82% matchDrake's
British heritage house, knitwear and soft tailoring
What changes: Tie- and shirt-led with more Italianate flair, pricier
Brand profile
Alan Paine
British heritage knitwear label founded in 1907, known for cable-knit and club-colour sweaters in lambswool, merino and cashmere.
NottinghamOrigin
UnisexFocus
Urban prep / IvyStyle
$$$Price
4 brands like Alan Paine like Drake's, Brooks Brothers, Sunspel →
What to know about Alan Paine
Cricket sweaters are the origin story
The name was built on club-colour trimmed cricket, rowing and golf sweaters, and the founder is credited with early cable-knit designs from 1907 onward.
Yarn traced to Yorkshire spinners
Lambswool is spun in Yorkshire by Z. Hinchcliffe, alongside merino and cashmere lines — the fibre sourcing is specific rather than generic at this price.
Knitwear house, now full wardrobe
Beyond jumpers the range covers countrywear, outerwear and shirting, sold worldwide including through J.Press, which places it in prep-and-country territory.
If you like Alan Paine
82% match
76% matchBrooks Brothers
Older heritage house, club-stripe and shetland preppiness
What changes: American tailoring and shirting focus, not knitwear-first
74% matchSunspel
UK-made staples, plainer and more understated
What changes: Cotton/merino basics rather than cable-knit countrywear
73% matchPolo Ralph Lauren
Cable knits and sporting-club codes at bigger scale
What changes: Logo-driven American sportswear, broader and cheaper
Brand facts
Alan Paine is a British knitwear house founded in Godalming, Surrey in 1907 by William Paine, who taught himself to knit on machines found behind his shop and is credited with early cable-knit sweaters. The label built its name on club-colour trimmed cricket, rowing and golf sweaters, and today spans lambswool, merino and cashmere jumpers plus countrywear, outerwear and shirting. Lambswool yarn is spun in Yorkshire by Z. Hinchcliffe. Owned since 2006 by long-serving executive James Hinton, the brand now operates from Nottinghamshire and sells worldwide, including through J.Press.
- Founded
- 1907
- Origin
- Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Price
- $$$
- Typical prices
- Knitwear $245–$295 · Hoodies $225–$318 · Shirts $185–$185
- Focus
- Unisex
- Styles
- Urban prep / Ivy, Quiet luxury