Lambretta Clothing: Timeless Casual Style

There are very few brands with a story as rich as Lambretta's.

Italian scooters, golden age Hollywood stars, Mods and the Swinging Sixties, Britpop... and that's before we've even entered the new millennium! But how does the Lambretta scooter lead us into Lambretta clothing? And how has Lambretta clothing kept its timeless, casual style throughout the decades?

Here's everything you need to know about this iconic brand and how it all came to be.

Key Takeaways

• Lambretta began as an Italian scooter brand in 1947, adopted by the Mod sub-culture in the 1960s and loved by cultural icons ever since
• The UK-based Lambretta Clothing brand launched in 1997, drawing directly on that legacy of style and culture
• The range covers everything from polo shirts, t-shirts, and knitwear to parkas, bomber jackets, jeans, footwear, and accessories - all with that signature retro Mod aesthetic

 

History of Lambretta

To really understand Lambretta clothing, you have to go right back to post-war Italy. 

Specifically, to Milan in October 1947, where an engineer named Ferdinando Innocenti launched the very first Lambretta scooter from his factory in Lambrate: a suburb of the city named after the River Lambro running through it.

That first model, the 125M (Model A), felt like nothing else on the road at the time, with its chrome-plated parts, bright paintwork, and a clean and modern look. And within a few years, Lambretta scooters were turning up all over the world - including under the bright lights of Hollywood.

James Dean, who is widely considered as one of the most enduring symbols of youthful rebellion and cool in cinema history, rode one. So did Paul Newman. The 1950s saw Lambretta become a true cultural icon.

And this was just the beginning for the brand, for the journey now takes us to London and a decade that would firmly cement Lambretta in fashion history forever.

The Birth of Mod Clothing

The Mod (short for modernist) sub-culture began in the late 1950s/early 1960s, with a small, intensely style-conscious group of young, working-class Londoners who shared a love of modern jazz. 

Alongside the smooth music of Miles Davis and Charlie Parker, and the sharp, tailored clothing, the Mods also adopted the scooter as one of their defining symbols. Practical and affordable for young people navigating a city whose public transport stopped early in the evening, the Lambretta scooter was one they took a particular shine to, decorated and personalised into rolling expressions of individual style.

Meanwhile, London itself was transforming around them, becoming a global epicentre for pop music and fashion, with bands like The Who, The Kinks, and the Small Faces appealing to a largely Mod audience during a period that became known as Swinging London.

 

The Mod Revival

As the overall Swinging Sixties decade drew to a close, the Mod movement evolved. Some working-class Mods splintered off into other groups, psychedelia and the dandy look pulled the culture in new directions, and by the early 1970s, the original Mod era had run its course.

But the style, the music, and the attitude it left behind proved far too powerful to simply fade away.

In the late 1970s, Mods were back on the scene across the UK, with scooter rallies taking place up and down the country, and Mod-influenced bands like The Jam and Purple Hearts enjoying a new wave of popularity for the culture. Then came Britpop in the 1990s, with another enormous surge of Mod influence on British fashion and music (we all know Liam Gallagher of Oasis is rarely seen without a parka).

And all of this, eventually, leads us to 1997: when Lambretta Clothing came to life.

 

Who is Lambretta Clothing?

At its heart, Lambretta Clothing is British menswear inspired by the 1960s Mod subculture and the Italian design heritage of the original scooters - blending the best of both into something that feels rooted in real cultural history while being completely wearable in modern times. 

When it launched in 1997, it drew directly on everything the Lambretta name had come to represent over the previous fifty years. Today, the brand is part of the Lambretta Consortium, and it has built a loyal following that spans both those who grew up with the mod culture and a new generation of style-conscious men discovering it for the first time.

Pictured (L-R): Mens Multi Stripe Short Sleeve T-Shirt, Mens Twin Tipped Retro Polo Shirt

 

 

The Lambretta Clothing Range

So what does all that heritage look like when you open the wardrobe?

The range gets you sorted from top to toe with: 

• Polo shirts and t-shirts
• Knitwear and hoodies
• Harrington jackets, parkas, and bomber jackets
• Jeans and shorts
• Footwear and accessories including bags, socks, and underwear.

