Pitti: Original Penguin unveils accessible luxury pivot and European expansion plans

Original Penguin is venturing in a new direction. Under brand director Laura Colagrande, the US lifestyle brand is moving towards the accessible luxury sector for its spring/summer 2027 collection, which was unveiled for the first time at Pitti Uomo.

At the Florentine menswear fair, the label is housed in both a showroom and outdoor deck, where a full range of its collections, from Icons to Golf, sits alongside new categories, such as accessories, hats, and bags.

These complement what is described to be a “high-tier” SS27 collection, which features “elevated fabrics, advanced construction, and refined silhouettes”.

The new look comes ahead of major European expansion plans for Original Penguin, bolstered by the opening of a showroom in London earlier this year.

The company is currently eyeing growth in Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Switzerland, Germany, and Scandinavia, while in the UK, its presence has expanded through a partnership with retailers like John Lewis.

Colagrande said the team was specifically plotting the rollout of wholesale and strategic distribution partnerships. She further revealed plans to open flagship stores in London, Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, and Berlin over the next few years.

In a statement, Oscar Feldenkreis, CEO of Original Penguin’s parent company, Perry Ellis International, underlined the brand’s “distinct positioning” and said its return to Pitti served as a “statement of intent about where we’re taking this brand”.

“We are accelerating our European growth and moving Original Penguin into refined contemporary channels while staying true to the craftsmanship and storytelling that have defined us for more than seven decades,” Feldenkreis said.