original Penguin line became a mid-century icon. When Sinatra, Martin, Hope and Crosby are sporting Pete the Penguin, you have golf’s first true casual lifestyle brand. Perry Ellis acquired the brand in 1996, making it the cornerstone of its golf and lifestyle strategy.
“By merging iconic looks of the past with cutting-edge performance features, we’ve created a collection that feels sophisticated, relevant and ready for today’s multi-sport consumer,” Perry Ellis CEO Oscar Feldenkreis said in a statement.
The Summer/Fall 2025 Collection
I’ve never been much into fashion, brand names or, if you were to ask my wife, style of any kind. So no one was more surprised than she was to learn of my newfound fondness for Original Penguin®. She’s just glad I’m not wearing my Flintstones golf shirt all the time.
The Summer/Fall 2025 line features a ton of classic Penguin golf shirts, including the Technical Earl, named after ‘70s pro bowling legend Earl Anthony, and the classic Heritage Stripe polo (both $80). There’s also a new Performance Earl hoodie that’ll be in my fall rotation.
Although Penguin does cater to guys, it also offers an extensive women’s offering.
Perhaps the best thing about Original Penguin’s Summer/Fall 2025 intro is that you can score some smoking deals on Spring/Summer closeouts. You can find polos, sweaters, quarter-zips, pants and shorts anywhere from 40 to 70 percent off.
Don’t forget the Callaway Summer/Fall 2025 Collection
Perry Ellis is the apparel licensee for several notable golf brands, including PGA TOUR®, Jack Nicklaus® and Callaway®.
The Callaway vibe is different from Original Penguin, but modern golf apparel doubles as leisure apparel, for men, anyway. We wear it anywhere, whether it’s to Pebble, the local muni, your kid’s school play or your Saturday Home Depot run. You wouldn’t wear it hunting or fishing, but for pretty much any other activity, we’re good to go.
The marketing departments call it “golf-ready with lifestyle versatility.”
The Callaway Summer/Fall line is pretty low-key compared to louder brands like Bad Birdie or RSVTLS. Heck, it’s a little more subdued than Original Penguin. Of the two lines, the OG OP gets my vote. The fabrics seem softer, the fit feels better and the styling is a little sharper. The Callaway line is fine, but the style is a little plain for my taste.
Hey, I’m a sucker for my man Pete.
Both lines are available at select retailers and www.originalpenguin.com and www.callawayapparel.com.
The post The Perry Ellis Original Penguin Is The New Fashion Favorite In My House appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
