Revision 110106659 of "Kangol" on dewiki

{{Refimprove|date=April 2008}}
'''Kangol''' is a clothing [[corporation|company]] famous for its [[headwear]].

Founded in [[Cleator]], [[Cumbria]], [[England]] in 1938 by Jakob Spreiregen, Kangol (the K from [[silk|silK]] or Knitting or Knitted, the ANG from [[angora wool|angora]], the OL from [[wool]]) produced hats for workers, golfers, and especially soldiers - they were the major [[beret]] suppliers to the armed forces during [[World War II]], including famously [[Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein|Field Marshal Montgomery]]. [http://agent.nittygritty.se/kangol.html]
[[Image:Bernard Law Montgomery.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein|General Montgomery]], wearing his iconic Kangol beret]]

During and after the war, Kangol berets were the height of fashion.  In the 1960s, designers Mary Quant and Pierre Cardin worked with the company, whose products graced the heads of the rich and famous, including [[the Beatles]] and [[Arnold Palmer]], and later [[Princess Diana]]. The company also supplied uniformed organisations such as the [[Scout Association]].

In the 1980s Kangol berets entered a new phase of fashion history with their adoption by members of the [[Hip hop music|hip-hop]] community, such as [[Run-DMC]], [[LL Cool J]], Slick Rick, and [[Kangol Kid]] of [[UTFO]]. The release of more consciously stylish products in the 1990s such as the furgora (angora-wool mix) Spitfire, was helped by its presence upon the head of [[Samuel L. Jackson]] in 1997. [[Kevin Eubanks]], bandleader for [[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]], sports a Kangol beret on an almost nightly basis.

In December 2001 the licence to manufacture and sell headwear was sold to the Bollman hat company who are based in [[Adamstown, Pennsylvania]].  Shortly after, the last of the factories in the [[UK]] (the [[Frizington]] site) was also closed with production being transferred to factories in the [[Far East]] and particularly a wholly owned factory in [[Panyu]] just across the border from [[Hong Kong]]. Many ardent wearers believe Kangol's hats are now constructed to much lower quality standards.

The Kangol brand is owned by sporting goods retailer [[Sports Direct]] International (SDI), which purchased the brand from private equity firm August Equity Trust in October 2006 for about £10 million.

[[Category:Clothing companies of China]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1938]]