From the Observer:
Full article here: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1718225,00.html

Excerpt:

For years it has been regarded as the epitome of cool by Mods, skinheads, fans of Britpop and pop stars such as Paul Weller, Fatboy Slim and Pete Doherty. Now Fred Perry clothing - started by Britain's last tennis great but synonymous with music rather than grass courts - is undergoing a major revival thanks to the exploits of Andy Murray, who will be announced as Britain's number one tennis player tomorrow.

Since the 18-year-old Scot's first tournament victory on the men's tennis tour last weekend dressed head to foot in gear bearing the brand's distinctive laurel emblem, sales have been soaring. John Flynn, managing director of Fred Perry Limited, said they had had a sharp rise in calls from sports retailers after Murray confirmed his growing stature by beating former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt to win the ATP Tour event title in San Jose, California.

Ironically, a label named after the last British man to win Wimbledon could now regain its former status as tennis champions' preferred sportswear thanks to Murray, who will replace Tim Henman as the country's top-ranked player. While most tennis professionals have sponsorship deals with the clothing giants Nike or Adidas, the Dunblane-born youngster is the only player to have struck a deal to wear a brand best-known for its links with cutting-edge British music.

After its creation in 1948 by the man who won Wimbledon three times in a row between 1934 and 1936, Fred Perry was worn routinely by tennis's big names until the Seventies. It became a niche brand in sporting terms but was also the first sportswear to metamorphose into streetwear. Sports sponsorship experts believe the tie-up with Murray could help the label re-establish itself as a force to compete with its much bigger rivals.

Ex-Blur frontman Damon Albarn, singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, Badly Drawn Boy and Preston, the Ordinary Boys singer who took part in the recent series of Celebrity Big Brother, are also prominent fans of Fred Perry shirts, especially its classic two-colour polo shirts. Murray is a big music fan and often goes on court listening on his iPod to acts such as 50 Cent, Eminem and Black Eyed Peas.

As part of the sponsorship, Murray has a hand in helping to design the Fred Perry outfits he wears on court - a right only granted to a handful of top-level sportspeople, such as the golfer Tiger Woods. He helped to create the black and white shirt he wore at last month's Australian Open and will exploit the clause in Wimbledon's strict clothing rules, which allows players to have just 5 per cent of non-white fabric in their sportswear, to introduce 'a bit of Scottish in the coloration', said Flynn.

'At the US Open it will be all Scotland - blue, in other words', Flynn said.

Flynn said the teenager is in some ways a spiritual successor to Perry who, unusually in a game dominated at the time by the well-off, was the forceful, anti-establishment, Stockport-born son of a Labour MP. 'The guy's more than just a tennis player. He's corporate but roguish, like Fred,' explained Flynn. Murray has already become one of the most engaging characters on the men's tour with his mop of wavy hair, candour about his chances against higher-ranked opponents, dislike of the press and cries of, 'Come on!' during matches.

One leading sports agent said that Murray's vibrant personality made his partnership with Fred Perry 'a great natural fit for both parties'.

'It's a smart move by Murray to go with a small-time, non-mainstream label such as Fred Perry because if he's still doing well in five or six years' time, Nike and Adidas will be desperate to sign him up, whereas they almost never sign a player who has already been 'branded' by their rival,' the agent said.

Murray signed a four-year sponsorship deal with Fred Perry last year. He is set to earn about £1 million in endorsements alone this year from his deals with the sportswear company, soft drinks firm Robinson's, racket firm Head, the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Sun. He has already made almost £200,000 since turning professional last year, when he emerged in spectacular fashion by reaching the third round at Wimbledon as an unknown 17-year-old.

The Dapper Champion

· Fred Perry was a world champion table tennis player before he took up lawn tennis aged 18. He had exceptional speed, and only two years later competed at Wimbledon for the first time.

· Perry always cut a dash on court. He played wearing buckskin shoes, and if the game reached a fourth set he would change into a fresh, dazzling white pair of trousers and a new shirt.

· Being a pipe smoker, Perry had intended to use a pipe as the brand's logo but decided against it as he 'didn't think the girls would go for it'.