Pringle of Scotland explains that argyle originated in Scotland as early as the 17th century as the Clan Campbell of Argyll's tartan, showing up on kilts and socks of Scottish Highlanders. It really took off in the early 20th century, though, thanks to the Duke of Windsor's interest in the pattern. From the 1920s on, argyle started spreading everywhere. Brooks Brothers indicates that the pattern (on socks) made it to the United States in the late 1940s when their then-president saw the pattern on a friend. They successfully launched their first argyle socks in 1952.