Mainly known for their high quality knitwear and their long tradition as a brand popular among golfers, but recently popular with a younger, not necessarily golfing audience, Lyle & Scott was originally founded in 1874 in the Scottish town of Hawick by William Lyle and Walter Scott. They were influenced by the biggest knitwear company, Pringle of Scotland and continue to use designs and techniques used by Pringle to this day. They started out as a small knitwear company making hosiery and underwear, in 1926 they also started to manifacture knitted outerwear - twinsets, pullovers, cardigans and jackets for golf. Lyle & Scott now makes a line of clothing for the The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. in the United States, featuring combed cotton sweaters and sport shirts with the golden eagle insignia along with dress slacks and other pant styles.[citation needed] Bands who have endorsed Lyle & Scott include Kasabian, Arctic Monkeys, Hard Fi and Razorlight, television personalities including Bruce Forsyth, Simon Amstell, Steve Jones, Jack O´Connell and Dermot O´Leary and amateur golfers past and present from Ronnie Corbett, Bing Crosby, Sean Connery, Bob Hope and Jimmy Tarbuck. Lyle & Scott has established strong links with golf circuit and has been represented by players like Greg Norman, Sandy Lyle, Tony Jacklin, Gary Player, Ian Baker Finch, Lee Westwood and Bernard Gallacher. Other sporting personalities who have worn Lyle & Scott in there heyday include Sir Ian Botham, Sir Viv Richards, Alan Minter, Chris Evert, David Gower, Tim Lovejoy, James Foster,Glyn Davies and David Llyod and Peter Shilton. Main markets are the UK, Sweden and southern France.
