Fred Perry has stuck its logo on all kinds of stuff over the years. It’s most commonly found on polo shirts, parkas and other items of clothing that don’t begin with the letter ‘P’, but the British fashion brand’s latest collaboration sees the famous laurel wreath being emblazoned on a pair of Ruark MR1 Mk2 active speakers.
Normally a simple tie-up wouldn’t be enough on its own to pique my interest, but as an owner of a pair of MR1s I know exactly how good they are, and with a few Fred Perry threads hanging in my wardrobe I’ve got even more reason to pay attention to this limited-edition launch.
The Ruark MR1 Mk2 speakers normally come in either walnut or grey, so while black is hardly an unusual colour, it’s one that these brilliant desktop speakers aren’t usually available in, and the fabric covering on the front is made from the same polyester piqué that’s used for the polo shirts (as worn by Amy Winehouse, Damon Albarn from Blur and, er, Fred Perry himself). An embroidered logo in ‘champagne’ (essentially a yellowy beige) ensures everybody who sees them knows you’re a fan too.
On top there’s a volume dial that allows you to switch between sources – aptX Bluetooth, optical or auxiliary – and is encircled in the same colour, while the backplate also matches (not that you’ll spend a lot of time looking at it). You’ll notice there’s no Wi-Fi, but if like me you have these on your desk and attach them to a laptop for mainly nine-to-five WFH use, I’d argue that’s not a huge issue.
Fred Perry is renowned for making its polo shirts in a whole load of colour combinations, so it would’ve been nice to see a few more options for the speakers as well, but for Fred fans who want a pair of compact speakers that sound as good as they look, these are going to be hard to beat.
The Ruark Audio x Fred Perry MR1 speakers are yet to appear on Ruark’s website, but you can find them via Fred Perry’s, with a price tag of £375. That’s £25 more than the standard version, and £25 less than this very Liam Gallagher-esque parka.