The retro styling runs consistently throughout, and that RAF roundel (the circular target motif that the original mods wore) appears across the range as the brand's most recognisable signature.

We stock a brilliant selection of Lambretta clothing at Avenue 85, and here's just a little taster of what's waiting for you when you shop...

 

Lambretta Jackets

 

Lambretta Mens Vintage Track Bomber Jacket

 

 

 

Lambretta Polo Shirts & T-Shirts

 

 

 

 

How to Wear Lambretta Clothing

The original Mods were all about making the style their own, and that spirit is very much alive here.

What makes it easy to wear is that the aesthetic is consistent across the whole range. Everything sits within the same visual world, so pieces naturally work together. You can go as deep into the look as you like, whether that's a full head-to-toe outfit or simply adding a Lambretta jacket or polo to your existing wardrobe.

In spring and summer, your polo shirts and t-shirts can be paired with shorts or slim-fit jeans and a clean pair of retro trainers, to give you a look that's effortlessly sharp without trying too hard.

Then come autumn and winter, you’ll be making plenty of use of your parka and bomber jacket. Pull one on over your hoodie and the whole look falls into place.

However much or little of the range you draw from, the Mod DNA runs through all of it for plenty of easy outfits year-round.

Pictured (L-R): Mens Stripe Hoodie, Mens Water Resistant Parka Jacket

 

Lambretta Clothing FAQ

A few of the questions we hear most often about Lambretta clothing, answered.

 

Is Lambretta a mod brand?

Definitely! The Mod sub-culture is right at the heart of everything Lambretta clothing does: from the RAF roundel motif running throughout the range to the polos, parkas, and retro styling that have defined the mod wardrobe for over sixty years. 

That said, you don't need to consider yourself a Mod to love wearing Lambretta. The aesthetic has influenced British casual wear so broadly across the decades that it feels like a natural, familiar part of the wardrobe for a huge range of people.

 

Is Mod clothing the same as indie fashion?

Similar spirit but slightly different stories.

Mod began in the late 1950s and peaked in the mid-1960s: Italian-inspired tailoring, polo shirts, parkas, sharp shoes, scooters, and a deep love of jazz, soul, and R&B. Then later moving into bands like The Who, The Kinks, The Jam - that's your Mod soundtrack.

Indie (or indie-hipster, as it became known) was a different movement that ran from the mid-2000s to around 2014. Skinny jeans, deep V-neck tees, messy hair, that sort of thing. Think about bands like Arctic Monkeys, The Kooks, Kings of Leon, and The Fratellis, who define the look and sound of that era. 

 

Is Lambretta a British brand?

The Lambretta clothing brand was founded in the UK in 1997, inspired by the heritage of the original Italian Lambretta scooters and the British Mod sub-culture that made them famous.

 

Who wears Lambretta clothing?

The brand has built a following across multiple generations. Mod lifers, Britpop kids, and style-conscious men who appreciate a bit of cultural heritage in what they wear all find something in the Lambretta range.

And famous face wise, Carl Barât of The Libertines wears Lambretta clothing, plus The Jam's Paul Weller is widely known as The Modfather, continuing the carry the flame of the era.

Shop Lambretta Clothing at Avenue 85

Over 75 years of culture sits behind the Lambretta name, and the clothing brand has done a fantastic job of carrying that forward. 

From a factory in post-war Milan to the streets of Swinging London, through the Britpop years and beyond, it's a story that has left a permanent mark on British casual style, and one that shows no signs of slowing down.

So now all that's left to do is to find your new favourites to add to your wardrobe and take your own place within the history of Lambretta clothing. Happy shopping!

 

 

About the Author

A dad to two energetic boys, James spends his weekends juggling football matches, skate parks, and Sunday afternoons at Disley’s very own Lyme Park. While he might not get to hit the golf course as often as he used to, he’s all in for family adventures in the great outdoors - coffee in hand and his favourite Ecco walking shoes on his feet. On the Avenue 85 blog, James loves to help other families make the most of their time outside by sharing his tried and tested tips, whether it’s finding the best waterproof jacket for a rainy day or discovering the best local walks that are perfect for little legs to explore!