LONDON — Dunhill’s new creative director Simon Holloway has chosen a predominantly female fashion showcase to launch his first menswear collection, and while the choice may seem unconventional, there’s a logic to it.
Holloway, who took up his post last April, wants to once again turn the spotlight on British luxury menswear. Despite the many thriving brands and businesses in and around Savile Row, there is no longer a menswear fashion week here. So what better place to grab attention than London Fashion Week?
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“It’s important to reclaim exquisite British menswear because it doesn’t exist anymore,” Holloway said in an interview.
“The world references British menswear in its design work, whether it is color heritage, fabric typology or even the rules of classic menswear; This really comes from a British nature. “It will be great to celebrate this in a really nice way,” he added.
Since joining the 131-year-old British house owned by Compagnie Financière Richemont, he has sought to create a strong visual language for Dunhill through activations and campaigns that highlight British style and craftsmanship.
Holloway is familiar with many aspects of British style and her background extends to women’s and men’s clothing, accessories and footwear. He came to Dunhill after a brief stint as creative director at famed gunmaker and outdoor clothing supplier James Purdey & Sons, itself part of the Richemont stable.
He is a Brit living in London and studied fashion design at Kingston University School of Fashion. She is known for her soft touch, luxury fabric and leather expertise, and ability to work in ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories.
Before joining Purdey, Holloway served as creative director of Agnona and spent her career in fashion and luxury; She has held senior creative roles at brands such as Hogan, Jimmy Choo, Narciso Rodriguez and Ralph Lauren.
He said his priority was to “retell the story of Dunhill, and it’s a story that a lot of people don’t really know. Dunhill started with all things automotive. “There was also an exploration of outerwear, such as the original car coats made in the early 1900s.”
“Sporty tailoring” was Dunhill’s route to ready-to-wear, and early styles were inspired by the British aristocrats’ love of driving.
Holloway found driving coats and jackets made of leather and sometimes tweed in the archives and used them as inspiration for her fall 2024 collection.
He took these early designs and reinvented them for the 21st century, giving them a lighter, more contemporary look.
Holloway said the silhouettes have a “quintessentially British” feel, but they won’t be produced in a heavy, old-fashioned way. “Taking into account the depth and heritage, they fit better into the dressing style of today’s men. [of fabrics] “This is something Dunhill customers are used to,” he added.
Holloway’s exhibition, another nod to British history, will take place in the Duveen wing of the National Portrait Gallery, which was opened by King George V and Queen Mary in 1939.
“I wanted to showcase the collection in a quintessentially British setting, not in a stuffy old club on Pall Mall with its unfortunate trappings of empire that no one would want to look at or be associated with,” the designer said.
The National Portrait Gallery, which opened in 1856, seemed like a good fit for Holloway for other reasons, too. He believes the institution addresses the “troubled history in the country” without losing its historical and aesthetic value.
He also believes that the newly renovated gallery is “a reflection of the society we live in today” as it sheds light on artists, writers and architects throughout history.
“Most of the artwork in these rooms celebrates creativity. The subject matter of the galleries is a much more positive message than the boring ‘lord so and so,'” Holloway explained.
However, he hopes that the backdrop of the paintings, gilded frames and padded silk walls will not give anyone the wrong impression.
“I’m not trying to create some kind of period costume drama,” he said, adding that the collection is “more geared towards today’s men.”
The collection will feature Dunhill’s three degrees of tailoring: ready-to-wear, bespoke and made-to-measure; as a single vision on the podium.
Dunhill’s custom-made clothing is big business, he said.
“We have a very strong and loyal customer base internationally, with significant made-to-measure and made-to-order work in the US, Japan and China, as well as here,” the designer said.
“We are seeing double-digit growth in our tailoring sales. “There is a high demand for ready-made clothing sewing, bespoke orders and personalized tailoring,” he said.
A spokesperson for the brand said Dunhill was not feeling the impact of the global luxury slowdown, “with sales increasing year on year in both the West and Asia.”
As reported, the business restructured its operations in 2022 with a greater focus on “classic style, masculine elegance and a sense of Britishness.”
The brand recently closed its store next to the Royal Academy as the landlord redeveloped the building. As a result, Dunhill’s focus for the next 18 months will be on its members’ club and global flagship, located side by side on Davies Street in Mayfair.
Bourdon House has received an interior refresh as well as an updated and improved ‘experience’ aimed at drawing customers into the Dunhill universe. An in-house tailoring team is available for the brand’s rtw, bespoke and made-to-measure offerings. There is also a modest VIP area, barber shop and Alfred’s Café.
Holloway said he was prepared to use Bourdon House as a laboratory to test his ideas and innovations, similar to founder Alfred Dunhill’s approach.
When he accepted the job, Holloway described the house founder as “a pioneer, an innovator and one of the most influential British tastemakers of the 20th century.” “His passion for creativity and elegance has created a home that is synonymous with purposeful luxury and quality, an enduring and powerful source of inspiration.”
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