Our Heritage
In 1955, a sportswear icon was born from the most unusual of places. Fueled by whiskey, Abbot Pederson purchased an unlikely drinking buddy for his flight home in the form of a stuffed penguin he named Pete. A quip from the seductive stewardess on-board led Pederson to embroider this character on his new shirts.
Pete the Penguin has left his mark on a league of legends from Frank to Bing and Clint to Arnie. Original Penguin had been adorned and adored by the masters of culture and sport to define itself as an American classic that knows how to have fun.
Still revered by the originals of today, this iconic brand now fully encompasses the lifestyle of what it means to be an original, and how to enjoy yourself while doing it. We are what you wear for the good times.
Original Penguin’s Golf Collection features a sophisticated yet playful homage to the golden era of 1960s and 70s luxury travel. Drawing inspiration from Slim Aarons’ iconic photography capturing the effortless elegance of jet-set destinations like Palm Springs, the French Riviera, and Casablanca, the collection blends vintage European influences with contemporary performance-driven design. Texture plays a key role, with ribbed base fabrics, ventilated textures, crinkle cargo textiles, and jacquard textures in shorts. Standout prints feature archival material and Pete the Penguin in witty, directional designs.
The design inspiration represents a fusion of retro heritage style with a modern "original" twist while marrying the intersection of classic silhouettes and crisp tennis whites along with colorful original prints. Fabrics include luxe sustainable recycled yarns with elastane blends such as Reprieve® and 4-waystretch and extremely lightweight blends. Other technical features include moisture wicking UPF sun protection. Detail elements feature power mesh for enhanced ventilation, piping, novelty logo details, pockets, fit and foundation attributes including built-in shelf bras with removable inserts, as well as tummy control in skorts, skirts and dresses...all perfect body enhancing coverage for the professional and amateur tennis player alike.
