Kangol

Kangol is a British headwear label. Founder Jacques Spreiregen began in 1918 importing Basque berets from France, then coined the name Kangol in 1938 to set himself apart from the competition. The berets went to the British army in the Second World War, including General Montgomery, and in 1948 Kangol outfitted the English Olympic team for the opening ceremonies. In 1964 it won the worldwide rights to Beatles headwear. The 1980s brought a new crowd, as hip-hop artists such as Slick Rick, Run-DMC and LL Cool J wore the berets. Today the range covers berets, baseball hats and army caps, and the kangaroo logo is still the mark to look for.